Wireless Connections

**Bunkerbarge** · 17-02-2006

Gents,

A general question. My new Laptop searches automatically for wireless signals and keeps me up to date on the status of the connections.

Occassionally it picks up a nearby wireless transmission and automatically connects itself to it. Not a brilliant signal but it works and I can surf the net quite successfully with it.

The question is: Am I doing anything wrong or even illegal if I use this connection?

Nigel.D · 17-02-2006

Short answer is nope!!!!! and Nope!!!!

**Bunkerbarge** · 17-02-2006

Thanks Nigel,

I have to admit it is the easiest internet connection I have ever dealt with!

Shame it doesn't seem to work in the evening so I am thinking it is some local business.

**John** · 17-02-2006

You might be connecting to a neighbours I can do it with mine which I guess is usfull if my connection ever goes down and they are using a different ISP it could serve a purpose

**Bluewavestudios** · 17-02-2006

In short, you have found what is known as a wireless hotpsot, whereby you are obviously in range of someone else's connection. It can be naughty but they are not likely to track you down unless you start doing malicious things or hacking into their computers.
The only way they can get round this is to either switch the network off, which you say they do in the evenings or the other way is to secure their network which they obviously have not done, otherwise you would not be able to connect.
It is not always illegal as some places do specifically provide hotspots for laptop users to use.

Regards......Mark.

dynamite25 · 17-02-2006

Someone round here has a BT Voyager wireless modem that my laptop picks up on and off but they have a password or something so other people can't use it.

17-02-2006

As everyone else has said it is not illegal as the user is broadcasting the signal without WEP encryption enabled. Even with WEP enabled an average pc user can get round it.
You can, if you wish specify the computer to NOT connect to the network but to be honest if it works then why fix something thats broken :-)

rjwood_uk · 17-02-2006

my next doorn neigbour has a btvoyager wireless connection and its sodding annyoing, as just as yours does. it picks up the signal and when im trying to set up my own connection its quite annoying.

i have a belkin wireless router and the security on it is amazing, it has its own built in firewall that wont let ANYthing through, and the blooming mac address security thing and passwords and all that make it hard to even put a new pc on the network let along some one else accidently connect to it!

**Bunkerbarge** · 17-02-2006

I guess the bottom line is then, just carry on enjoying using it while I can!

Thanks guys.