Guest Noo Posted November 15, 2005 Report Share Posted November 15, 2005 Got my Vario yesterday, so far very pleased. Just went for a walk and picked up about 8, maybe 10, wireless networks. Couple of them were unlocked, most were locked (Unsurprisingly). So my question is: How easy is it to connect to any of these? Anybody tried it yet? Is the Windows supplied s/w the best? I installed HitchHiker yesterday and ended up having to hard-reset my Vario. I installed WiFiFoFum earlier and it doesn't seem to pick anything up! I'm guessing there isn't much out for WM5 yet. I've disabled my own WiFi, to see what else goes on within the "Configure Wireless Networks" screen, and whilst I've a list of "unavailable's" It still seems to cycle through them trying to connect. Infact as I type it's attempting to connect to a WiFi network i walked past a couple of miles away (doubt that's available). Keeps trying "T-Mobile" too, am guessing it's trying that incase i'm near a T-Mobile network. So back to my question/point for discussion: How easy is it to connect to any of these? Anybody tried it yet? Is the Windows supplied s/w the best? I'm not into WarWalking, but wouldn't mind being able to, easily, connect to some random network occasionally whilst out and about, maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sgeary Posted November 15, 2005 Report Share Posted November 15, 2005 (edited) Got my Vario yesterday, so far very pleased. Just went for a walk and picked up about 8, maybe 10, wireless networks. Couple of them were unlocked, most were locked (Unsurprisingly). So my question is: How easy is it to connect to any of these? Anybody tried it yet? Is the Windows supplied s/w the best? I installed HitchHiker yesterday and ended up having to hard-reset my Vario. I installed WiFiFoFum earlier and it doesn't seem to pick anything up! I'm guessing there isn't much out for WM5 yet. I've disabled my own WiFi, to see what else goes on within the "Configure Wireless Networks" screen, and whilst I've a list of "unavailable's" It still seems to cycle through them trying to connect. Infact as I type it's attempting to connect to a WiFi network i walked past a couple of miles away (doubt that's available). Keeps trying "T-Mobile" too, am guessing it's trying that incase i'm near a T-Mobile network. So back to my question/point for discussion: How easy is it to connect to any of these? Anybody tried it yet? Is the Windows supplied s/w the best? I'm not into WarWalking, but wouldn't mind being able to, easily, connect to some random network occasionally whilst out and about, maybe. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey I havent got a wireless router yet so ive have been goin round near me to find so open networks which ive found using HitchHiker and not had too hard reset my 9100 yet like you (touch wood) but is has crashed so had to reset. Anyway when i found an available network that wasnt locked it only had a weak signal (2 bars in hitch hiker) Edited November 16, 2005 by sgeary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MitchellO Posted November 16, 2005 Report Share Posted November 16, 2005 I don't think you should keep talking about connecting to other peoples wireless networks without their permission. It's illegal to do it, so its not condoned here. Regarding the software, I couldn't get Hitchiker to work properly either. I had to remove it (but not hard reset). WiFiFoFum works fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sgeary Posted November 16, 2005 Report Share Posted November 16, 2005 I don't think you should keep talking about connecting to other peoples wireless networks without their permission. It's illegal to do it, so its not condoned here. Regarding the software, I couldn't get Hitchiker to work properly either. I had to remove it (but not hard reset). WiFiFoFum works fine. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Since whens is illegal i remember reading an article and it said because wifi is so new there isnt actually a specific area for it an noe one is quite sure where it stands. If anyones got any info then please post it, it will be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phil Lee Posted November 16, 2005 Report Share Posted November 16, 2005 Take a look at this A recent court case, which saw a West London man fined £500 and sentenced to 12 months' conditional discharge for hijacking a wireless broadband connection, has repercussions for almost every user of wi-fi networks. It is believed to be the first case of its kind in the UK, but with an estimated one million wi-fi users around the country, it is unlikely to be the last. "There are a lot of implications and this could open the floodgates to many more such cases," said Phil Cracknell, chief technology officer of security firm NetSurity. Details in this particular case are sketchy, although it is known that Gregory Straszkiewicz had "piggybacked" on a wireless broadband network of a local Ealing resident, using a laptop while sitting in his car. He had been seen in the area on several previous occasions over the past three months and is believed to have been reported to police by a neighbour concerned that he was acting suspiciously. The case is some way away from that of Brian Salcedo, who was sentenced to nine years in a US jail last year for the far more serious crime of siphoning credit card numbers over the wireless network of hardware store Lowes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sgeary Posted November 16, 2005 Report Share Posted November 16, 2005 Take a look at this <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hmmm thats interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest w411y Posted November 16, 2005 Report Share Posted November 16, 2005 I'd blame the owners of the wifi for not encrypting it. Bit harsh on the guy really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest adchaffey Posted November 16, 2005 Report Share Posted November 16, 2005 I'd blame the owners of the wifi for not encrypting it. Bit harsh on the guy really <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I agree it's a bit harsh, providing he did nothing maliceous. But the problem is wireless internet is becoming more and more popular and it's bound to be taken on by many more people who don't really know what they're doing with it. Technology in the wrong hands can be a dangerous thing! As that poor bloke found out! Although what was he doing to be considered as acting suspicious ey!?