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Wi-Fi Piggybacking Widespread

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the five-finger-discounts dept.

BaCa sent in this article about stealing network access that opens, "Sophos has revealed new research into the use of other people's Wi-Fi networks to piggyback onto the internet without payment. The research shows that 54 percent of computer users have admitted breaking the law, by using someone else's wireless internet access without permission." Of course, online polls being what they are, the results are hardly a plank for a full investigation, but a good share of the answerers did 'fess up to it as well.

1 of 459 comments (clear)

  1. I leave my connection open... by Newer+Guy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I leave my connection open and my SSID reads "Use but dont abuse". At any given time, there are 10 MAC addresses in my DHCP log (I have 4 devices total). From what I can tell, NO ONE abuses the connection. One person (my elderly neighbor) uses it to email her kids and grandkids. What's wrong with that? I always have the bandwidth I need, and will continue to leave it open. By the way, only one other AP in this area is open. It's SSID is: Linksys.

    One other closed AP has the SSID: "Free Ride Is Over".

    I live in a community. Leaving my AP open benefits others within my community without adversely affecting me.