Accessing Secured Wireless Connections

Please show me any advertisement that offers free Wi-Fi internet access along with the purchase of a computah.

The implication of such advertising is that you would use the Wi-Fi adapter in your unspecified model computer to connect to a wireless access point or router that you own and have paid for, not someone elses. It's like the automobile dealer offering a free drivers license, liability insurance, free registration, free toll road fees, and free maintenance along with the purchase of a vehicle. It doesn't happen. You, and only you, are responsible for using the vehicle (and the Wi-Fi device) in a legal and responsible manner. Presumably, that comes from getting sufficient information on how it work BEFORE spending the money.

It's true that many people have no interest in having you use their Wi-Fi router without permission. They also make no effect to identify themselves so that you can find them. They also apply encryption to prevent anyone else from using their system. This should be a clue that you're not welcome.

Most of my routers have the SSID set to the address of the wireless router. However, that's not an invitation. It's there to help deal with interference issues. However, if you can find them, talking nicely with the owner might result in an arrangement, where you use their wireless at perhaps odd hours or help pay for their broadband connection. Just ask.

As I previously mentioned, your header shows that you're connecting via Earthlink. You already have an ISP. You should ask them for help.

Hmm.... you're not exactly a beginner. What inspired this line of questioning? Did you just buy a new computah? With all your experience since 1998, I would think you would have had more of a clue about how broadband and Wi-Fi operates:

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann
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John, perhaps the following will help. The Internet connection that comes into my house (happens to be a Comcast connection) terminates in a WiFi device sometimes called a "base station" which then broadcasts WiFi signals all through my house.

The way this works, the base station transmitter has a name; in fact I can give it any name I choose, say "Joe". The station, every second or so, then broadcasts a brief message saying, in essence, "Hey, I'm Joe, if you want to connect to me, send me back a message". This message goes all through my house; any one in my house with a laptop will see "Joe" displayed as an available WiFi hot spot.

Now the problem is, Joe's signals have to be strong enough to be receivable anywhere in my house or yard. But, there's no way to make Joe's signals stop at my fence or my lot line. The radio waves spill over into neighbors' yards and houses, getting weaker as they go. So, some of my neighbors see Joe's transmission on their laptops, and I see signals from their base stations, named "Bill" and "Gary" and so on on my laptop.

Now, I don't want my neighbors using Joe, and they don't want me using Bill or Gary. So whenever a laptop tries to communicate back and set up a connection with Joe, the first thing Joe asks is, "What's my password?" If the user of this laptop can't give the right password (which I've chosen and set into Joe), then Joe won't let him set up a connection with him. I've given this password to all the people in my house (and not to my neighbors).

If a neighbor and I were friends, and trusted each other, and if he didn't have a base station and wanted to use mine for a while, he could walk over and ask me for Joe's password, and I might give it to him. Or if I needed some cash to pay my Comcast bill, I might suggest he pay me back for some part of my Comcast bill during the period he's using Joe. But otherwise he'd have to get his own Internet connection and set up his own base station.

Does that clarify anything?

Reply to
AES

Just trolling??

Reply to
LouB

Along the same lines, everybody and their mother has a 2wire modem/ wifi/router. I don't like the wifi and router, but their modems are good, so I use my own router and wifi. However, you have to wonder how many of the 2wire signals you see are even used. I bought mine used, so I don't know how they come configured, but if it is like the Comcast box you mention, I could see that being pollution of the air waves, especially if it wasn't set up properly.

Reply to
miso

Because it is wireless and your computer has inbuilt capability to "look for wireless connections." I use a router to access my ISP, and, the router has wireless capability as well so that I can use a laptop and ipod touch/ipad . The wireless networks you can"see" are those that people are paying an ISP to use, It would be a very trusting (or stupid) person who agreed to share their ISP with anyone when they would have no control over usage and the risk of incurring extra costs from overuse etc.

Reply to
Sunny

ears ago,

The Internet was never free information for all. In the beginning it was a method for a very elite academic and military group to discuss things.

>
Reply to
Kurt Ullman

Kurt Ullman wrote in news:lbydnSaursTTL47TnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.com:

It was free within the circle that used and knew of it. Then it was opened up free for ALL, no pay, no have to join my club (as in aiw), no bullshit. FREE, FREEDOM, get it?

Reply to
haha

In the dark ages, we would exchange software over the arpanet. uuencode and uudecode IIRC. The network was not only designed for exchange of information, but also with redundancy should a node fail.

Reply to
miso

In the US, most people aren't charged extra for going over their cap, but I believe they have their bandwidth throttled down.

Reply to
miso

You don't have a public library near you? In Our Little Town, we have a nice old Carnegie library, offers free wi-fi 24/7 (even when they're not lending books). They have a couple of picnic tables outside too. This being a touristy town, in the summer it's not uncommon to see people parked outside late at night, checking their email and downloading spanking videos and so forth. I don't know how fast it is, I've never used it. I've never heard anyone complain about it.

Reply to
Warren Oates

Warren Oates wrote in news:4e144e8f$0$2414$c3e8da3$ snipped-for-privacy@news.astraweb.com:

hahahahah I can tell you've never been poor? Public library here requires you to sign in with id for wired connections and then is recording you on video tape as well for all connections in their building. And I am not going to sit in a car in their parking lot with air cond running (btw sold my last car 4 years ago and don't regret it) to connect to their wifi, even if I could catch a signal. That plus their coziness with the FBI is enough to give even facists the creeps.

Reply to
hohohaha

I pay for DSL.

I've done multiple orders with Data Alliance without a hitch. I'm getting 3 day turns using first class mail. It is a superb company.

Reply to
miso

3$ snipped-for-privacy@news.astraweb.com:

Actually it was the librarians that fought the PATRIOT act more than anyone else in this country.

Reply to
miso

Use the force, err... the internet.

etc, etc, etc...

However, before you jump, read the fine print:

How does 25% VAT, 30% employee tax, and 30% paid by your employer (and deducted from your salary) sound? Total taxes in Sweden amount to about 50% of the Gross Domestic Product. Hint: The more socialism, the more taxes. Someone has to pay for all the free services.

Another hint: Corporations don't pay taxes. They just pass the taxes on to their customers in the form of higher prices.

Busy until the weekend... later.

Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Just make sure you use three condoms. If one or two bust, you won't face rape charges..... :) []'s

Reply to
Shadow

We don't sign in for Internet access at our library and they sure can't afford to video tape anyone and I'm sorry you don't have a ride and in my country we don't have an FBI.

Fuck off then: you're just plain crazy.

Reply to
Warren Oates

In article , hohohaha wrote: :

So, under your theory, the mortgage messes (both mortgages themselves and securitization) was all okay since most everyone was doing it? Freeware, is well free. The other stuff you profit off it since it is money you get to keep.

Reply to
Kurt Ullman

Warren Oates wrote in news:4e159358$0$5596$c3e8da3$ snipped-for-privacy@news.astraweb.com:

Forgot ur meds today, eh? What Kuntry were u born, assuming you were that is.

Reply to
hohohaha

I miss the days when manufacturers sold wifi devices with no passwords and no encryption by default, don't you???

Reply to
David Shook

Automobiles what a great analogy. How do I find my car's IP? What kind of internet do car dealers sell, Lemonet? How about Microsoft, free browser, media player, free email, wtf did they forget internet access? The internet police issued me a ticket for doing 30Mbps in a throttled zone which I crumpled up and littered the internet highway right in front of their faces.

Reply to
David Shook

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