neighbours unsecure wifi

woolymammoth

so i'm writing this off the neighbours wifi.

That kind of makes me a hypocrite, since i don't really agree with that. I have my own broadband. But i find it, somewhat interesting, that people would leave it open to the world like that. It's a 3 mifi hotspot thing btw, so i understand, to a certain extent, how a person would just want to plug it an, have it work, and feck everything else! But, any wireless access point should have wireless remore administration disabled by default, imho. I have full admin access here at the moment, no intention of doing anything, more interested to see if i can discover the owners and tell them. Being mobile broadband, there's limits and all that, not like UPC! I'd hate to fu(k someone over with a massive bill. unless they were a total c*nt! :pac:

Have to say, not impressed with 3, the O2 mobile hotspot has a sh!t load of features in comparison! :P Oh, and the security thing of course..

What do you do when you find an open wifi connection? if they're dumb enough to do it, use and abuse? or ignore!? Find and tell?

smokie2008

Don't think this post will last too long up here

woolymammoth

maybe. Not looking for tips on something i know how to do, or teach anyone how to do it. Just wondering on peoples thoughts on the subject. Seems like a security hole in 3's product to me to be honest.

dub45

Where exactly is the security hole? Any wireless router which I have ever purchased has had to be set up with a wireless network name and password.

If you know who owns the router tell them about the dangers simple as that, there is nothing to discuss. And there is no justification for posting to boards.ie using your neighbour's router.

woolymammoth

dub45 wrote: »

Where exactly is the security hole? Any wireless router which I have ever purchased has had to be set up with a wireless network name and password.

If you know who owns the router tell them about the dangers simple as that, there is nothing to discuss. And there is no justification for posting to boards.ie using your neighbour's router.

I never said there was any justification for it, that's why i called myself a hypocrite! there's no need to get up on your high horse for something we agree on! I don't know who owns it. But connecting in the first place for a look is really the only way to try and find out who does own it. needless to say i disconnected, never to return.

Point being, the security hole, is how wireless remote administration seems to be enabled on the 3 mifi devices. That's a massive security hole, and it really surprised me. These things also have the wireless already set up, ready to go. That i can understand, but any wireless router I've ever set up has always had wireless administration disabled, there to be enabled manually if you wanted. These poor people who buy these things, they have no idea. Any bored wannabe anarchist within a 100m radius could do them awful damage! Do you not think?

Am surprised the mod of Wireless thinks there's nothing to discuss about the open / non-existent security conditions of newly emergent and increasingly popular devices such as mifi hotspots. Even Eircom wouldn't sell something so insecure.

dub45

And how are you going to find out who owns a wireless network by connecting to it? They are hardly going to leave their name and address there for you to find are they?

Securing a wireless network is the owner's responsibility and wifi really has been around long enough now for people to know that security is necessary.

woolymammoth

dub45 wrote: »

They are hardly going to leave their name and address there for you to find are they?

We both know most people are quite unimaginative when they name their laptops. A quick door-to-door will soon find the owner.

dub45 wrote: »

Securing a wireless network is the owner's responsibility and wifi really has been around long enough now for people to know that security is necessary.

True. And now you're contradicting yourself. Which is it? tell them leave them at it?

That's a rhetorical question btw.. I know what i'll be doing! The sad fact is, people do not know. It's easy for the rest of us to say they should, but they really don't. If they did, it would be secured immediately. Your comment is like saying that a deer should know better than to run out in front of a car because they've been getting killed for long enough! 3 should not be selling these things to be completely open out of the box.

Wcool

Imagine a world where everyone would share their wifi connection?

- Instant internet access everywhere no more need for expensive per-connection 3G fees.
- Anyone can make a free phone call anywhere, or if you are a tourist connect to home without paying the hotel 15 euro a day for internet
- high anonymity because nobody knows who is using what IP
- people with less money and/or slower connection speed have an opportunity to avail of higher speeds

Some may say I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one

Seriously, it is not going to happen as ISP's will find some other way to charge you. But I do actually run a proxy for other people and I don't see the problem with it, I use my bandwidth for less than 10 percent.

Problem in your case is that 3G has an upper limit, so using it would cost your neighbour.

Nowso

Go to www.three.ie and login to my3 and check are the details there

woolymammoth

Nowso wrote: »

Go to www.three.ie and login to my3 and check are the details there

Hadn't thought of that.

I'd really not like to intrude on their network any further, but it might be the only way to find out who they are since i haven't been able to so far!

I wonder though, will that log me in the same way as it does when connected via the usb modem? might be a safer bet to just report it to three themselves.

aidan_walsh

Imagine a world where everyone would share their wifi connection?

Imagine a world where doing so wouldn't have it abused like crazy, leaving you and you alone facing the possible fees and disconnect.

Wcool

aidan_walsh wrote: »

Imagine a world where doing so wouldn't have it abused like crazy, leaving you and you alone facing the possible fees and disconnect.

Of course, it should be simple to set limits like for instance 10% maximum of available bandwidth or a maximum amount of data per day.

But I am not so worried about the legalese. If I lend you my car and you have an accident, I am not responsible. Everyone always assumes that the owner of a connection is always responsible but I don't think that has been established.

Also, how are you going to enforce that if everyone in the world allows 10% free traffic?