Wireless signal-Not mine but will let me on!!??

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DeltaDart1

Member
This is my sisters Acer Chromebook. When she first got it she was setting it up according to the directions. The computer right away started searching for a wireless signal. It picked up 5-7 each time and it hooked up with one thats not hers. She doesn't even need a password.

Is it common for there to be wireless signals out there where its not password protected? This is a small town(pop. 950)and there is not one business that is even close to her. Any ideas where this signal could be coming from? Thanks!
 
It's just an unsecured neighbors network. Most people don't even know how to secure their wifi. Some routers are by default not secured.
 
Any way of finding out who it is? Her computer just does a search and locks on. I know when mine does a search it will pick up my neighbors but will always want a password. Theres are usually a weak signal but it shows theres are locked. I just assumed when you install a newer router its secured.
 
Not really unless the name of the network is someone's last name she may know. The old linksys routers were not secured by default.
 
If you really wanted to find the person you could install something like InSSIDer on your phone or non-Chromebook laptop. Then you can walk around and see various signal strengths for each AP/network.

But yeah, completely open SSIDs are surprisingly common.
 
Okedokey said:
Yep. Various jurisdications including UK, Australia and USA it is illegal.
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It's a gray area, you wont be prosocuted solely for using someone elses internet access unless other crimes have or are being commited. Just like it's illegal to speed, even 1mph.
 
How long ago? From what I read, authorities have been much more forgiving since wireless is so commonplace now.
 
TechDoofus said:
You do potentially open yourself up to man-in-the-middle attacks when using unknown Wi-Fi...correct?
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That's pretty much the case when using any network you don't control all portions of, including the Internet.

The thing about unencrypted access points is that you can just grab packets out of the air and have all of the transmitted data, you don't even have to be associated to the AP.
 
WRXGuy1 said:
How long ago? From what I read, authorities have been much more forgiving since wireless is so commonplace now.
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That's what I was wondering... all those cases cited happened at least 6 years ago.

I wonder if a business owner would be more upset with someone who came in, bought a small cup of coffee, then sat there on-line all day, occupying a table, or with the guy who bought a small cup of coffee then sat in his car out in the parking lot(?)
 
Why doesn't her router have a password so that you enter a password in the Chromebook and it should default to her router. Be sure to use WPA2 AES with at least a 12 digit key with numbers letters, both upper case and lower case and at least one symbol like #. So AES568#ads-B.
 
Agent Smith said:
Why doesn't her router have a password so that you enter a password in the Chromebook and it should default to her router. Be sure to use WPA2 AES with at least a 12 digit key with numbers letters, both upper case and lower case and at least one symbol like #. So AES568#ads-B.
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Lots of people don't know how to set a password on their wireless router, so they just leave it open.
 
WRXGuy1 said:
How long ago? From what I read, authorities have been much more forgiving since wireless is so commonplace now.
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Hi

This was like three or four years ago. I believe it was a special situation because the 'big deal' was not that he was pirating wireless service; rather, the big deal was that he was literally standing outside of peoples' houses to do it! But...at the end of the day...they could not get him on stalking or harassment. Instead, they got him on essentially illegal use of somebody else's wireless! :eek:
 
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