Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Neighborhood WiFi Security

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the put-out-an-electronic-welcome-mat dept.

picaro writes to tell us the New York Times has an interesting piece about the abundance of open wireless connections available due to the lack of the average user's knowledge. The article also takes a look at how the prevalent attitude is that tapping in to these connections does not equate to stealing and why still other may disagree. From the article: "Piggybacking, the usually unauthorized tapping into someone else's wireless Internet connection, is no longer the exclusive domain of pilfering computer geeks or shady hackers cruising for unguarded networks. Ordinarily upstanding people are tapping in. As they do, new sets of Internet behaviors are creeping into America's popular culture."

2 of 328 comments (clear)

  1. RTFM by xgadflyx · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Some users say they have protected their computers but have decided to keep their networks open as a passive protest of what they consider the exorbitant cost of Internet access.
    That would be the category I fall under. I think everyone should follow the sharing principle, lock your box, and open the AP. No matter what deviant may come around and use your access, you can always prove it wasn't you. Now it may be a hassle and even cost a bit of cash..., which we all know sucks, but I've been sharing my wifi for nearly 3 years now and have had no problems. Plus, I've always appreciated the neighborhood open-ness eg. when cable modem users go down and the DSL subscribers are still kicking it, just hop right over and keep on keeping on.
    "I'm sticking it to the man," said Elaine Ball, an Internet subscriber who lives in Chicago.
    "Whoa sweetheart, slow down. We're just talking about sharing internet connections, nothing more" -me, an internet subscriber who lives in Columbus First post?
    --
    Civilization, the death of dreams.
  2. Take a bike, leave a bike by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Some cities have implemented systems where you can borrow one of the public bicycles that are painted with an ugly colorscheme and use it to go where you need to go. Someone can then, in turn, borrow that bike from you after you've parked it. It's an interesting system because the bikes are just community property and everyone has the right to ride them.