I want to thank all the wireless users with unprotected routers...

The other day I am in a residential neighborhood and find I am lost. I remembered that my laptop is in the trunk of the car, so I boot it up, and within a few minutes I fnd a house with unsecured wireless network. I connect, go to yahoo maps, get the info I need and sign off. I had complete access to any PC that was on, and could browse their hard drives at will. If I wanted to, I could have hacked their system in a matter of moments. Or, just to be a prankster, I could have changed the password on their router. Or deleted all photos.

My sister-in-law only has a laptop PC. She doesn't pay for internet service because there are dozens of unsecured wireless routers in her condo complex. She has her pick of who to connect to, and she does. Saves her about $45 a month.

So pay attention: You need to setup at least the minimum security on your wireless router. Your neighbors can be walking through all your personal and private documents. Identity theft is easy. The tougher the financial times get, the bolder the thieves get. Protect yourself.

Re: I want to thank all the wireless users with unprotected routers...

Which is exactly why my home network is hardwired.

I did the same thing as your sister for a short period after Hurricane Katrina. I had to work in northern Louisiana until June of '06, and had an apartment there. When I first moved in, and hadn't set up cable yet, I just used the wireless. There were three people in apartments surrounding me that had unsecured routers, so there was no problem getting on an ISP.

Re: I want to thank all the wireless users with unprotected routers...

I've used unprotected neighbors wireless signals to verify laptop wireless functions. I've never really used them otherwize. I have a wired home network so don't need wireless in the home.

Re: I want to thank all the wireless users with unprotected routers...

Verizon EVDO here.
Reach out and touch someone!

Re: I want to thank all the wireless users with unprotected routers...

If it were so difficult to set up the security, I could understand, but literally all you have to do on most wireless routers is to enable the ACL (Access control list), and you are done. Now, unless your wireless card is on that list, you can't connect. Its not like most users have more than two or three wireless devices, so the ACL is easy to maintain. I'm sure its hackable, but for the most part casual users are not going to try and spoof your MAC address to glom onto your network. They are just going to find the next unprotected network.
I have encouraged all my neighbors to set up security on their wireless home networks whenever I find one that is unprotected.

-Eric

Re: I want to thank all the wireless users with unprotected routers...

I like the unprotected wireless devices ... gives me access to iboats almost everywhere I go! If you get everyone to secure their networks I won't be able to use the laptop on the road ...

Re: I want to thank all the wireless users with unprotected routers...

I am curious as to how you were able to access the information on the other computers (hardrive) as that takes some special features to be activated by both parties. These features of course do not come from Microsoft automatically turned on for obvious security reasons.

Re: I want to thank all the wireless users with unprotected routers...

That's about as risky as surfing the internet without some type of security software. I use Norton Internet Security 2009, and about once per week it thwarts some type of attack - Usually a fake scan webpage or a port scan attempting to access my system. It also blocks sites from downloading adware and spyware regularly. Before using security software I was having to wipe everything off my harddrive and start fresh usually every six months or so because of malware infections that are impossible to remove without the proper software. Nowadays one had better plug every security hole or it's probably just a matter of time.

Re: I want to thank all the wireless users with unprotected routers...

I have been in some places where there are up to 20 wireless signals at once (and this is a very rural area) ........ usually a handful are unprotected signals.

Now if we could figure out how to boost the receive mode in the laptop

Re: I want to thank all the wireless users with unprotected routers...

Bob_VT said:

I have been in some places where there are up to 20 wireless signals at once (and this is a very rural area) ........ usually a handful are unprotected signals.

Now if we could figure out how to boost the receive mode in the laptop

Click to expand...

Not too hard to do Bob. Open the laptop and find the wire that feeds the antenna that is usually located in the frame of the LCD screen. Then attach a FME or similar connector to the case. Connect the antenna wire to the FME connector. Now all you have to do is run a cable to hi gain antenna, something like a 8-12db boost will not only pull in more signal, but send it as well. Most built in antennas only have a 0-3 db gain.

Or, connect the fme connector to a wi-fi re-broadcast/booster and you will pick up signals from far and wide.

Be aware that the FCC will probably have issues with this setup. They have all sorts of limitations on everything, and I'm sure its for good reasons. I know I already break FCC rules with the combination of antenna and booster I run at home for mobile broad band. But no one is impacted and no one will complain. Just don't stand in front of my antenna unless you like being cooked from the inside out.

Re: I want to thank all the wireless users with unprotected routers...

If it was not for unsecured networks, it would cost me $56 a mo. for hi speed. It ticks me off that our exclusive cable company gouges the public that way.

Re: I want to thank all the wireless users with unprotected routers...

It has its bad side too. My kids have laptops for their high school and I often will need to limit their access for various indiscretions.

Well I cut my daughters access off only to find out that she had been hopping on to a neighbors access and using it.

After asking my surrounding neighbors if their networks were secured and find they were, I loged on to the router of the one my duaghter was using and could tell by the the ISP login whose network it was. I didmn't know that neighbor so I sent a friend to offer my services to secure it. Well she refused it and said it is no big deal.

I am tempted to go in there and set up a mac filter limiting my kids access. I doubt they would ever find it. Just like the filters I put on my duaghters e-mail that forwards me notes that have certain content.

Re: I want to thank all the wireless users with unprotected routers...

Even if your network is suposidly "secure", you can download programs off the internet to crack it.