I was recently asked a question about wireless networks. It was actually a question that I think has cross many people's minds so I am posting it here with my response.

Question: I currently moved to a new home and have been dependent on my laptop for the last 2 weeks. I have been able to access wireless internet from my new residence even though have not set up any wireless service here. Does this mean I am tapping into someone else's wireless internet? If so, can they somehow view information or web pages that I send/receive/view? I hate to be doing something illegal or hurtful to someone else! Can you help me? As always, thank you for your expertise!

~S

My two-cents: If you yourself have not set up a wireless network at your home, you in fact are using someone’s wireless network to access the Internet. It is as if you had a Starbuck’s next door and are using their wireless service...for free.

It has been of my opinion (and I do stress that because others will differ) that whoever set up the wireless network is responsible to secure it. Once you plug in that wireless router you bought from Best Buy, you become THE Network Administrator in all its glory. So as THE Network Administrator, if you do not require even a password to use your wireless network, then you are being unwittingly generous. If a neighbor can pick up a wireless router signal and get on the internet, you are now the building's free hotspot. How nice. Do you serve coffee with that? I'd like a venti skinny latte please.

A laptop's wireless card will detect whatever wireless network is out there and you can then choose whatever network to join. So you are now enjoying free Internet access until your neighbor gets wise. Is what you are doing illegal? I don't think so (again others will differ). You are just using what is made available to you. And there are no wireless network police out there tracking “criminals” down. The wireless netowrk you are using didn't require a password to join, so it is available to anyone who happens upon it. Not guilty, I think.

Is it hurtful? Again, I am of the opinion that whoever is responsible for the wireless network is being generous with their connection if they haven’t even setup a password to secure it. If your conscience screams loud enough, you can send a thank you card to your neighbor or even a token gift for your usage.

But here IS a word of caution. Joining a network that you are not familiar with or do not know who is managing can put your laptop (computer) in a vulnerable position. If you join a network, everyone on that network can see that your computer is one of its members. Now, it doesn’t mean they can get into your computer necessarily. Someone would still need the proper username and password – which is why it is so very important to use strong passwords (that's another soapbox topic).

When you are "using the Internet," information is passed along through the airwaves (wirelessly) in the form of something called packets. The packets passed along each time you visit a web page can be copied or "captured" and then examined for readable information. Casual Internet browsing is usually harmless and doesn't reveal much information about yourself - maybe just the web sites you like to visit. If you are checking email at a public hotspot, it is probably over a secure socket layer (SSL) indicated by "https" which then encrypts all the data packets that are sent through the airwaves. The packets are not easily deciphered. For the most part, checking email is fairly secure.

However, chatting over a public wire is really for all to see. Chatting is not a private means of communication, especially if you are doing it over a public network. This means that someone could use a tool to “sniff out packets” while you are chatting and actually read/record your conversation, word for word. OMG! So be aware of where you are chatting. You may have a malicious eavesdropper listening in. There are even shady folks out there that setup free wireless Internet access just to have your computer on their network so they can poke around and see if they can get into your computer and steal information. So a word of caution.

All this to say that the world of wifi, along with all of its benefits and conveniences, has some interesting issues to work through and be aware of. Retailers try to make it sound all simple and hassle-free, and if you buy that, I also have some land in Florida I'd like to sell you. The technology trend now is wifi so I am sure there will be a growing number of interesting situations to encounter.

This was a very good question to delve into and toss around. Thank you, S, for posing it.