Let’s say a wireless Internet connection is like a swimming pool…the pool covers a certain physical area, and the water is a resource which must be purchased and maintained.

Now let’s say that you are out for a walk and pass by a home that has a swimming pool in the back yard. The people who live there have a gate, but it’s left wide open. Not only that, but there is a sign next to the gate that reads, “POOL", with an arrow pointing in its direction. It’s the hottest day of the year, and because it’s so hot, you happen to be wearing your swim suit while out for your walk. Is it immoral for you to enter their yard, without permission, and have a swim in the cool water? No one appears to be home, there is no one to ask for permission, would you think about it?

Does it make a difference WHERE an unsecured wireless connection is broadcast?

If your neighbor built their swimming pool in YOUR yard, then you probably would not think it’s immoral for you to have a swim whenever it pleases you, right? So, let’s say your neighbor’s unsecured wireless access point broadcasts all the way into your house … you didn’t ask for this, but there it is … is it wrong for you to take advantage of their Internet connection? After all, they are sending it right to you.

Myself, the moral implications are mainly what keep me from using my neighbor’s Internet access, and I do have other reasons. But, what about the moral implications, and what are to be the legal implications which will eventually follow?

It is illegal to gain access to someone else’s network to commit theft or malice. Does using someone’s bandwidth constitute theft? Since we must pay for the use of the Internet, and bandwidth is sold in increments, costing more as we utilize more, then one could say that tapping into someone else’s Internet connection without permission is, in effect, stealing their bandwidth, which is valuable.

I don’t like the idea of using my neighbor’s Internet access because it could be interpreted by them as an invasion by me, and I have no control over the state of the network, or the availability and reliability of the connection. Then there is the moral and potential legal argument that I would be stealing a valuable resource from them…the bandwidth allocated to them by their ISP, which they have paid to use.

Now, if you are friendly enough with your neighbors, you could approach them and ask if they want to share the resource and split the cost. In this case, just remember that if the connection goes down, do you really want a call from your neighbor at 2-AM because they want to finish watching “Family Guy” on hulu?

We can’t forget to think about the select few who really don’t mind if you tap into their wireless access point. Some people want to share their Internet connection, and purposely set up their wireless access unsecured, for free access by anyone. This is fine and noble, but these generous souls are definitely exposing themselves to a certain degree of risk. Criminals are looking for these openings. In this case, professionally configured and maintained network protection is an excellent idea.

One of my favorite authors, Robert Frost, once wrote, “Good fences make good neighbors.” So, if you want to be a good neighbor, then I recommend obtaining your very own Internet connection, and if you’re going wireless, securing it with wireless access protection and encryption, so that your neighbors will be good, too.

- Bill

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Bill Bowman
Senior Technology Advisor
Centrend, Inc.
508-347-9550 x135