[mythtv-users] Wireless Bridges and "Thinking it's wired"

Brian Wood beww at beww.org
Fri Feb 5 19:05:33 UTC 2010


On Friday 05 February 2010 11:26:59 am David Brodbeck wrote:
> On Fri, February 5, 2010 5:51 am, Brian Wood wrote:
> > I'm not sure about the legal status of connecting to an open system, some
> > of
> > them are intentionally open and public, how are you to know the
> > difference between such a system and a setup error?
> 
> There have been people arrested for stealing Wifi, like in this case:
> http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/07/tech/main707361.shtml
> I don't know if there have been any convictions in the U.S.  I think
> there's been one in England.

Interesting that that was a CBS story.

I've sat in their lobby on West 57th Street, and been able to connect to an 
unsecured WiFi network there.

I'm not sure if this was by design, perhaps a courtesy to visitors, or just 
sloppiness.

I just emailed the person I was visiting to tell her I was in the lobby. 
Certainly was convenient (her phone extension was busy).

There were also several encrypted networks, apparently in the same building, 
or perhaps across the street.

I stayed at a Hotel in Casper, WY once, their WiFi was "down", I just sat in 
the parking lot and used the system at the hotel next door, which did not even 
require the usual "I Agree" click on a page of legalese.

Both of the above acts may have been "illegal", but there was certainly no 
criminal intent.

But we are WAY OT.





More information about the mythtv-users mailing list