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Is it secure conencting to wireless?

OK, I know accessing someone elses wireless broadband is illegal and I'm not condoning it, but I was just wondering how safe it is?

Am I leaving myself open to getting hacked or whatever?

I wouldn't do it if I wasn't desperate and I'm not ripping the p!ss out of it. :A
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Comments

  • Marty_J
    Marty_J Posts: 6,594 Forumite
    If you're able to connect to someone's network, then of course it's not secure.

    And being "desperate" isn't really a defence.
  • southernscouser
    southernscouser Posts: 33,745 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Marty_J wrote: »
    If you're able to connect to someone's network, then of course it's not secure.

    And being "desperate" isn't really a defence.

    Thanks for the advice. And the telling off. :)

    So someone could see what I'm typing/doing?
  • Marty_J
    Marty_J Posts: 6,594 Forumite
    Theoretically, yes.

    The IP address of your computer and the websites you visit will show up in the router's logs too. They will also be able to set the MACs of all the computers connected to their network.
  • superscaper
    superscaper Posts: 13,369 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    So someone could see what I'm typing/doing?

    For all you know it could be a honeypot and even if it wasn't you're still sending all your data unencrypted so any third party could quite easily see the data you're transceiving.

    I agree with Marty J though, how can you be desperate to steal someone's bandwidth?
    "She is quite the oddball. Did you notice how she didn't even get excited when she saw this original ZX-81?"
    Moss
  • Blacksheep1979
    Blacksheep1979 Posts: 4,224 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Anytime you use a computer that is connected to the outside world it's unsafe - it's all about levels of safety. Using someone elses internet is opening yourself up for trouble though.
  • mandm65
    mandm65 Posts: 556 Forumite
    OK using someone else wireless might be illegal but i guess you would be taking the same risk when you connect to freely available hotspots at airports, restaurants, pubs etc?
  • hippyadam
    hippyadam Posts: 645 Forumite
    Depending on your security settings, your shared files could well be available to the other party on the network.

    Secondly, its called "war driving" & it is illegal in the UK.

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/18/uk_war_driving_arrests/
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4721723.stm

    If you are that desperate, find your nearest legal wifi hotspot in a pub/coffee shop or the like, buy the smallest/cheapest item they have & nurse it until youve done what needs to be done...
  • Paul_Herring
    Paul_Herring Posts: 7,484 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    hippyadam wrote: »
    If you are that desperate, find your nearest legal wifi hotspot in a pub/coffee shop or the like,
    .. and ensure it's their WiFi you're connecting to...

    From my office I can see 1 legally public WiFi AP, our office AP, and about 3 questionably public APs
    Conjugating the verb 'to be":
    -o I am humble -o You are attention seeking -o She is Nadine Dorries
  • Conor_3
    Conor_3 Posts: 6,944 Forumite
    OK, I know accessing someone elses wireless broadband is illegal and I'm not condoning it, but I was just wondering how safe it is?

    Am I leaving myself open to getting hacked or whatever?

    I wouldn't do it if I wasn't desperate and I'm not ripping the p!ss out of it. :A

    Well if you connected to mine (unlikely) you can be sure I'd have a poke around.

    And if you're so desperate, there's free internet access in most libraries and some of them are wifi enabled as well. Also McDonalds have free wifi so you could munch a burger whilst you surf.
  • weegie.geek
    weegie.geek Posts: 3,432 Forumite
    OK, I know accessing someone elses wireless broadband is illegal and I'm not condoning it, but I was just wondering how safe it is?

    Am I leaving myself open to getting hacked or whatever?

    I wouldn't do it if I wasn't desperate and I'm not ripping the p!ss out of it. :A


    Home net die between the back and the lay? :) Nightmare innit? :)

    Most mobile phones these days can be hooked up to the PC and used to connect to the net with. I'd look into that rather than some open wireless network.
    They say it's genetic, they say he can't help it, they say you can catch it - but sometimes you're born with it
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