Tap into neighbors' WiFi? Why not, some say
Reprinted from the Boston Globe
By Bruce Mohl, Globe Staff | July 4, 2004
Like a Robin Hood of the Internet age, Carrie Russell of South Boston takes bandwidth from the rich (neighbors who have wireless high-speed Internet connections) and uses it herself to surf for free.
''I don't think of it as stealing," Russell said. ''They've left their network open. If they're going to leave it open, then it's there for the taking."
The savings are substantial. High-speed Internet access typically costs $30 to $60 a month or more, depending on the speed and whether it's packaged with other services offered by the provider.
Michael Oh, president and founder of Tech Superpowers, a Boston-based specialist on wireless networking, said it's difficult to tell how many people are piggybacking on or sharing the wireless high-speed Internet access of their neighbors. But he is convinced a lot of people are trying it in densely populated neighborhoods where wireless connections overlap.
''People do it all the time," Oh, of Tech Superpowers, said. ''It's a big problem for the big Internet service providers because they don't have any control over the situation."
The number of wireless Internet access points that can be tapped by outsiders is surprisingly large, in part because consumers like the convenience of WiFi yet rarely activate security systems that would prevent outsiders from gaining access to their networks. Oh says most wireless base stations come from the manufacturer with security protections deactivated. Consumers in a hurry to get them up and running never bother to turn them on.
On a ride through a very small portion of the Back Bay, downtown Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville, Oh detected 2,676 wireless Internet access sites, of which 2,465 were residential. He said half of the sites were unprotected, meaning anyone within 100 to 150 feet, and in some cases much farther away, could tap into them.
Tom Russell, who helped his sister and his mother piggyback on their neighbors' WiFi high-speed Internet access, said the setup procedure is relatively simple, although it may take some patience. All you need is a wireless network adapter for your computer, which can cost between $35 and $80. Some laptops come fully equipped to access a WiFi connection.
Russell, who lives in Cambridge and pays for his own high-speed Internet access, said consumers could find out very cheaply whether they are near a wireless access point by borrowing a friend's adapter or buying one and returning it if no access point is nearby.
Russell's mother, who lives in the Back Bay, had about four wireless access points to choose from. His sister in South Boston couldn't find any access points initially, so she moved her computer to the rear of her building and found three, only one of which was protected. Continued...