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest w411y Posted November 16, 2005 Report Share Posted November 16, 2005 I suppose parking up outside someones house is a bit suspicious... but then again there would have been no hassle if their wifi was encrypted! I guess its kinda like downloading music illegally.... so easily done, so many doing it and hard to be prosecuted for doing it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest adchaffey Posted November 16, 2005 Report Share Posted November 16, 2005 I suppose parking up outside someones house is a bit suspicious... but then again there would have been no hassle if their wifi was encrypted! I guess its kinda like downloading music illegally.... so easily done, so many doing it and hard to be prosecuted for doing it! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Defo I think we should all learn a lesson from this story though... If you're going to use other peoples broadband, make sure you have several different connections to exploit and rotate them, making sure you're never sitting in your car using the same one for too long! Disclaimer - I do not condone wifi sniffing nor do my comments here in any way imply I have committed such a crime before. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest w411y Posted November 16, 2005 Report Share Posted November 16, 2005 Disclaimer - I do not condone wifi sniffing nor do my comments here in any way imply I have committed such a crime before. :) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> What's that in your eye? Best get it out, you got a twitch going on there lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DancingMatt Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 If you're going to use other peoples broadband, make sure you have several different connections to exploit and rotate them, making sure you're never sitting in your car using the same one for too long! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well let's also remember that some (the majority?) of people have monthly caps on their broadband allowance. You may not be actually costing them money whilst you're using their unencrypted network, but you could make them run out download allowance sooner than they like... no one wants to run out before the end of the month right?! You are stealing "something". But with it being so easy to buy a WiFi device, I can easily believe people will just be trying it with the instructions that came with it, finding a WiFi connection and enjoying it, not knowing anything about home wireless networks, or giving the first thought to actually how it is "there". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Noo Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Well let's also remember that some (the majority?) of people have monthly caps on their broadband allowance. You may not be actually costing them money whilst you're using their unencrypted network, but you could make them run out download allowance sooner than they like... no one wants to run out before the end of the month right?! You are stealing "something". But with it being so easy to buy a WiFi device, I can easily believe people will just be trying it with the instructions that came with it, finding a WiFi connection and enjoying it, not knowing anything about home wireless networks, or giving the first thought to actually how it is "there". <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Blimey, what a can of worms i've opened. But a worthy discussion, all the same. DancingMatt, some good points there, re: the broadband monthly download limits. And even more so with the point about people not knowing better and finding they have internet access "magically without wires" from their living room on their wifi enabled new laptop. They'd probably also believe they were somehow using their own internet access (even though they didn't have wifi). I'm talking about "someone" like my Dad for example. He hasn't done this yet, but I can easily see him doing it. :roll: Good points and a good discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tsutton Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Why are all wireless router have it wide open by default? It should be locked down by default and allow users to configure them. Would make things a lot easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DancingMatt Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 Blimey, what a can of worms i've opened. But a worthy discussion, all the same. DancingMatt, some good points there, re: the broadband monthly download limits. And even more so with the point about people not knowing better and finding they have internet access "magically without wires" from their living room on their wifi enabled new laptop. They'd probably also believe they were somehow using their own internet access (even though they didn't have wifi). I'm talking about "someone" like my Dad for example. He hasn't done this yet, but I can easily see him doing it. :roll: Good points and a good discussion. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Exactly - and before anyone wonders, no I wasn't pointing the finger or judging anyone in particular. As it happens had this discussion recently with one of my friends who took home a work laptop, to work on it, and found he could get onto a wireless network at his home. He doesn't know networking at all but was savvy enough to guess it must belong to "someone" and asked me if he was costing them anything, I told him no, not as such... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cfmj Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 I regularly use one of many "free" wifi networks offered to me by neighbours and I'm not ashamed of it. I don't see anything wrong with it - they are broadcasting an unencrypted signal into my personal living space so I'll use it. All I need to do now is get one of them to run a 13amp extension lead through a window and I'll have free electricity too! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest adchaffey Posted November 17, 2005 Report Share Posted November 17, 2005 I regularly use one of many "free" wifi networks offered to me by neighbours and I'm not ashamed of it. I don't see anything wrong with it - they are broadcasting an unencrypted signal into my personal living space so I'll use it. All I need to do now is get one of them to run a 13amp extension lead through a window and I'll have free electricity too! :) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That's what I like to hear! On a serious note, my Vario (delivered just this morning! :D ) is picking up a wireless network (unprotected too!) that my wireless card in my PC isn't even picking up! And I've got a brilliant signal for my own wifi network throughout my house. I'm well impressed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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