So here’s a geek morality question for you. This past weekend I helped Lissa and Berrick move. Lissa was pining over the fact that they wouldn’t have Internet access for another day. Since they were living in an apartment complex, I fired up the wireless network browser on their laptop and went looking for unsecured wireless networks.
Sure enough, i found 6 networks within range, 3 of which were unsecured. I started with the best connection on the list, and bammo. straight in.. nothing needed at all.
So here’s your choices:
a) Do nothing at all
b) Use their network overnight, and then start using yours tomorrow
c) Use their network until it stops working, and cancel your own service. Assume that if they are stupid enough to leave it unsecured, you have a right to use it.
d) Use their network until it stops working, and cancel your own service. Assume that if they are kind enough to leave it unsecured, they have done it on purpose and are a good samaritan
e) Change the name of their network to "ASKAPARTMENT100FORHELP", add a password, wait for them to come knocking and teach them about wireless security
f) Change the name of their network to "UGOTHAXORED4BEINGSTUPID", add a password that only you know, and force them to go pay tech support somewhere to reset their router to factory defaults so you can do it again in 3 weeks.
accomplished
B: because if their network is completely open, clearly they want to share but I like mine better anyway, so I’ll be swapping back to mine when I have time.
Our wireless network is open due to various disagreements between my wireless router and the arcane VPN software I need to use for work… oh and my own laziness for not setting up other security such as limiting access by MAC address.