Finding a hot spot??

[roboedar]

Hi guys I was wondering how most of you guys check your email on your PPC when you are outside of a familiar network. (one that you are actually supposed to be on). Do any of you guys "leach" off of random hotspots to check email? I'm sure a lot of Wireless networks implement WEP, but do you ever get lucky?

I konw there are WEP key generators for windows, that'd be nice if there were something like that for PPC. Anyway I was just wondering if you guys ever happen to come across a hot spot that is easily accessable, and if so is it common?

I know this post is somewhat unethical, but I am just being realistic.

[Darius Wey]

You really ought to read this thread. (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=41436) It's everything you're asking in a nutshell -- well, a really big nutshell.

Out of about a thousand wireless networks I've found over the past few years, probably only around one or two were insecure. I wouldn't even consider using them since it ruffles a few feathers in the ethics department, and furthermore, there's a legal barrier to it too. I'm really happy that people are starting to take note of the security of their networks. A few years back, vulnerability was at its peak due to the lack of education on the importance of wireless network security.

[OSUKid7]

Maybe things are a little different in the US, but last time I checked, most networks around my house were insecure/completely open. That's how most manufactuers ship their wireelss routers/APs, so most people just plug it in and figure it works, so why change?

That being said, definitely realize what you're doing is probably considered illegal, and depending on your definition, unethical. On top of that, realize that if you're on an open network, someone else may be as well, and that person could easily be sniffing your network traffic, and see your non-encrypted traffic in plain text. So if you do intend to break the law and leech off someone else's network without their consent, do try to avoid using passwords on non-SSL sites/email accounts.

[Stephen Beesley]

You really ought to read this thread. (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=41436) It's everything you're asking in a nutshell -- well, a really big nutshell.

Out of about a thousand wireless networks I've found over the past few years, probably only around one or two were insecure. I wouldn't even consider using them since it ruffles a few feathers in the ethics department, and furthermore, there's a legal barrier to it too. I'm really happy that people are starting to take note of the security of their networks. A few years back, vulnerability was at its peak due to the lack of education on the importance of wireless network security.

From my experience I have been amazed at just how many unsecured web sites I find around the place when just out and about with wifi turned on. When I was living in Ireland I would say that over 50% of sites did not even have WEP enabled. Since I have been back in Perth I have found that probabably 80% of the sites I have seen around the Perth CBD have WEP enabled - but that still seems pretty low for such a simple security step. It is also interesting to note that most of those sites without WEP (or presumabley any other security) enabled have the default SSID name (often just "default"). It seems to me that people really do need to be more careful about this sort of thing.

I think ethics are an individual thing in this case but you should certainly be aware that accessing somebody else's network certainly raises legal issues and could (depending on the laws in the particular jurisdiction) possibly also have legal consequences.

[CowboyNinjaPirate]

I used to only use my WiFi on my Laptop and rx3715 at my friends house as at home I don't actually have a WiFi network setup.

When sat at Starbucks I'd often think about paying for the hotspot service they offer but recently was over joyed to find that this really nice lil coffee shop near me (Big Blue Coffe Company) had WiFi. I assumed you had to pay for it but when I actually tried it it was unsecured.

I've used my laptop and PPC there a few times now and the ladies have never asked me to pay or anything so its now become my coffee shop of choice... when the Nintendo DS WiFi service comes out I'll be in there pretty much all the time. :p

[Stephen Beesley]

...but recently was over joyed to find that this really nice lil coffee shop near me (Big Blue Coffe Company) had WiFi. I assumed you had to pay for it but when I actually tried it it was unsecured.

I've used my laptop and PPC there a few times now and the ladies have never asked me to pay or anything so its now become my coffee shop of choice...

When I was living and working in Dublin, there was a pub just down the road from my office that had a free wifi hotspot for customers. I often would stop there for a coffe on my way to work and have a chat to friends at home in Oz using Messenger on my PPC and would often see other people there doing pretty much the same thing.

The part of Dublin was working in has a pretty competetive coffee shop/pub scene and for the minimul outlay involved I think having free wifi really gave this place a bit of an edge over other places which also had wifi but where you had to pay something like 10 euro an hour.