Hi, I've got a local coffee shop that has wireless, but refuses to give customers access. I wish I didn't even know about it (they're dumb to let it be known), but it seems kinda dumb not to share it with customers. I'd go elsewhere but of course I'm on foot and no real other wireless cafes around. So, I was hoping to be "sneaky" and use their connection while I was there. I realise this is a little unethical but I have no interest in accessing the computer. Any suggestions for how to "crack" their password? Thanks, Nick
Dude, You would have helped me with the wireless issue, right into the arms of a security guard? You're not making sense.
I've never stolen anything in my life, so you can get off your high horse, now. But I do borrow other connections, yup! And I lend mine out. No big deal.
You just asked people in this newsgroup to assist you in doing that very thing.
Theft is theft, when you take something without permission you are stealing it. I'm surprisd mommy and daddy didn't teach you this, what's your real last name, Dillinger?
Borrowing implies permission, dude. But you wouldn't mind if I hot wire your car for an hour or so without asking, after all I'm just borrowing it.
Oh, so you lend friends your car, so that makes it OK to 'borrow' mine without my permission? Interesting.
Because it is non-tangible and no one, including the ISP lose nothing. No one loses anything. If I was planning on using large amounts of bandwidth, I'd agree with you. But I'm not. Jut simply email and internet access. I'd even pay for it there, if they offered. Most of the people who put passwords on the wireless connection, do so out of fear of of someone hacking into thier account-not because they don't want to share. As for me, I don't mind. You asked, there is your answer. You can reply again, and every answer or question you have, I've considered it all and my conscious is clear.
Your ridiculous example of hot wiring a car, involves actual damage to hot wire. Borrowing a wireless connection does not. I have no malicious intent.
I found a way, and am happy and am not hurting or taking anything away from anyway from anyone. My conscious is clear.
I don't really care what you do but there's no denying it's trespass and theft. You have no respect for the people that own the cafe. You even called them 'dumb' in an earlier post. Do you know why they aren't making access available the their customers? They're evil, horrid people, aren't they Nick?.
Saying you have a clear conscious simply means you can't bring yourself to admit that what your doing is wrong. You don't consider yourself a bad person so what your doing mustn't be wrong. You think ... "There must be a way of justifying it" ... so you do, to yourself. So you end up lying to yourself as well ... how sad.
There's a simple test to see if nobody gets hurt. Reverse the situation and say that *YOU* own the coffee shop in question. Your patrons are complaining about crappy internet access because the neighbors are using the bandwidth. They generate no revenue for the coffee shop and cause slow service. In walks someone with your strange attitude and demands to use the bandwidth because nobody gets hurt. How would you respond? Would you ask such a person to contribute to your DSL bill? Or would you say "Sure. Screw the paying customers. Bandwidth is intangible and therefore free. Go ahead and suck the pipe dry".
Paying customers in the coffee shop. Do you pay?
Sure. Just a little bittorrent filesharing, ocassional Windoze updates, erratic CDROM image downloads, and maybe some warez. Start small and grow if nobody catches you.
Same test. If someone came to you and offered to pay, would you accept? That's a very common call I get from my business customers. Usually its one of the neighbors wanting to share the connection. I have a set speech for the ocassion that details what can go wrong. If the neighbor is clueless and sloppy and catches a worm or virus, their system is toast. If they hog all the bandwidth (i.e. file sharing), then there will be problems. Most LAN's are not secured, so the neighbor could easily drive into their files via open shares. One screwup and the bill for me to come over and cleanup the mess will far exceed anything they can collect from the neighbor. Most say no and don't wanna deal with the risk.
Exactly. Most people use WEP and WPA keys to keep people like you out of their computers.
Really? I know a few cases where some of the local kids were mooching off the neighbors. Eventually the parents got tired of the situation and bought them their own DSL connection. Cheap enough at $13 to $20/month to avoid the irate neighbors. No sonner do they get their very own broadband connection, that they lock it up tight and refuse to share with anyone else. That's because they don't want anyone else to suspect they are downloading copyright violations, porno, warez, music, videos, etc.
Talk to someone that has a clue about ethics. Also, talk to an ISP about theft of service issues.
No thief wants to hurt the victim. They just want whatever they're stealing.
I'm sure the coffee shop owner will be thrilled to know that. Since they're not being hurt by your non-malicious actions, you will of course tell them.
No, just dumb and not very bright. As for caring, you must since you're replying.
I could easily get free movie television but don't. But you're right, I'm not a bad person. I find it laughable you think people that borrow internet connections, are bad people. As for being caught, I DO pay for internet access. As for using someone else's, it is very doubtful I'd ever get "caught" since I do it so infrequent. If I did get caught I'd take my lumps but I still wouldn't feel bad as I've done nothing wrong.
I would say "sure, here is the password." Just like other places do (just too far away which is what this owner "depends" on)
Would you ask such a person to
If they were using it for mail and internet, I would say "go nuts all you want."
Have you been reading this thread? Yes I pay, everyday-often twice a day.
I don't even know what some of those are. If they use tonnes of bandwidth, I'd save that for home.
No. I'd simply say if you're just casually using it, no sweat. If it's for for mail and browsing, no problem
That's a very common call I get from my business customers.
For full time? How many calls a day?
Oh brother. Your response sounds more like a pet peeve than a real threat or concern. Lots of things "can" go wrong. yes. A bit paranoid, but yes it is within the realm of possibility.
But I share mine in a building with about 50 other units. I KNOW other use mine from time to time, and really I don't mind. I'm on it all the time and sometimes it is a little slower, sure. But I guess I'm just more giving and tolerant than others.
If, If, If. If. As I said, I'm just using it for mail and browsing.
Most LAN's are not secured, so the
Well those things are "possible" yes. It is possible regardless of what "protection" you use. I have a firewall, virus software, etc. And I back up almost daily. So yes, those things are possible but I back up for exactly that reason (whether I share or not, my connection)
You misunderstand, I have no desire to get into thier computers.
What are you on about? Maybe they live in silicon Valley.
Like me? Sure.
So you've never checked if you have access somewhere with your laptop?
It's ironic you say that. I DID TELL her this morning. She just smiled and said well done. Just please don't pass the password around (which I won't). Then she followed that up with "I really should just give it out. enough people ask. It's just a pet peeve of mine I guess I need to get over."
It would still be clear.
I don't have the skill set (nor want it) to be a "hacker" as you say.
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