Steal This Wi-Fi

[michaewlewis]

I have security on my setup at home, but I give my guests passwords.  What I don't want is neighbor freeloaders (i live in an apartment) ripping off my internet and not purchasing their own.

Ever burn a friend's CD for yourself?

[patio]

No matter how you rationalise it it's an irresponsible article at best...i'll bet he's out of work inside of 6 months.

If not he'll be somewhere else where they pay for drivel.

[socrates]

I have security on my setup at home, but I give my guests passwords.  What I don't want is neighbor freeloaders (i live in an apartment) ripping off my internet and not purchasing their own.

Ever burn a friend's CD for yourself?

We're talking about two different things though.  I personally have nothing bad to say about those who steal music, but that's another story.  The issue is that when someone else uses your internet on a consistent basis, your bandwith is taken up considerably (of course, a different amount depending on what they're doing on your wireless).

It'd be analogous to me burning a friend's cd for myself and in turn making it harder for my friend to listen to his/her cd.

[Eg0Death]

Posted by: michaewlewis  Posted on: Today at 15:58:54 
Insert Quote 
Quote from: socrates on Today at 15:54:37
I have security on my setup at home, but I give my guests passwords.  What I don't want is neighbor freeloaders (i live in an apartment) ripping off my internet and not purchasing their own.


Ever burn a friend's CD for yourself?

 

Legality issues aside, it's still a bit different.  If I play the copy I paid for at the same time as someone who made a free copy, there's no degradation in service.  If a bunch of people hop onto my network they will eat up my bandwidth. 

[michaewlewis]

Well, if someone gets on my wireless and starts slowing me down, I'll look at my configuration page and see who it is and kick them off for a few minutes while I'm downloading os updates or browsing youtube. If it becomes a recurring problem I'll block their mac address and/or talk to them about it. If it is a recurring problem, it will most likely be a neighbor, too. So I'll tell them that if they want to continue taking up my bandwidth, they can mow my lawn for me.
oh and btw, if you have cable internet, your neighbors are already stealing your bandwidth...

[socrates]

Well, if someone gets on my wireless and starts slowing me down, I'll look at my configuration page and see who it is and kick them off for a few minutes while I'm downloading os updates or browsing youtube. If it becomes a recurring problem I'll block their mac address and/or talk to them about it. If it is a recurring problem, it will most likely be a neighbor, too. So I'll tell them that if they want to continue taking up my bandwidth, they can mow my lawn for me.
oh and btw, if you have cable internet, your neighbors are already stealing your bandwidth...

I don't have cable internet, and what you do sounds like a big hassle (or rather, a pointless hassle) that isn't needed.  Setup security. Period.

[socrates]

Posted by: michaewlewis  Posted on: Today at 15:58:54 
Insert Quote 
Quote from: socrates on Today at 15:54:37
I have security on my setup at home, but I give my guests passwords.  What I don't want is neighbor freeloaders (i live in an apartment) ripping off my internet and not purchasing their own.


Ever burn a friend's CD for yourself?

 

Legality issues aside, it's still a bit different.  If I play the copy I paid for at the same time as someone who made a free copy, there's no degradation in service.  If a bunch of people hop onto my network they will eat up my bandwidth. 

Exactly.

[michaewlewis]

Well, if someone gets on my wireless and starts slowing me down, I'll look at my configuration page and see who it is and kick them off for a few minutes while I'm downloading os updates or browsing youtube. If it becomes a recurring problem I'll block their mac address and/or talk to them about it. If it is a recurring problem, it will most likely be a neighbor, too. So I'll tell them that if they want to continue taking up my bandwidth, they can mow my lawn for me.
oh and btw, if you have cable internet, your neighbors are already stealing your bandwidth...

I don't have cable internet, and what you do sounds like a big hassle (or rather, a pointless hassle) that isn't needed.  Setup security. Period.

And I would say the same to your proposition.... setting up security would be a big hassle that you would have to do. blocking a mac address is a big hassle might have to do. It may never happen.
I've never noticed any unnacceptable degradation of bandwidth on my connection. It's not a problem for me.

It's something that has been argued about for years and will be argued for many more years.

I give up.

[socrates]

And I would say the same to your proposition.... setting up security would be a big hassle that you would have to do. blocking a mac address is a big hassle might have to do. It may never happen.
I've never noticed any unnacceptable degradation of bandwidth on my connection. It's not a problem for me.

I've done both methods, and I personally have found major degradation due to freeloaders.  It takes only a minute to setup the security (a password is the simplest), and you don't have to worry about it anymore.  However, if you don't have the security setup, you've gotta go back in and check to see who's connected.  Then you have to boot them, and eventually ban them if they don't stop.  Also, if you think your internet's going really slow, you may go in and check the attached devices just to find that no one is leeching the first dozen times. 

Put plain and simple: It's a lot of hassle and worry that can be avoided with a one-minute solution: security.

[michaewlewis]

no worry here...
Put plain and simple, you can continue to use your secured network, and I will continue to enjoy my unsecured network. We can discuss it all day long, but I have a feeling nobody's going to be changing their settings afterwards.
Seems like a good way to close a discussion, right? Hope so.

[socrates]

no worry here...
Put plain and simple, you can continue to use your secured network, and I will continue to enjoy my unsecured network. We can discuss it all day long, but I have a feeling nobody's going to be changing their settings afterwards.
Seems like a good way to close a discussion, right? Hope so.

Right, I wasn't trying to convince you to change your settings.  I was, however, refuting that it's easier to leave it unsecure and then just check to see if people are eating bandwith when the situation arises.