FREE Wi-Fi - Auto-connect when you're out and about for free

Tripledrop

You're very unlikely to go to jail! But from the unsecured user's point of view:

If I use your connection to browse illegal sites (child !!!!!! etc), then you are the 1 they find! Not great...

I would DEFINATELY secure your connection!

TGM

To be honest, in this day and age, its hard to get locked up. You only have to look in the local rag, to see people getting caught nicking lumps of meat from the supermarkets and getting a slap on the wrists.

And I don't think the wifi police even exists :rotfl:

I don't condone illegal activities... but if you live near a load of hotels or summit, you're laughing.

Elsterap

So how are you supposed to know wether its a legal connection or an illegal to use one. Like if i were sitting in Starbucks, how do i know i'm not using the neighbours Wi-fi connection?

eddieh_2

Well in Starbucks, at least with the ones nearby me, you have to pay for the wifi and the signal name is Startbucks.

NigeWick

My brother lives in a Norfolk village. The village computer club have set up a free wireless connection and there is also a Norfolk connection available for free. It is possible that this person in west London could have clicked on to a free site too. Although if he has admitted logging on to a private person's access, he will likely be found guilty because of that confession.

Nigel.

everythingblogcast

If the wifi hotsport is free and the owner has set it up and give you perrmission to connect to it and use it then it is legal. However if you connect to it knowning that not everyone knowns how to lockdown their wireless then it is illegal. There are a few charges 1. Breaking the Computer Misuse Act 1990, and 2. Theif of services.

So posting about this free software program that connects to 'any' hotspot that is not locked down then it is illegal.

reehsetin

keep in mind if you log onto an unsecured connection its exactly that unsecure, i wouldnt do any internet shopping or keep an private files on the computer your browsing on

TGM

There's no way of telling, I asked BT this question a month or two back. Basically, BT said make sure your wireless is secure so no one pinches your access, I said can you tell if anyone else is using it apart fom our 'house'? They said No, the only thing they know about is, how much you've downloaded, not who has downloaded it.

poppy10_2

There are lots of ways to tell whether someone unauthorised is using your wireless connection. For example, most wireless routers can display a status page showing who is connected.