Piggybacking is the practice of using someone else's open network for your own purposes. Right, wrong, don't care... what do you think?

I will post my opinion later.

I think that it's stealing. You didn't pay for the service and it wasn't meant for you to use it. I don't even see how this is a debate.

C'mon, this is the 21st century, get a damn password on your network.

If you don't want someone to do that get a password! Doesn't come with the network?

I think if you keep it unsecured then why the hell not?

If your not hacking or lagging up their internet with heavy downloads then its okay occasionally.

But I don't believe you should do it constantly.

The only time I do it is if im at a park with a wireless device and happen to find an insecure network which is rare these days.

If there's an unsecured network, I'm on it.

I'm actually trying to crack my school's wifi so I can use it, but I'd have to take my laptop to school (scary stuff right there).

It's not the best thing but yeah - you should really be getting a password for your wi-fi

My grandma has a password for network, that tells you something.

its actually against the law same with piggy backing with any service
but i mean get a effing password it takes no time atall

Find me this law.

Its illegal to steal it right from the source.

Lets say you splitting your neighbors cable line and running a line to your house that's illegal. But piggybacking is not illegal.

I do it pretty much whenever I get the opportunity (except when I'm at home of course). So no, I don't think it's wrong.

It's stealing, but secure it properly.

i actually changed someone's ssid to fudgeburger once

It's stealing. Is this really debatable?

How is it stealing? You're not taking anything away from the person whose wi-fi you're piggybacking on (let's say, your neighbour). If you don't take something away, it's not stealing. He can use it too, thus you did not steal anything.

You're sharing the wi-fi.

What if they have a cap on internet????

It's unauthorized though.

Unauthorized consumption of bandwidth.

In layman's terms "stealing".

I do it on PSP internet. If the person cba to set a password, then there it's their own fault. I mean, as long as you dont go do anything bad on it.

If I leave my door open, is it appropriate to come inside and steal my stuff?

Does your door constantly broadcast a message saying "im open, come in"? thats effectively what an unsecured wireless network does. It broadcasts its availability and says it is awaiting connections

In my honest opinion, a network with no password is fair game. The owner obviously wanted someone to use it or didnt care if someone uses it.
If it has any sort of protection (even weak protection) that means no, dont touch it.

The point where it becomes a problem is if your activities are either of the following. Cracking a WEP pass to get into the network, Hacking computers on the network or modifying router settings, using an insane amount of bandwidth or causing noticeable network degradation(meaning using as much bandwidth as you can downloading torrents.)

If there is no password on the network and you're just using it to browse, check email etc. I don't see the problem.

~Sweep

Was just going to say... you're stealing their bandwidth thus making them go slower because someone is piggybacking off of you. It is about 10% the owner's fault for not putting a password on it.

If there's no key, there's no rules.

That's my opinion.

Think about it--if you leave your bedroom door standing open--what does it matter? Besides, the person who owns the network is the ISP, not the holder of the router.

That is very true. It's stupidity. Doesn't mean it's morally right.

Okay. Then try me this.

If the ISP says it's okay, then what? They own the connection.

Yes but it depends on how much you use it. I mean theres a difference between hooking up occasionally to browse a few pages and hooking up all your electronics to it and becoming a bandwidth sucking leech.

Plus hooking up to insecure networks is a security risk in its self because when you do that you open yourself up to easy access from the person who owns the router or whoever else is connecting to it.

Bingo. I'll add this quote in for reference:



An unsecured network is NOT an open door, and leaving your door open does not mean you want your things stolen. That being said, an unprotected network would be like a door that's unlocked, but not open.

I used to use a neighbor's wi-fi. They never noticed a thing.
If you don't want someone on your network, use a WEP key. because, after all, its your responsibility to lock the door, not the intruder's

If they didn't want people to use their internet once in awhile, they would put a password on it.

I appreciate people with unsecure networks, because it's always nice to find a connection when you don't have one. It's okay to use someone's connection, as long as you don't slow them down or hack.

The problem is alot of routers don't give a option to secure it without making you digging through admin panels.

Then they're pulling a Microsoft.

In other news, water is wet.

+1 if they dont lock their door ill steal their couch (wi fi)

<3 DLINK
<3 LINKSYS

<3 people who keep their wifi open and have their admin password be blank. Rock on.

Digging through my ass. I have messed with many routers in my time and they were all easily found in less then ten minutes. They were found instantly if you read the directions.

Not everyone is smart like that

That's why...uh....nvm

I went into a restaurant one time with my Nintendo DS way back when and guessed that the code was 9876543219.. etc. until it fit.

Australia has v low bandwidth

Thats a problem with the country

you may be stealing from a low income household with a single parent raising a 5 year old child living off unemployment and is giving wifi because she is clueless about wire connections and she has only 200 mb a month

Well here is the thing

I dont know of a single isp with something that low
And technically her router is saying "come in, im right here" to every computer in range. it would be her fault. If she knew nothing of wireless connections, why did she get a router?

No, it's NOT saying "come in". Stop trying to tell people that because it's not. It's also NOT an open door. Pretend it's a door closed without a lock.

It's like leaving your car doors unlocked. And if it's raining outside, someone opens up your car door and just sits in it (ordinary browsing).

Now if someone goes in and takes your stuff and takes a shizzle in the back seat (downloading, torrenting, etc.), then that's really not cool. But then again I wouldn't want to come back to my car with a person in it.

That's basically the jist of what I'm saying...

RTFM. RTFM. RTFM. Most manuals are actually pretty good at listing steps to secure networks, so anyone with an IQ above 80 should know how to secure a network.

Really any open wifi is free game (At least everyone I know understands it like that, including the owners).

Unlocked wifi isn't really like a front door, because all you have to do is take 2 minutes to put a passowrd on your wireless, and your pretty secure for years, while doors you actually have to do something remotely challenging.

Until I stumbled onto the few challengers in this thread, I had no idea open wifi isn't supposed to be open, and I know a lot of techies who would agree

Some people are too lazy to set one.

Then it's their fault really

It broadcasts its SSID and a status saying "ready to receive connections" . It IS saying come in, im right here.

Meh, this is the equivalent of leaving a 10 Dollar bill on the street. I mean, you DID leave it there with NO protection whatsoever, so if somebody takes it, it is pretty much YOUR own damn fault.

It's like leaving a 10 dollar bill on the street with a sign saying 'come here, take me'