How to tell if an AP is a "free hotspot"?

ZmOz · 10-20-2004

My Mom just moved into an apartment in Costa Mesa, CA, and from the apartment I can see 8 wireless networks, all of them completely open. She does very limited internet browsing, and it's not worth ~$30 a month for her to have an internet connection. (she has no land line for cheap dialup, only a cell phone) That said, it would be perfect if she could just "barrow" some internet from one of these connections.

Now, I know this is illegal unless it's a "free hotspot". There are, however, several places around here that offer that. (hotels, restaurants, etc) The problem is, I have no idea who's networks I'm seeing. Any ideas how I might find out if any of these connections is in fact public?

itsnotme · 10-20-2004

try going to the locations offering the free hotspots and asking them HOW to access their hotspots and ask if you can access them outside of their locations. That would probably be a good start. Dont connect to any of them unless you've verified that it IS a hotspot, otherwise you'd be committing a felony. Better to have no internet than to use the internet in jail.

ThreePts · 10-20-2004

if the SSIDs look like something a hotel/coffeeshop or something would put out, then goto them and find out if its free and all that stuff. If they appear as Linksys, Netgear or one of the other many default SSIDs then stay away or prepare for trouble.

seinman · 10-20-2004

Also, keep in mind that just because a hotel or coffee shop offers free access, that doesn't make it free for everyone. Usually (at least with hotels, don't know about coffee shops because I don't drink coffee) it's for paying customers only, so accessing it when you aren't a guest would also be illegal.

mrfixter · 10-20-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsnotme

try going to the locations offering the free hotspots and asking them HOW to access their hotspots and ask if you can access them outside of their locations. That would probably be a good start. Dont connect to any of them unless you've verified that it IS a hotspot, otherwise you'd be committing a felony. Better to have no internet than to use the internet in jail.

are you a lawyer? in law enforcement?

how long would you go to jail for?

Thorn · 10-20-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrfixter

are you a lawyer?

No. (But I wouldn't admit to it if I was. Would you?)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrfixter

in law enforcement?

Yes (retired.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrfixter

how long would you go to jail for?

Depends on the jusidiction, and the exact law. (Where I live, 5 years maximum.)

In the US, all States and the Federal governement have such laws. The UK and the EU both have such laws from what I understand. Most coutries that have an electronic infrastructure beyond crank telephones have some variation on this type of law.

ZmOz · 10-20-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThreePts

if the SSIDs look like something a hotel/coffeeshop or something would put out, then goto them and find out if its free and all that stuff. If they appear as Linksys, Netgear or one of the other many default SSIDs then stay away or prepare for trouble.

5 of the 8 APs I can see say "EDGEFOCUS-XXXXXXXXXX-XX"...does that look like anything free to anyone?

Thorn · 10-20-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZmOz

5 of the 8 APs I can see say "EDGEFOCUS-XXXXXXXXXX-XX"...does that look like anything free to anyone?

No. It's a WISP; a Wireless ISP. You pay for it.

EdgeFocus

You have heard of Google, haven't you?

mrfixter · 10-20-2004

Cool.

As far as people going to jail for using peoples bandwidth to check email, what is the usual sentence? Any convictions even?

Law enforcement? What is there take on someone mother using someone elses bandwidth for checking their email? 5 years federal correctional facility?

beakmyn · 10-20-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thorn

No. It's a WISP; a Wireless ISP. You pay for it.

EdgeFocus

You have heard of Google, haven't you?

Does googel help you find hotspots and crack wep?

Thorn · 10-20-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrfixter

Cool.

As far as people going to jail for using peoples bandwidth to check email, what is the usual sentence? Any convictions even?

Law enforcement? What is there take on someone mother using someone elses bandwidth for checking their email? 5 years federal correctional facility?

There has been a number of arrests and convictions people for this, in different states. As far as I know, for merely using the access services of another person, all have been fines and probation.

To run into the Federal law, most likely you'll have to do something besides just check email once, as the Feds tend to decline investigating a case unless there is a certain amount of damages or something else is going on. Keep doing it though, and there's going to be trouble.

Fraud and Related Activity in Connection with Computers

WiFi Hacking == goto Jail

Some things get compounded though. For example, Brian Salcedo of Michigan is facing 12 minimum Federal sentence for attacking the Lowe's credit card system via wireless. He collected a total of 6 credit card numbers. (He meant to get more, but apparently made a goof in his collection script.) His minimum sentence is high though, because he has a prior conviction for a computer crime. In 2000, as a juvenile he was convicted of defacing web sites and fraudulently accessing a local ISP to do so.

sparafina · 10-20-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by beakmyn

Does googel help you find hotspots and crack wep?

Yep, just download the WPA cracker plugin for NS (hint: its an easter egg).

10-20-2004	#1 (permalink)
ZmOz Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 2	How to tell if an AP is a "free hotspot"? My Mom just moved into an apartment in Costa Mesa, CA, and from the apartment I can see 8 wireless networks, all of them completely open. She does very limited internet browsing, and it's not worth ~$30 a month for her to have an internet connection. (she has no land line for cheap dialup, only a cell phone) That said, it would be perfect if she could just "barrow" some internet from one of these connections. Now, I know this is illegal unless it's a "free hotspot". There are, however, several places around here that offer that. (hotels, restaurants, etc) The problem is, I have no idea who's networks I'm seeing. Any ideas how I might find out if any of these connections is in fact public?

10-20-2004	#3 (permalink)
ThreePts Desert Stumbler Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 136	if the SSIDs look like something a hotel/coffeeshop or something would put out, then goto them and find out if its free and all that stuff. If they appear as Linksys, Netgear or one of the other many default SSIDs then stay away or prepare for trouble. __________________ WebGoonies.com: Life of a father to be... )( WarWounds )(

10-20-2004	#4 (permalink)
seinman Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 73	Also, keep in mind that just because a hotel or coffee shop offers free access, that doesn't make it free for everyone. Usually (at least with hotels, don't know about coffee shops because I don't drink coffee) it's for paying customers only, so accessing it when you aren't a guest would also be illegal. __________________ http://www.seinman.net

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10-20-2004	#2 (permalink)
itsnotme Dumbass checker Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Somewhere below Lake Ontario Posts: 1,076	try going to the locations offering the free hotspots and asking them HOW to access their hotspots and ask if you can access them outside of their locations. That would probably be a good start. Dont connect to any of them unless you've verified that it IS a hotspot, otherwise you'd be committing a felony. Better to have no internet than to use the internet in jail.

10-20-2004	#9 (permalink)
mrfixter 000's of posts = freak Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: clapham, south london Posts: 8	Cool. As far as people going to jail for using peoples bandwidth to check email, what is the usual sentence? Any convictions even? Law enforcement? What is there take on someone mother using someone elses bandwidth for checking their email? 5 years federal correctional facility?