Is "borrowing" wireless wrong?

[Jukas]

As far as my base argument, that is unchanged; don't take what isn't yours. Simple.

Ever picked up and kept any denomination of money you found lying on the ground anywhere?

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Which is exactly what I said.

As far as my base argument, that is unchanged; don't take what isn't yours. Simple.

If it's in my house, it's mine.

 

[Airborneguy]

I'd say this one has been settled.

 

[Airplanedoc]

Since the Op has his internet back. I think all sides are at this point

 

[seabass07]

You should go into the router settings and change their SSID to freeporn download.

 

[whoaru99]

Ever picked up and kept any denomination of money you found lying on the ground anywhere?

Yup, ~30 year ago I found a partial roll of quarters in a phone booth and took them. I've changed a lot over 30 years.

 

[whoaru99]

I'd say this one has been settled.

I doubt anyone is changing their opinion.

 

[CoalCracker]

In college I used to logon to the routers of the neighbors that didn't have it protected, do some MAC filtering to allow my IP and my roomates. Then I would change the logon password and make the local ip start with a 10. addy. I had almost a whole floor of internet to myself once. It's so funny to walk down the hall and hear people bitch about how they somehow can no longer log onto their internet even though they can see it and it was still unlocked..Ah the good times.

 

[CDGoin]

Ever picked up and kept any denomination of money you found lying on the ground anywhere?

This has happened 2 times to me in the last month

1st time a $20 on the ground at the register, picked it up and gave it to the Cashier.

2nd time a $10 outside a Resturant, in the middle of a parking lot. I kept it.

Now that said the second time I was behind my 18 year old son and I was 99% sure it fell from his pocket.. and well I am SURE he owed me.

 

[homebrewdad]

In college I used to logon to the routers of the neighbors that didn't have it protected, do some MAC filtering to allow my IP and my roomates. Then I would change the logon password and make the local ip start with a 10. addy. I had almost a whole floor of internet to myself once. It's so funny to walk down the hall and hear people bitch about how they somehow can no longer log onto their internet even though they can see it and it was still unlocked..Ah the good times.

This is textbook asshattery... you realize that, right?

 

[zeg]

Actually, at that point it ceases being unethical and becomes awesome.

 

[CoalCracker]

This is textbook asshattery... you realize that, right?

Like you've never been an ******? It only lasted a few hours until the word got around on how to reset the router. The asshattery would have been me making money off that by fixing it for them. It was college fun.

 

[Jukas]

In college I used to logon to the routers of the neighbors that didn't have it protected, do some MAC filtering to allow my IP and my roomates. Then I would change the logon password and make the local ip start with a 10. addy. I had almost a whole floor of internet to myself once. It's so funny to walk down the hall and hear people bitch about how they somehow can no longer log onto their internet even though they can see it and it was still unlocked..Ah the good times.

About 10 years ago while I was doing network administration for an ISP I discovered a lawyer in the building had completely open wifi. To make matters works they were using a completely peer to peer based network with full public read/write access on their file server where they stored all their client case files.

Because there were several law offices in the building I had no idea which one it was so I started sending letters to their laser printer warning them. Eventually they figured out who was sending them and came down to ask me what to do. Turns out they new nothing about IT and had a guy on contract who told them everything was groovy.

I ended up throwing basic wpa protection on their wifi and referred them to a friend who did smb it consulting. Old guy got fired, my friend picked up a new contract and found he basically had to redo their entire network. I ended up getting a gift certificate to a local b&b as a thank you.

 

[aygov]

I'd say it's not the greatest thing to do, especially if you're doing it and forgoing paying for internet.

In a pinch though, as the OP was, it's not completely wrong. The right thing would be to explain to the neighbor your predicament and ask to borrow their wireless. However if you decide to just hop on till Comcast sort you out then at least be as unobtrusive as possible.

People really need to take more ownership with their tech though. I'm not condoning WiFi hoppers, but if you buy a wireless router and don't take the time to understand how it works and then properly secure it then it's partially your fault for the consequences.