Posted by Pierces Notary Services on 2/17/09 7:35am
Msg #277734

WiFi

Someone told me that if you get a WiFi antenna for your desktop or laptop that you can pick up someone's internet connection without having the internet yourself. Is this true?

Reply by TRG_wy on 2/17/09 7:59am
Msg #277737

True only if someone nearby does not have their network secured. Suprisingly enough, there are many people that do not go through the "secure" setup procedures. They just plun-n-go.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 2/17/09 10:44am
Msg #277752

It's very possible... but depends on somebody being stupid enough nto to lock down their wi-fi connection. Unfortunately, there are a LOT of them.

It's called "piggybacking" and it may or may not be illegal. It's probably not very ethical.

But there are a lot of people who map these points:

http://www.wigle.net/

http://www.wifimaps.com/


You can also this one, which is a list of legitimate free spots without the questionable ethics:

http://www.wififreespot.com/

Reply by GWest on 2/17/09 11:23am
Msg #277754

Thank you, that is very handy to have n/m

Reply by Philip Johnson on 2/17/09 11:29am
Msg #277756

Sure you can, but do you want to tie your business

into another person's service. Lets say you are just beginning to download those docs you've been waiting on and the donor decides to reset his/her connection. What will you do in the interim why they fiddle with their connection? Or they decide to secure their connection on a Friday at noon, how long will it take you to get service and what may it cost you?

Get your own service and rest assured that it will work on your schedule (assuming there is no problem with your provider).

Reply by Pierces Notary Services on 2/17/09 1:20pm
Msg #277769

Re: Sure you can, but do you want to tie your business

that's exactly what i was thinking - what if they don't pay their bill and it gets disconnected - i have DSL now - i pick up my neighbor's service instead of mine for some reason - everytime we get online - it slows hers down. she's supposed to call the company to get hers locked- we even pick up another neighbors from time to time.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 2/17/09 8:11pm
Msg #277823

Re: Sure you can, but do you want to tie your business

As I understand it, DSL service is, by it's very nature, run on a shared network. Most providers have some formula that limits the number of users per shared network or line (and it depends on what level of service you pay for) to guarantee a minimum line speed. But there is always the risk that it will be slower the more people who are using it at the same time.

How can you tell you're getting someone else's service?

Reply by PAW on 2/17/09 8:38pm
Msg #277835

Re: Sure you can, but do you want to tie your business

You got it Janet. DSL is like a water pipe that runs down the street. The more users, the lower the pressure. The more computers active on the DSL pipe, the slower the throughput.

Reply by Ernest__CT on 2/17/09 9:50pm
Msg #277860

Cable Internet access is like that, too!

In the middle of the day, when not many people are at home, cable is super fast. In the evening when the little bas ... dears get home from school and then mommy and daddy get home from work, Internet access gets slow.

Paul's waterpipe analogy is perfect.