I dont have a wireless network at home, infact I am still on dial up!!!!!

But, I have just switched my wireless laptop on, I have found and managed to connect to a unsecured network.

I am currently leaching someone elses BB for free !!!!


My question is, do they know? if so, can they track me down and can they hack into my laptop??


Thanks
Paul

Their router will have issued you with an IP address via DHCP, so the router will have a record of your machines MAC address (unique network identifier) and computer name and IP address, so in theory they track you down, but if they don't have the skills to lock down their wireless network I highly doubt they are going to be able to track you down!

I highly doubt it, but I would change your PC name to XYZDSN898 rather then call its Pauls laptop.

Alternativly you could just tell them their network is not secured and to sort it out!

[quote name='Anees' post='401256' date='Dec 11 2006, 07:36 PM']but if they don't have the skills to lock down their wireless network I highly doubt they are going to be able to track you down! [/quote]
Thats what I was thinking

[quote name='Anees' post='401256' date='Dec 11 2006, 07:36 PM']but I would change your PC name to XYZDSN898[/quote]
I was thinking of changing it to netgear, just to confuse them

[quote name='Anees' post='401256' date='Dec 11 2006, 07:36 PM']rather then call its Pauls laptop.[/quote]
How did you know that?

[quote name='Anees' post='401256' date='Dec 11 2006, 07:36 PM']Alternativly you could just tell them their network is not secured and to sort it out! [/quote]
And why would I want to do that?



Thanks for your help Anees

my nieghbour uses netgear

[quote name='Bazza' post='401263' date='Dec 11 2006, 07:44 PM']my nieghbour uses netgear [/quote]
lol, and they dont know you use it?

Free broadband is great. With the PC in the car I find loads of unsecured points around the town, using cetain programs you can keep track of where they all are and you can float freely between them

Agree with Anees, make sure the computer name is obscure and that you have no sharing of drives allowed so they can't access your PC.

AFAIK it is not an offence to use someone elses wireless BB anyway, it is their responsibility to make sure their network is secure. That is provided you don't try to hack their PC's and do damage.

Also if they don't know how to set up security on the router it is unlikely they will know how to see how many PC's are connected let along identify the ones that are. If they do tumble that you are there some friend will lock you out, so don't worry, enjoy the free ride.

[quote name='MacRS200' post='401273' date='Dec 11 2006, 07:51 PM']Agree with Anees, make sure the computer name is obscure and that you have no sharing of drives allowed so they can't access your PC.[/quote]
How do I disable file sharing then?

Thanks

[quote name='P4UL T' post='401276' date='Dec 11 2006, 07:54 PM'][quote name='MacRS200' post='401273' date='Dec 11 2006, 07:51 PM']
Agree with Anees, make sure the computer name is obscure and that you have no sharing of drives allowed so they can't access your PC.[/quote]
How do I disable file sharing then?

Thanks
[/quote]
Not being funny but if you don't know how to disable sharing it is unlikely that you have it enabled in the first place. Not unless you use the PC on a works network where the IT department have set it to give access.

p.s. Default is off by the way.

Fair enough,

thanks for your help guys

Funnily enough on Friday I was rebuilding my son's laptop after another crashed hard drive. Tried to connect to our wireless nework which was about 10 feet away ( and is encrypted ) and it was having none of it. It could see it but wouldn't connect. Then magically this other network pop's up, so I click and connect and used it all day to update from XP Pro SP1 to SP2 plus all the security patches. Downloaded AVG and Ad-Aware and the job was a good one

For those with Laptops/CarPC's, check out a program called WiFi Hopper. Nothing illegal just searches every second and displays all the hotspots around you, and you can connect to any of the free ones
I was really amazed at how many hubs there were around my area No wonder so many people are starting to have trouble remote unlocking there cars.

Still running free 8 meg