I receive a mail from a friend today asking for my opinion on free Internet access from a generous neighborhood.
Hi bro,
Need to ask your opinion over this internet LAN router stuff.
Now I’m accessing the internet via open connection of my neighbour LAN router without his knowledge. So I wonder since he never impose restricted access by setting password, can he detect or aware that someone else is using his internet access illegally?
Can he read & have access to any website that I opened?
Yo, Bro!
I think you mean wireless router.
Yes, he definitely can detect you from his wireless routers control panel. If he need to, he can trace where you are calling from or temporary set ban to your IP address. The radio frequency is the key to know where you are with the right software and tools 🙂 anyway, it so easy to know that you are just within hundred feet away from his house. LOL
However, in my opinion this person will not take the trouble to find you. If he cares about security he would have block all the access. By having his wireless access open without password, your neighbor supposes to be so afraid that you degrade their internet access or hack into them than you being hack! In your case, you and your neighbor should be mindful of the third party who is also snooping around the same connection. Both you and your generous neighbor are venerable to the attack of viruses and hackers. Unless of cause your neighbor is also a hacker, inviting unfortunate computer users to lick his line while he take his time to “clinch” on your window system. Well trust me 99% he didn’t aware that his wireless access was not secured.
Can he read & have access to any website that I opened? — With proper software and tools, he can even use your credit card that you have just entered onto the website and make you bankrupt. Ever heard of key logger? Computer users are exposing to all sort of threat every day and new one keeps coming.
Here’s my opinion, if you want to continue using this line, make sure your Norton Anti virus is up to date and you have firewall set on. I personally prefer to use Free ZoneAlarm Firewall to monitor my internet connection (in and out) but unfortunately it doesn’t run well in Vista. It crashes the whole system.
Norton Internet Security (NIS) comes with all the function you ever wanted. You need to update your NIS every day and you can download Norton Add-on Pack for safe browsing features. Register your NIS copy to take advantage of it. If you want the cheaper way to get a new license copy for NIS you can buy NIS 2007 version and upgrade to NIS 2008 for free by log on to your Norton account and download the new version copy.
I also recommend you to use Winpatrol to monitor your active program activities. You can choose to disable start up program or approve/decline program installation behavior. Cool program and it free!
I read a magazine about a Singaporean kid who hack into a neighbor’s computer goes on Amazon.com shopping spree. The owner who suspicion of receiving goods that he didn’t purchase seek expert for his problem. You guess it right, the naughty neighbor was caught red handed the next moment he make a come back for another shopping 😉
If you are just surfing, not downloading gigabyte of Korean movies, Mp3… I think your generous neighbor won’t set your house on fire.
Use it at your own risk and take advantage while you still can! *Roll on the floor laugh*
9 responses to “Neighbors Make for Good Internet Access”
“Stealing your neighbor’s Net” Good article!
Interesting poll! hahahah Me too, only when desperate!
Showcathupkuan,
😉
some poll
Do you use others’ wireless networks ?
Never, it’s wrong: 21%
No, I don’t trust them: 14%
Only when desperate: 36%
Occasionally: 21%
All the time: 0%
Not into wireless: 7%
wow thanks for the tip. i always… well kinda use my neighbours line LOL now i know…
I have got Hamachi in a CD 🙂 didn’t try it yet… I think SSL VPN sound more interesting hehehehe
for the Hamachi maybe next time I set up a home camera on my new house, i’ll have dell or HP home server. than i’ll install and try it out. 🙂
Wow! great response & very informative indeed. Domo arigato gozimasu to U both.
Yes, there are some, but i`m not sure about Vista compatability
Cisco solution is way too complex (IPSec with a lot of sub-things AH, IKE etc etc)
PPTP – simplier, but less secure
Another way it SSL VPN’s, but ) I’ll send you info a bit later ) just have to find a hour or two to re-setup and sign an certificate for VPN access.
———–
for others – take a look at Hamachi , free zeroconf SSL-based VPN, can unite home , work PC, PCs of relatives and friends, no matter where. Suitable for remote administration, LAN gaming while not being in LAN, file and printer sharing. http://hamachi.cc <– its here.
And one more thing about routers – some new routers offer now WiFi protected Setup option (need support on router and connected device such as PDA etc) You push a button on router and activate same function on device, they exchange key – everything works and should be secure.
This is one hell of long reply! Thank you
Just got back from weekend run away with staffs, brain relaxing!
Most of the open wireless access was setup by home users and they have very little knowledge of how the security worked. The vendor who sold them is very much lazy to spend that extra time to explain how the whole packages work as well. Users by nature treat wireless routers as PnP.
Cooperate company where I work for uses VPN on all their laptops, I bet most users don’t log on to VPN when there are in the public areas too. Simply due to the company blocked out the entire useful site that may be abuse by ignorant users. It’s a bummer!
Do we have good VPN software server to run on our server? I’m thinking of buying new laptop and worry free for my credit cards information that I transmit over the public WIFI access. Does Cisco provide free personal use version? 😉
Hey thanks for your time on writing this very useful information.
those who dont set wireless security shouldnt blame anyone if others use their links.
Others might have “automatically connect to any available wireless network” option on in their OS, this makes them appear
“innocent” to the law, because they havent did anything themselves, their OS detect network and connects..
There are a lot of stupid ppl that dont change or set passwords on their routers, wireless access or administrative router pass,
hackers and spammers would be quite happy of that.
As for wireless – its a subject for all neighbours to use link.
Its like leaving your home door open wide, with a carpet with WELCOME TO MY HOME, DO WHATEVER YOU WANT
)
Having firewall doesnt mean being protected as well, security measures must be complex, there are a lot of firewalls with permissive stock settings or an user puts firewall in learning mode and permits every action, which is recorded as a rule
> can he detect or aware that someone else is using his internet access illegally?
Yes, by decreased speed of his own link, by increased (possibly) prices for consumed traffic. Some routers show their connected “LAN clients”, some dont. If you connect via wireless – MAC of your card is shown in routers list of accociated wireless clients.
However, some people are just stupid and dont care about speed, traffic, whatever… and they never look at routers control panels.. since they had set it up once..
>Can he read & have access to any website that I opened?
No, but some routers do record access logs, while most other’s dont. Logs appear as URL’s, browser auth is stored in cookies,
routers dont intercept them and dont log.
Another thing (spreading in Europe) – hacker hotspots.
A hacker goes to public place (where open Wifi is likely available)
and sets up a free hotspot. People connect to that hotspot and use Internet. All traffic is intercepted and logged. Passwords (from unsecured communications) are extracted and are possibly used. Credit card info, bank logins, etc etc
Email access (POP3) is also submitting password as plain text.
FTP – plain text pass
Those who want real security while using public hotspots should use VPN tunnels or if unavailable – restrict private access to only SSL enabled (https://) sites. And dont let other applications submit passwords via open network.