WiFi arrest

[3788sam]

Saw this over @ BOC

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050707/ap_on_hi_te/techbits_wi_fi_theft_1

[SomeSailor]

Yep. It's a fine line between detecting a wireless connection and using it. You get caught ON someones network... big trouble :)

The software I use is completly non-invasive.

[Randygh]

While up in Canada we noticed most of the marinas had wi-fi hubs. We don't own a laptop, but the Admiral thinks our business needs one that we might just take along when we cruise. I'm computer illiterate so I have some questions.

If we take a laptop that is equipped with wi-fi and we go to Telegraph Marina, which is a wi-fi hup, does the laptop receiver have to tune in to a specific frequency? Do all wi-fi hubs transmit/receive on the same frequency? If we receive a signal from a public hub, would a firewall be necessary to prevent some as_hole from evesdropping?

[SomeSailor]

Well... first of all, you're completely safe from "eavesdropping" in most cases. What people are doing is simply "borrowing" someones connection to the internet. In most cases, you'd never even know they had been there.

The danger lays in the way your system is setup. Some people tinker around and share their home computers between each other (allowing junior to use moms printer, hard drive or the likes). Then... someone stumbles along and jumps on the network and starts messing around.

Wireless (WiFi) is an AWESOME thing to have, and with even very minor security precautions can be very safe and useful.

I'd be more than willing to help anyone on here understand it better or set their systems up to be better secured. It's 99.9% hype though.

[Go Aweigh2452]

Randy the wifi will be for sale and cost to get through the firewall at most places. The laptop will find the freq automatically. I know in certain areas of Bell Marina, I can access "free" wifi. But that is due to someone not protecting their signal. If you are paying for wifi, it will be protected by the vendor from being robbed unless they/you in turn have it connected to a wireless router that will re send the signal out for others to steal. Without the wireless router, you are safe due to you only being a receiver and not transmitting outside the firewall.

[Randygh]

What about the wifi sites in airports or Starbucks? Do those venues offer free wifi? If you go to a fee wifi site, after payment, does the site give you an access code to login? What is the typical cost to use wifi at a marina?

[bradvo]

Expensive for us, I think it was around 8 bucks a day.

[SomeSailor]

There are lots of free hotspots though. Most public libraries... many cafes and the likes. You could search them out in advance of your trip and at least stay in touch with the world.

[bradvo]

My wife and I always try before the purchase of the legitimate thing but I think we will need more then just the built in wifi card to reach out and grab a free one?? Or we just do not know enough of how to find a open signal. Once we sign on to a pay service we pick up right away.
Brad

[Stratocaster]

How are you supposed to know if you are hooking in to a legitimate hotspot or bogarting an unsecured connection in someone's home?

When I was in Ganges a few weeks ago, my laptop picked up quite a few access points...I knew at least two of them were provided by local businesses (I read about them), and I assume the rest were in private residences. But I didn't know which was which.

[SomeSailor]

You really don't Strat, and that's where the law will change. Right now the law only talks about the intention intrusion onto someone elses network. It's very vague on it all.

For example... If I name my computer network "MSHome" (the default), and you my neighbor name your computer network "MSHome"... your computer will just connect to whichever is strongly by default. Windows XP makes it stupid easy as well. It allows connection to ANY netowrk that is nearby and will connect to the strongest first. Take that laptop out of your home network, and onto a boat, and guess what... it works the same way. It'll see someone elses "MSHome" network and join rigt in.

I personally believe you'll se the responsibility of protecting a network fall more squarely on the operator. There are a dozen different way that you could set a network WiFi up so a person could not accidentally see or connect to it. THEN... if you catch someone on it... they are in deep trouble.

I also believe it should be free myself... and suspect bandwidth someday will be. There are lots of people working to that end right now.

[StevensMan]

Not trying to defend Windows XP or it's default settings I have to say that the problem has almost nothing to do with operation system itself. The main problem IMO is that people who setup wireless routers have no idea how it should be protected and manuals does not emphasize correct installation procedure. People just follow instructions they got with the router like plug you modem cable into one end, plug you computer network cable into other end and enjoy. By default all wireless routers I've seen have DHCP enabled so they provide IP address to any other wireless device that can talk to this router. They should not even be on the same network.
To make matter worth administrative pages for the router are not protected by the password by default. In 99% cases login name is empty and password is admin. If it is not true then search for the manual for the router and get correct default password. 90% of people never bother to change default settings so most of wireless networks are wide opened.
So if you have wireless network and do not want strangers using it at least change settings on the router to provide IP address only to known list of wireless devices and change your default password to the router.

Anton

[SomeSailor]

Yep. That's very tru Anton. XP shouldn't be faulted for making things easy. But, some people turn their computer on... accept the first available network connection found.. and assume it's free.

People have no clue how it works generally, and then complain when someone is using thier bandwidth :)

Anyone is welcome to use the one free IP I make available here. My neighbor started using it... and I wasn't too keen on that... but hey... it's all just ones and zeros as Bob would say. :)

[sunnydude2]

SS...we had someone using our wireless network. Found them when i looked at the logs on my router. Since then, i have limited use of the network to 'assigned' IP's but i think someone could still get on. What are you going to charge for your network expertise? :) I don't have much beer, but a gallon of "limoncello" inspired by our mutual acquaintance, Fronheiser, that i could share. :)

[SomeSailor]

Use MAC filtering is the easiest way. Spoofing a MAC address isn't for the faint of heart and most people won't bother, also turning OFF SSID broadcasting is a good start. I leave one IP open for someone that might want it. I'm OK with it though. Nothing to see here :)

[Go Aweigh2452]

you guys all need to have neighbors that are far away... Then you can skip the security issues...

[SomeSailor]

It's not so much the neighbors you need to worry about, it the guy sitting in your driveway using your internet connection to trade kiddi-porn, or the Al-Queda sleeper communicating home on your dime :)

[StevensMan]

Use MAC filtering is the easiest way. Spoofing a MAC address isn't for the faint of heart and most people won't bother, also turning OFF SSID broadcasting is a good start. I leave one IP open for someone that might want it. I'm OK with it though. Nothing to see here :)
This is absolutely correct but also make sure you closed your front door: change admin password for your wireless router. It may sound obvious but you'll be surprised how many people do not do this. Without this change any other things are useless: anyone may come in, change settings, use your connection, clean logs and leave.

[Go Aweigh2452]

well, if he was in my driveway, he'd be a good 1/4 to 1/2 mile away depending on direction he came in on, would have to detect the signal orignating in my basement and not get eaten by my dog...

[SomeSailor]

Don't think it can't happen Doug. Wireless signals can be detected from a looong ways away with the right antenas. Remember the old ALQ-78 ESM? I have a couple of old antennas off those and they're good for about 26db and are very directional. :D