Wi-Fi

[pinkfloyd4ever]

Two friends with their blackberry's are able to pick up an unsecured wi-fi where I live. I bought and put a USB port receiver card which also recognizes the unsecured signal but when it connects it asks me for a password.

My friends were able to surf without having to put a password in. Is there something on my HP laptop that I am doing wrong?

[stick]

Do they have a data plan on their phones and maybe were they getting the web based on their cellular network and not the Wi-Fi network? Maybe the phone said that it "sees" the WiFi, but their internet was over the cell network. Just my first thought.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

no they have the whole 3G thing but also the capability to hook on to Wi-fi, and were able to browse the internet using the wi-fi connection. Both said that their phones said they were connected by a wi-fi connection

[delcecchi]

An unsecured signal doesn't ask for a password. It just connects. But if there is a secured network with a stronger signal your laptop might be trying to connect to it instead.

What operating system are you using? And how old is that laptop that doesn't have built in wireless?

[Fredd]

go to your connection setting/networking and see if you can narrow it down to the connection that they are using. you may have to do another search to find the one that they are on.

[Fredd]

my bad, read you wrong. are you sure that the password is not for your card/computer versus the signal??

[upnorth]

If is unsecured it will just plain connect, adding a password it is secured. Could be just a formality, try just hitting enter to see if it lets you on.

[gwiff100]

to my knowledge blackberry's do not have wi-fi capability....the two most prominant ones that are wi-fi i-phone, the new droid and i believe palms.... otherwise they were just accesing the web through their own browser built into their phone.

[jwhjr]

Some of the BB's have wifi. I have an 8320 with wifi.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

yes, one has the 8320 phone and was able to wi-fi all over the net in my apartment.

Its a HP from about 04, windows XP. When the wi-fi program (net gear) opens it recognizes two signals (sometimes three). In its info screen it shows that one signal is secured, it has the lock symbol on it, the other signal seems unsecured since no lock symbol on it. When I try to log on to it, it will act as if going to the internet but then it pops up a username/password box, if I leave blank and hit enter or cancel it gives a Error 401 something about host client authentication.

If I try to use the secured one it pops up a username/password before even trying to go to the internet.

[upnorth]

You could try just adding the name of the wireless connection in the name line and hitting enter.

[delcecchi]

What is your home page in IE or firefox? Could that be what is asking for pw?

I am not aware of any networking that asks for username. WEP etc just asks for password. If SSID broadcast is off it asks for network name.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

took many many trouble shoot/ help page trial and errors, but something called the VPN was checked in the internet settings. By unchecking I am in.

Now my dream come true, access to fishingminnesota from home. I'm not kidding, this is awesome

thanks everyone

[upnorth]

I know that the Cisco Airspace can be setup to send you to a webpage that will prompt for a username/password combo. I have set them up.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Now my dream come true, access to fishingminnesota from home.

And sticking it to Comcast

[lotsofish]

Just keep in mind that this probably isn't a legal activity...

[upnorth]

It is only really illegal if you hack there system. If it is wide open with no real security I am pretty sure it would be considered public. You have to take a reasonable caution to secure it or keep people out.

[lotsofish]

I don't mean to start a debate about this, but accessing an unsecured internet connection can be illegal and people have been arrested or fined for it in the US. I don't think there are any laws that specifically outlaw it yet and usually the charges are something like unauthorized access to a computer network. Some countries have laws specifically against it, and the US probably will eventually.

I know this happens everyday though, and I've done a time or two in a pinch. 99% of it probably goes unnoticed.

If the unsecured connection is connected to someone's residential internet service, it could be illegal to use the internet through it, even if you have permission. Just like you are not allowed to share cable television with your neighbors.

Personally, my opinion is if the network is wide open for anyone to connect, then the owner has made the choice to do so and connecting to it should be legal, including access to the internet and any services or resources available on that network.

[upnorth]

You are right. I did some looking and it seems it is a gray area. Some people have been prosecuted for gaining access an unsecured network. Doesn't make sense, but I think it depends o the circumstances and in some cases it has been deemed illegal.

So I guess best to think about it a bit before connecting to your neighbors unsecured wireless netwokr.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

we will just keep this on the down low than, I'll take y'all down with me for assisting

[upnorth]

Dude you are all on your own LOL

[LwnmwnMan2]

I have a new netbook through Verizon, $30 after rebate.

I can access 3G anywhere now, for $60 / month I get 5 GB of data.

So far, my wife has watched 5 hours of TV and the boys have played about 6 hours of lower level online gaming in the vehicle and we've used 500 MB of data in 2 weeks.

I suppose if I really wanted to search out "free" networks I could, but with so many restaurants and other places having hot spots, why would you drive around looking for private networks? Unless you were either looking to do a drive-by child porn session or download plans to assinate the president?

[bobbymalone]

I don't mean to start a debate about this, but accessing an unsecured internet connection can be illegal and people have been arrested or fined for it in the US. I don't think there are any laws that specifically outlaw it yet and usually the charges are something like unauthorized access to a computer network. Some countries have laws specifically against it, and the US probably will eventually.

in order to get caught the owner of the network would have to detect you using it...

I am guessing if the owner isn't tech savvy enough to even lock up their network, they aren't smart enough to know you are using it to post on FM.

[upnorth]

Quote:

in order to get caught the owner of the network would have to detect you using it...

I am guessing if the owner isn't tech savvy enough to even lock up their network, they aren't smart enough to know you are using it to post on FM.

That is very true. I think what they have really went after to date is hackers hopping on someone else network to launch an attack. I check mine every now and then, even though I have mine secured pretty well.

[Scott K]

I dont secure mine, but either do any of my neighbors. There isnt really any top secret stuff on anything on my network. But the biggest reason I have no wap set up, is I have 3 kids with wireless devices that drove me nuts having to always renter the security code in one device or another every day. I live in a small town, and have just a couple neighbors close enough to recieve a signal, and I know them well and trust them. Does this make me not smart?