Comments on: How To Get Online For Free http://www.cyberbuzz.com/2008/10/29/how-to-get-online-for-free/ Buzz Bishop takes a look at new technology and trends. Wed, 28 Jul 2010 04:48:40 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Michael Kwan http://www.cyberbuzz.com/2008/10/29/how-to-get-online-for-free/comment-page-1/#comment-691 Michael Kwan Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:38:57 +0000 http://www.cyberbuzz.com/?p=283#comment-691 I'd have to disagree with Brian. Yes, the Internet belongs to no one and everyone, but <em>access</em> belongs to the person providing it. Leaving your WiFi network unsecured would be akin to leaving your phone on the street for public use. It's your phone and you're paying for the service. By extension, it's your modem (and Internet access) and you're paying for the service. I’d have to disagree with Brian. Yes, the Internet belongs to no one and everyone, but access belongs to the person providing it. Leaving your WiFi network unsecured would be akin to leaving your phone on the street for public use. It’s your phone and you’re paying for the service. By extension, it’s your modem (and Internet access) and you’re paying for the service.

]]> By: Gary http://www.cyberbuzz.com/2008/10/29/how-to-get-online-for-free/comment-page-1/#comment-690 Gary Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:06:53 +0000 http://www.cyberbuzz.com/?p=283#comment-690 Thanks for the article Buzz. Tethering with PDANet is awesome, but it kills your iPhone battery like no tomorrow--even with it plugged into an AC outlet! It definitely comes in handy when you need internet access though. Makes me love my iPhone even more! ;) Thanks for the article Buzz. Tethering with PDANet is awesome, but it kills your iPhone battery like no tomorrow–even with it plugged into an AC outlet! It definitely comes in handy when you need internet access though. Makes me love my iPhone even more! ;)

]]> By: Tyler Ingram http://www.cyberbuzz.com/2008/10/29/how-to-get-online-for-free/comment-page-1/#comment-689 Tyler Ingram Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:25:17 +0000 http://www.cyberbuzz.com/?p=283#comment-689 Thanks Buzz! There are a bunch of publicly accessible access points around the West End though I find that more and more are switching to using some sort of encryption security method. If you do not wish to have people leech from your WiFi signal then I suggest at least running WPA with MAC Authentication turned on. WEP can be cracked in under 10 minutes (in some cases less than 5). I am not saying WPA, WPA2 etc cannot be cracked it just takes a little bit more time and resources to do so and less likely to be a target. If you are willing to share your Wireless Internet then you should at least try and throttle (limit) the bandwidth that people will be able to use once connected. Say you are with Shaw and you have ~5000kbps download speed without any sort of throttling (or limit or Quality of Service) the person attaching themselves to your wireless network will be able to take all your bandwidth for their purposes (good or bad) and leave you with a pretty slow internet experience. Also leaving your wireless access point open to the public would also allow dishonest people to use your connection to do their evil deeds. Oh another note... if you do have a wireless access point and leave it open to the public, you are allowing someone else's computer access to your network. If you have shared folders or shared networks drives without any sort of security (which is the case for majority of the populous) you are allowing people access to your files such as bank account statements, email, photos and more. Whew... think I am done.. Thanks Buzz!

There are a bunch of publicly accessible access points around the West End though I find that more and more are switching to using some sort of encryption security method. If you do not wish to have people leech from your WiFi signal then I suggest at least running WPA with MAC Authentication turned on. WEP can be cracked in under 10 minutes (in some cases less than 5). I am not saying WPA, WPA2 etc cannot be cracked it just takes a little bit more time and resources to do so and less likely to be a target.

If you are willing to share your Wireless Internet then you should at least try and throttle (limit) the bandwidth that people will be able to use once connected. Say you are with Shaw and you have ~5000kbps download speed without any sort of throttling (or limit or Quality of Service) the person attaching themselves to your wireless network will be able to take all your bandwidth for their purposes (good or bad) and leave you with a pretty slow internet experience. Also leaving your wireless access point open to the public would also allow dishonest people to use your connection to do their evil deeds.

Oh another note… if you do have a wireless access point and leave it open to the public, you are allowing someone else’s computer access to your network. If you have shared folders or shared networks drives without any sort of security (which is the case for majority of the populous) you are allowing people access to your files such as bank account statements, email, photos and more.

Whew… think I am done..

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