Setting Up My Home Wireless Network: Lessons & Challenges

[ShawnD]

Just today I purchased a new laptop computer with built-in wireless networking. I used this as an opportunity to start my wireless network by also buying a wireless router. After setting this all up using a wired connection, I started to search for available wireless networks. My computer immediately found my network, but it also found 4 other networks with strong signals and no passwords required. Does anybody else find this many access points in their own home? Right now I'm piggy-backing on one of those networks just to see how things are going, and so far it's going ok. I sort of wonder how long I can stay on this one before somebody notices I'm stealing bandwidth. Maybe I'll share some P2P porn or something :tongue:

 

[Pengwuino]

Just today I purchased a new laptop computer with built-in wireless networking. I used this as an opportunity to start my wireless network by also buying a wireless router. After setting this all up using a wired connection, I started to search for available wireless networks. My computer immediately found my network, but it also found 4 other networks with strong signals and no passwords required. Does anybody else find this many access points in their own home? Right now I'm piggy-backing on one of those networks just to see how things are going, and so far it's going ok. I sort of wonder how long I can stay on this one before somebody notices I'm stealing bandwidth. Maybe I'll share some P2P porn or something :tongue:

Theres a unsecure network around here in my neighborhood. I don't get on it though. I don't like stealing.

 

[Thrice]

Stealing? Hardly. You're not depriving them of anything. It's not like they're paying any more for it because you're dling 10kb of data every min.

 

[Pengwuino]

Stealing? Hardly. You're not depriving them of anything. It's not like they're paying any more for it because you're dling 10kb of data every min.

It's not like the store owner will care about a $1.50 soda

 

[ShawnD]

Stealing? Hardly. You're not depriving them of anything. It's not like they're paying any more for it because you're dling 10kb of data every min.

I think you are confusing internet theft with satellite theft. Satellite theft makes no difference because you are simply receiving signals which are already in the air. Bandwidth theft makes a huge difference because you actually slow the network by actively making a bunch of requests on it.

 

[Thrice]

It's not like the store owner will care about a $1.50 soda

I hear Wal-Mart now only prosecutes if the value stolen is greater than $25.

I think you are confusing internet theft with satellite theft. Satellite theft makes no difference because you are simply receiving signals which are already in the air. Bandwidth theft makes a huge difference because you actually slow the network by actively making a bunch of requests on it.

Slow it down a significant amount? Obviously it depends on the network. If mine could handle 500k & they weren't running bt all night I wouldn't really care.

 

[Thrice]

Whatever. This was never about logic. This is about "thou shalt not steal", whatever the circumstances. If that's how you like it, fine. Just don't tell me it's based on reason.

 

[Pengwuino]

I hear Wal-Mart now only prosecutes if the value stolen is greater than $25.

Do you know how much stores lose because of shoplifting? I heard some statistics and it blew my mind! Makes you wonder what kind of people are out there...

 

[star.torturer]

If mine could handle 500k & they weren't running bt all night I wouldn't really care.

as long as you don't steel of mine, a feeble 32k.
i would like a wireless network to leadch off around here but tharee anit none. damn them!

 

[Thrice]

Do you know how much stores lose because of shoplifting? I heard some statistics and it blew my mind! Makes you wonder what kind of people are out there...

http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/skepticism/blfaq_fall_division.htm

 

[Pengwuino]

http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/skepticism/blfaq_fall_division.htm

blah blah blah. I never said everyone was a shoplifter.

 

[Thrice]

blah blah blah. I never said everyone was a shoplifter.

It doesn't work even if you're only thinking about shoplifters. The total amount a store loses doesn't factor in when you're wondering how wrong it is to head out with that $1.50 soda. It's always the same amount whether the store's losing $10 a month or 10 million.

 

[star.torturer]

ten million what?: banana boats?, elephants?(why is this used as a comon unknown unit)

 

[Thrice]

Elephants? Very well elephants it is.

 

[star.torturer]

ten million elephants , that's a large family, Mafia related?

 

[Pengwuino]

It doesn't work even if you're only thinking about shoplifters. The total amount a store loses doesn't factor in when you're wondering how wrong it is to head out with that $1.50 soda. It's always the same amount whether the store's losing $10 a month or 10 million.

What in the world are you talking about?

 

[loseyourname]

Do you know how much stores lose because of shoplifting? I heard some statistics and it blew my mind! Makes you wonder what kind of people are out there...

If I recall the old security consultations we had back when I worked in retail management, around 80% of the "shrinkage" is usually due to internal theft. Much bigger problem than shoplifting.

 

[wolram]

This thread is full of hoods, it should be closed, least the penquin or others get the wrong signal, and no that fish is not free.

 

[Thrice]

What in the world are you talking about?

You said: "It's not like the store owner will care about a $1.50 soda."

I said: "I hear Wal-Mart now only prosecutes if the value stolen is greater than $25."

You replied: "Do you know how much stores lose because of shoplifting? I heard some statistics and it blew my mind! Makes you wonder what kind of people are out there..."


My point is it doesn't matter how much stores lose. Even if they're all going bankrupt, you'd still only be taking a $1.50 soda or whatever.

 

[Hawknc]

Even if they're all going bankrupt, you'd still only be taking a $1.50 soda or whatever.

You...and some other guy who thinks he's only taking a $1.50 soda, and another guy who thinks the same thing, and so on. $1.50 quickly becomes quite a significant figure.

 

[Gale]

when i worked at a grocery store, they had a huge number for shrinkage. stores account for it, and everyone who pays for their products pays a little extra to account for what's stolen.

anyway, I'm on a borrowed signal right now too. i don't have the internet at my new apt yet, so i just get it from my neighbors. if my neighbors didn't have it, i'd just go into town and find a signal. a lot of businesses here have it, almost the city of tempe is wireless. my roommate is installing the internet next week sometime, but if it was just me, i wouldn't even bother.oh, and soda's are only $1.25 here

 

[Pengwuino]

You said: "It's not like the store owner will care about a $1.50 soda."

I said: "I hear Wal-Mart now only prosecutes if the value stolen is greater than $25."

You replied: "Do you know how much stores lose because of shoplifting? I heard some statistics and it blew my mind! Makes you wonder what kind of people are out there..."


My point is it doesn't matter how much stores lose. Even if they're all going bankrupt, you'd still only be taking a $1.50 soda or whatever.

Ok I caused some confusion here. I didn't mean to connect the shoplifting with the soda thing. I didn't think you were trying to make the idea that walmart only prosecutes above $25 as part of the argument. I thought you were just putting it out there as a "oh hey guys, by the way, did you know...". Then i pretty much thought "hey speaking of which, i heard blah blah blah" and threw that in there. I didn't think the amount a certain company prosecutes for had any real significance to weither or not stealing was good or bad.

 

[ShawnD]

If I recall the old security consultations we had back when I worked in retail management, around 80% of the "shrinkage" is usually due to internal theft. Much bigger problem than shoplifting.

That's what I've heard too. Not an actual number but "most" of it is stolen by employees.

I don't even understand what you other guys are arguing about. It seems like one guy says "my wall is green" and the other guy replies "no way, the moon is made of cheese".

 

[Thrice]

Ok I caused some confusion here. I didn't mean to connect the shoplifting with the soda thing. I didn't think you were trying to make the idea that walmart only prosecutes above $25 as part of the argument. I thought you were just putting it out there as a "oh hey guys, by the way, did you know...". Then i pretty much thought "hey speaking of which, i heard blah blah blah" and threw that in there. I didn't think the amount a certain company prosecutes for had any real significance to weither or not stealing was good or bad.

My apologies. I misunderstood.