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pete · Dec 14, 2002, 10:07 PM

I just noticed that my new 800mhz G4 pb picks up an airport signal from a neighbor - I'm connected to it now. My first time! So damn cool. Question is can he or she see that I'm hooked up to his system?

off/lang · Dec 14, 2002, 10:15 PM

Chances are, that if their Access Point is open, they will not notice you. Having said that, yes, you will show up in the DHCP Client Table of their access point. It will be the IP address you were given, the hostname of your computer and the MAC address of your airport card.

If they notice you though, chances are they will just enable WEP, which while isn't foolproof by any measure is enough to stop the average neighbor from borrowing net access.

pete · Dec 14, 2002, 10:17 PM

Thanks. I have my own DSL but no base station yet. This is so cool.....

RMXO · Dec 14, 2002, 10:24 PM

Originally posted by pete:
I just noticed that my new 800mhz G4 pb picks up an airport signal from a neighbor - I'm connected to it now. My first time! So damn cool. Question is can he or she see that I'm hooked up to his system?

LOL. i know i should test out my neighbor's connection but not gonna do it. you should tell your neighbor to turn on WEP as a curtisy.....

vmarks · Dec 14, 2002, 10:39 PM

Hi!

This isn't a powerbook question, this is a networking question.

I'm moving it to the networking forum. Thanks!

Roxie · Dec 14, 2002, 11:52 PM

Go say hello. Maybe he's a Mac head... If not, make him one by showing him your PC killer Ti.

CommonSense · Dec 16, 2002, 10:34 PM

Keep using and don't worry about it. Why?

(a) If your neighbor is a clued person and knows how to properly set up a base station, he/she obviously left the access point open deliberately in the spirit of sharing.

(b) If your neighbor ISN'T clued enough to know about WEP and/or password protection, then he/she DEFINITELY isn't going to be clued enough to know how to find out if someone else is sharing the connection.

When I visit my girlfriend in Silicon Valley (10 minutes from Apple HQ!), I get four or five signals from within her apartment. She's got cable modem, but I just freeload off an unprotected access point, solely because I'm too lazy to unplug her cable modem and plug it into my PowerBook.

ghporter · Dec 17, 2002, 08:49 AM

Pete,

To answer your original question, "that depends." It depends primarily on whether or not your neighbor even looks, and what he or she can see depends on whether or not your machine is set up to be accessible through your network.

The question you don't ask (but hint at) is "is this a good thing?" The answer is a definite "NO." Others responding to this thread have suggested that you should just freeload off your neighbor's connection because it's there. Not only is this not neighborly, and not only could it be illegal (like the old trick of wrapping a wire around a neighbor's TV cable and leeching off of their subscription), but it is bad for the whole community. Two communities actually, your neighborhood and the computing community.

The best thing to do (once you figure out which neighbor's network you're finding) is to walk over, PowerBook in hand, and show that neighbor what you've found. Offer to help him or her secure the network so at least others won't be able to access it. Show the concern you'd like others to show for your network.

This is a situation that you can make better, both for your neighbor and yourself, by helping to correct the problem. You could also make it worse by continuing to use your neighbor's wireless network until you get caught. It's up to you...

dreilly1 · Dec 17, 2002, 10:02 AM

Originally posted by GHPorter:
Pete,

The best thing to do (once you figure out which neighbor's network you're finding) is to walk over, PowerBook in hand, and show that neighbor what you've found. Offer to help him or her secure the network so at least others won't be able to access it. Show the concern you'd like others to show for your network.

This is a situation that you can make better, both for your neighbor and yourself, by helping to correct the problem. You could also make it worse by continuing to use your neighbor's wireless network until you get caught. It's up to you...

Generally, I would tend to agree with you, but it depends on how well you know your neighbor. By all means, if you know who the neighbor is and have talked to them before, let them know. They may even not have a problem letting you use the access point. After all, if they have a clue, they probably left the base station open on purpose.

But if you just pop out from nowhere and let them know their network is unprotected, your good intentions can be misunderstood. I wouldn't be suprised if an extremely paranoid neighbor calls the cops and gets you arrested for trying to hack into his computer. After all, you just admitted to him that you got onto his network, and the distinction between that and hacking with malicious intent will be lost on some.

If the neighbor doesn't have a clue, the odds are that he won't know where to look to see if you're leeching. And the worst that can happen is that he finds out and locks up the access point. He can find out you're leeching, but likely can't find out where you are without some serious technical kung-foo.

aaanorton · Dec 17, 2002, 11:25 AM

Originally posted by dreilly1:
If the neighbor doesn't have a clue, the odds are that he won't know where to look to see if you're leeching. And the worst that can happen is that he finds out and locks up the access point. He can find out you're leeching, but likely can't find out where you are without some serious technical kung-foo.

Nothing like missing the point entirely...
Look, if you have to ask this question, then obviously it's not right. If you're cool with that, go right ahead. Personally, I'd have to say that if you've got DSL at home, but are just too lazy to go out and get an AP for your PB, then you'd be the worst kind of leach. I mean really, get off your ass, go out and invest 100 bucks or so in your system and move on to a real issue. Others have mentioned that this could be an openly shared connection. This is a very cool thing. If this were the case, it would definitely be worth thanking/encouraging your neighbor for this. You should figure out who's signal it is and either thank them or warn them. Simple as that.
Short answer: Grow up. Act responsibly.

dreilly1 · Dec 17, 2002, 11:57 AM

Originally posted by aaanorton:

Nothing like missing the point entirely...

Well, the posters' original question was whether or not his neighbor could find out what he was doing. I replied that the odds were that he probably couldn't be tracked (especially if the neighbor didn't have a clue), but his neighbor would certainly be pissed if he found out, and may even try to have him arrested if he does manage to track him. Which is unlikely, but I never said it wasn't possible.

I'll leave the value judgements to him. I know I wouldn't do it, and would be pissed of someone was leeching off of my network without my permission, but it's his call to make. In the grand scheme of things, as long as he isn't doing anything that would get the neighbor in trouble with the Government (or the vastly more powerful RIAA), his transgression would be minor compared to most, but still a transgression.

Camelot · Dec 17, 2002, 12:09 PM

Chances are that if you identify this issue to your neighbor, s/he'll LET you use the wireless after it's secured.

Securing doesn't mean you CAN'T use the network, just that people who don't know the WEP key and/or whose MAC address isn't in the allowed list won't be able to use it.

ghporter · Dec 17, 2002, 03:58 PM

I see telling the neighbor about an unsecured network as the same sort of thing as telling them that they forgot to close their garage door, giving them their magazines that the letter carrier put in your box by mistake (this happened to me last week-with MacWorld!), or collecting their newspapers for them when they went on vacation without stopping delivery. It's polite, helpful, and can make points for you in the neighborhood. Helping your neighbors is a Good Thing, and often motivates them to help you, if needed, too.

pete · Dec 18, 2002, 08:53 AM

I really have no idea whose network it is. Actually two come up, one is password protected, the other not. I live in a 20 unit apartment building so I suppose I could just put up a note downstairs. We're all on friendly terms.

It was mainly a question I raised because I was excited about using wireless. - It was my first time and suddenly I was sitting on my couch with an internet connection. I was curious whether I pop up on his screen too. Having said that, I think it is my neighbour's responsibility to protect his network, especially given that it is wireless. If he read the manual there would be info there.

Anyway, I ordered a netgear wireless router yesterday and look forward to having my own!

Thanks

Pete