Is it illegal to steal wireless?
 

Wireless internet access... let's say I'd be connected right now via someone elses unprotected inet connection.
how bad am I :)

Depends. People have been arrested though.

ok... good to know if true :)

its also ilegal to have pirated software!!!

Like I said depends on the area and how you are doing it. If you are parked outside someone's house and using a laptop you are probally will get busted. If you are stealing the neighbors then probally not. Here's the catch if you ask or I find out you a e using my connection and specifically tell you that it NOT ok for you to do that and you continue to use my connection, protected or not, that is in fact illegal.

I was doing it earlier today testing out the browser on my PSP. On a 15 minute drive I found about 50 networks, over half of them were open. Some people have really weird SSID names :upsidedow

you're a sinner and better confess it before a priest.

I love the SSID names like "GetTheFuckOut!!" or "StayAWAY"... hey genius, how bout you don't broadcast the signal.

I have stopped by hotels to catch up on email. Found out I can usually do it from the parking lot.

Same with some pubs that offer free wireless.

There is also an open network in my office condo. I have connected to that inadvertantly many times.

thief of digital resources, electronic gangsta ! :)

Buffdaddy, Fucko, HeilKraft. Weird names.

yea, they are...?

Is it illegal to steal __________ ? Fill in the blank, no matter what it is, the answer is YES.

What kind of silly question is that?

probally

probably but who cares

As long as your not doing anything illegal, who cares? I sometimes connect to the schools network. The school is across the street. Who gives a fuck?

This guy gives a fuck

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=915076

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Sorry your wrong. If you are hacking into that persons "secure" wireless connection, that is a crime. If you are simply picking up a connection off someones wireless that is configured for "open access" and doesn't need a password, you are fine. It would be the same as somebody broadcasting their radio wave into your house, and you picking it up... thats fine... if they want their wireless to be floating around in their nextdoor neighbours houses without the proper security thats their fault... fuck em.

Not in Canada I know that.

UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, No buddy. YOU are wrong. Stealing is stealing. It;s a crime either way, one is just easier to detect.

So if someone's car is unlocked, its ok to go in and steal it? If I leave my cell phone on the table and you use to make long distance calls, its OK?

I realize it's common and done every single day and probably most will never get caught, doesnt mean its NOT illegal.

Just a tiny bit of common sense, thats all I ask.

It's not yours. Someone else is paying for that connection; somehow that's stealing.

we should better call a police now. lol

It's not that you "hack" in, when it's really wide open. They broadcast the "open" signal, and you picked it up. As long as you don't abuse it, you will be okay I guess:)

Well there is a difference here.

When you leve the door open, I go in YOUR property/ground etc.

They send the signal to public area's...Maybe even MY house! That is already a huge difference.

What if the cableproviders makes a mistake, and shows paychannel X suddenly on your TV, while you did not pay for it...You never asked for this signal, but is it illegal to watch?

That's not necessarily true. If you are using my wireless and I find out and I say to you "You do not have permission" then if you continue to use it you are in fact breaking the law. Doesn't matter if it secure or not. You POV is like saying because I left my front door unlocked you can rob my house.

Now if I give you permission then no you are not breaking the law. I however am breaking the TOS of my ISP. But that's not your problem.

Well if it's a public school then it's paid for by your tax $ so I don't see a big deal about that.

I have heard that it will become illigal!

Peoples names for wireless networks near me.

if you have to ask, then you know the answer!

They have? Where? Wonder if thats illegal

A man was last week fined £500 after a British jury found him guilty of using a neighborhood wireless broadband connection without permission. Gregory Straszkiewicz, 24, was also sentenced to a 12 months conditional discharge after he was convicted of dishonestly obtaining an communications service and related offences at London's Islewoth Crown Court last Wednesday (20 July).

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/07..._driver_fined/

If they leave it unsecured not much to be done.

I'm currently looking at 8 available wifi connections.

2 secured.

Is it my fault the my laptop was set up to detect the strongest signals 1st?

Answer = NO

PS,,,just go in and add a password to their router.

is it illegal to steal?

duh :)


it shouldnt be, cause people are so clueless when setting up wireless networks its almost asking you to surf their networks. they keep their whole lan open.

you could walk downtown toronto with a laptop and just surf any big companies network, cause 75% of them are insecure.

most of them have hired consultants at 200$/hour to come and secure it.

live in a very populated area, i doubt you would even have to buy internet, just use someone elses :)

what negative effect is tehre to usig someone's wireless? None right... no one can use all the bandwidth anyways can they?

its illegal in Uk they just did someone for it a few weeks back

I think it should only be a prosecutable crime if you hack into a password protected account or if you tresspass to get the signal, such as the case of the SUV sitting in front of someone's house. If someone next door or down the road from a location you are authorized to be finds out that you have connected to their (problem) unsecured network I don't think they should be able to file charges against you unless you actually cost them money, then it should only be a civil case, not criminal (with of course the exception if you were using their access to commit criminal activity :upsidedow).

its illigal..

but since its in the free air.. and you dont need to do any hacking etc. its legalized

Yeah it is illegal because taking something that is not yours is stealing regardless.

hehe... i know its a legal border
but like its been said ... my machine picked up the strongest signal which was not mine lol

i also used the word illegal on purpose in the thread title lol
this is gfy
you need an attention grabber ;)

Wrong is not always illegal.
Illegal is not always wrong.