Wi-Fi access etiquette
Is it OK to log on to someone else's connection?
Almost anywhere you go, you can access the Internet. Starbucks, dorm rooms, airports, smart areas, smart cities--if your computer is equipped for Wi-Fi (short for wireless fidelity), you can get online.
With that much accessibility, it's almost too easy to use a network that you're not authorized to use. Anyone who lives in a high-density area, such as an apartment building, understands. You can log on to the Web in your building; half a dozen or more wireless networks are always available.
Do you really need to spend $40 a month to pay for broadband service? In a recent survey by Jupiter Research, 27 percent of Wi-Fi network owners--folks who pay for broadband each month--said it's not OK to use a network without permission.
"They argue that just because it's open, or not password-protected, that doesn't mean you can use it," said Ina Sebastian, the lead analyst on the study. "It's still private."
Meanwhile, 17 percent of Wi-Fi network owners don't mind sharing. In fact, 12 percent say they've even used a neighbor's network. The majority said they weren't sure or that the issue didn't apply to them.
Said Joe Laszlow, a senior broadband analyst with Jupiter:
"To use a locked-door analogy, one side says that just because you leave your door unlocked, it's not OK for someone to enter your home. The other side says an unsecured network is more like an invitation; you're leaving the door open and saying, `Please come in."
The law about broadband access is similarly ambiguous. It’s unlikely that you will get into any legal trouble if you freeload off a neighbor. To be sure, some arrests have occurred. But most incidents involve someone suspiciously parking their car in front of a neighbor's house or stealing access from a public "hot spot" restricted to patrons.
If you're just trying to get online in your apartment, it's very difficult for anyone--the Internet service provider and neighbor alike--to notice your presence. But should you do it?
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