I Caught My Spouse Having Unprotected WIFI!!

I am crushed! My husband is the most moral man! But I caught him having
unprotected WiFi!
I should have known something was up, when he purchased a high power WiFi antenna. That is the first sign.

I saw him search for a network at the RV park when we were on vacation,
thinking he would find theirs. But NO, he found some skank's network. I'm crushed!

He said that this is the first time he's done this, but how can I trust him in the future?
Please, tell everyone you know, that they are at great risk, if they leave their WiFi unprotected.

Am I being prudish about this, or is it acceptable to use someone else's network?
Do you or someone you know do this? On a regular basis, or once in a while?

Sign me,
A Formerly Clueless Wife

I hold my hands up

I have - on occasion - hoped on to unencrypted WiFi to get my net fix, I only browse, try not to download much.

My thinking is along the ethical hackers motto 'do no harm'.

And if people are leaving their WiFi open I take that as an invitation to share - turning the WEP on is pretty simple.

Cracking the WEP key is possible now, the software is easily obtainable (I will leave out details of course) but I would only resort to that as a last resort, that is a clear sign that others are not welcome.

But if there is nothing to stop you I say do it - just don't take a certain waste fluid - Do no Harm!!

Edit: oh yheah - whenever I do this I do cover my bottom, I treat it as a very unsecure connection - I double check my fire wall and I NEVER enter my personal e-mail (I do have a number of accounts that are specifically for unsecure purpose, ie don't hame my name in any emails or addresses - don't have my secure passwords yadda yadda)

[edit on 8/6/2008 by Now_Then]

reply to post by desert


when im not at home and not at Uni
i will use some idiots wifi, hey the twits dont put a security lock on its their fault.
its not that hard to put a Hex pass on.

also if i do use wifi that isnt security, i always set my laptop security higher

Ah, bodrul, yes, good advice to set one's own laptop security higher. I think, though, that some people really don't know how to set their own network security; they really should, if they're going to use wifi or other such over-the-air.
If they don't know how, they should learn, or understand what it means to be unsecured. Maybe one could teach computer safety as one would teach fire safety, home/business security.

Uh, me, too, Now. My husband reminded me that, when we were having router troubles at home, I connected to a neighbor's unsecured network to get my daily fix, until we fixed our router problem. I, too, just browsed, never downloaded or used personal information.

I guess this business about using someone else's unsecured network is kind of like warming yourself up around a campfire someone else has built. You know if someone wants you around or not by how friendly they are; if they secure their network, that's a sign to stay out.

Just a few years ago, people would more than likely share their network with another traveler or neighbor, if they were asked. Now, however, with the ability to download movies, etc, this practice will come to a halt, as the isp would really not offer "unlimited" usage, or charge for tiered service.

reply to post by desert


funny enough if you see any new connections in the UK
the routers always come with a pre set pasword for wifi connections.

as long as you know what you are doing on a unsecure network then your safe
if your a noob you leave your system open for abuse.

something i did in college when we were working with networks
deleate peoples files (small network we set up, so nothing major)

This thread is very funny but also very serious. It is very common place to "WarDrive" (drive around and find unencrypted wifi hotspots) these days. I live in a very Mertopolitain area and it is so easy to find an open wifi connection that it takes no real effort and I have no special antennas to do so.

I just find a large apartment complex that has all living room windows on one side of the complex. Say it has 4 floors and maybe 50 livingroom sliding glass doors point in your direction. The odds are that one of those fifty is going to be an open connection. For one thing Comcast Internet is set up with unencrypted wifi to make it easier for the installer to get in and get out. Plus, it less complicates things for the user. If you want protected wifi from them you have to ask for them to set it up that way or you have to do it yourself. Most people don't even think about it because they know very little about the subject.

This is completely legal in the United States to use an unprotected wifi connection for Internet use. The problem is that most people that log onto other people wifi can't overcome the urge to be nosy and look into others private emails and then they start advancing to stealing personal stuff like credit card and other information.

I use it to strictly surf the internet and could care less about other peoples personal life or information.

reply to post by MrMysticism


lol It was indeed intended to be serious in a funny way.
We bought the high power antenna, because we're often out in areas where we had past trouble pulling in a signal, from a legitimate source. As my husband was getting the list of networks on our first try with the new antenna, he almost was going to use an open one, until he found the one for us. It made me think of the funny way to put this situation.

Two points here:
I don't think some people realize that their networks are open to others to use. That was interesting about Comcast. When I was using my neighbor's, I could have been downloading a ton of movies, causing his isp to take a look at his usage. Also, I could have "slowed down" his network. I could tell when he was on, but I don't know if he ever even knew I was online.

When people do use an open wifi network, such as at a cafe hotspot or rv park, some people might not realize it is unsafe to give out financial/identity information when using that network. When we have to pay bills, etc. online, we don't use an open network.

Ooh, I hadn't heard that term, WarDrive, before. I love this BTS!

Originally posted by desert
I could have been downloading a ton of movies, causing his isp to take a look at his usage. Also, I could have "slowed down" his network. I could tell when he was on, but I don't know if he ever even knew I was online.

Yhea you could of done all that boring stuff - or you could of run a dodgy web business of his IP or plan a string of terrorist attacks, maximise the potential f that unsecured WiFi!!

Ok i'm not very smart when it comes to these kinds of things. You guys seem to know what you are talking about. So I have a question for you, if you could answer me.

I use linksys its wireless network. Is this what you guys are talking about? Am I doing something wrong? Or is this ok? Help!

reply to post by Shar


1. have you changed the Deafult username and password
Admin/admin?

2. have you set up a wap key in wireless security settings

if so

you done well


also

MrMysticism funny enough down London where my sis lives,
you always have one or two unsecure networks in her flats

Originally posted by bodrul
reply to post by Shar

 

1. have you changed the Deafult username and password
Admin/admin?

2. have you set up a wap key in wireless security settings

1. my computer is under my name and a password for to log into. If this is what you are talking about.

2. don't know what a wap key is.

reply to post by Shar


no im talking about the router,
do this

www.google.com type in my IP address and copy and paste it in your browser
or type in CMD in run and type ipconfig

when it says enter password/username
type in admin/admin

that is if you havent changed it

then go to wireless security and then enter a password

also if your user and pass was admin/admin
go to security and change it asap

Thanks bodrul, I think i got it.

This is for those that are reading this thread. There are other ways of solving this issue than to WEP your network. When you encrypt your network it complicates things for the newbie users, say like your kids that just want to log on with no hassles or a friend from work etc.

The person that is managing the wifi network can buy and use a program that is called a Wifi Monitor. It monitors all connections and records the sites and time of use. There are ways to bypass this software but you have to know it is in effect first before you can logon without being noticed.

So if someone does find your network open and logs on then finds the software and bypasses it, It has still recorded the fact that some unauthorized person has logged on.

I think the software has password control option also, but is still non WEP and freely open for easy access.