Is connecting to unsecured wifi's without permission illegal?

[Aijelsop]

I just heard that connection to someones wifi even if it's not secured, is illegal without permission.

Is this true?

 

[ThatDudeWithTheFood]

Yup

Although I doubt you'll get in trouble if you do it or if your doing it right now.

 

[Originality]

Permissions are important. It's the difference between borrowing and stealing. It's the difference between advertisement and copyright infringement. It's the difference between sex and [censored].

If you're taking someone's Internet without permission, that's illegal. Whether they chose to use protection or not (I.e. Secured WiFi) is a matter of trust.

 

[MaxNuker]

But doesnt the 3DS automatically join a wifi connection, if there is one and is not secured?

 

[Aijelsop]

But doesnt the 3DS automatically join a wifi connection, if there is one and is not secured?

That's what I thought...

Well, we have our own WiFi, but when I'm out I connect to random WiFi's. (Like, at my grandparents house, I use their neighbors) Not like McDonalds wifi >.

 

[Originality]

3DS is not a very good example of a console that "behaves itself". There are many people complaining about it's aggressive tendencies.

 

[Nimbus]

Well, yes in the sense.

IIRC, In the US at least (I assume similar laws exist in other countries), the minute you put a packet "or in other words, any encapsulated form of data" on someone else's personal network, without their explicit permission, irregardless of whether they have it secured or not, is illegal.

However public wifi if I also recall correctly does not bear this ruling, as it is made publicly available. For example, at my college we have an "Open" network, which has no security for guests (Why the fuck can they not just make a secured version of this network that everyone uses the same passkey on instead, will forever elude me.)

We as students are encouraged, literally to the point of which we feel required to not use this network and use our own secured "Student" network, to which we all have our own logins and passwords (Not WPA keys, not WEP, actual login credentials, and they work with all OS's)

Course anyone who doesn't secure their Wireless network provided that they can/have the ability to/should due to various reasons, but leaves it unencrypted for so called "convenience purposes" is foolish in my eyes and mind. I mean sure if you have an old grandma and she has an unsecured wireless router and she doesn't know how to configure it, that's fine but you really should either A. Show her, or B. Configure it and her devices accordingly.

Linux, Winderz, Mac OSX, iWhatever, most all Operating Systems and various devices that support Wifi can store the connection information for respective routers/access points/whatever, 90% of the time in an encrypted form. Additionally using the "connect automatically" feature in each of said OS allows you to..oh shocker..connect without having to retype the password.

It infuriates me when I see an AP that hasn't been secured and isn't belonging to some coffee shop or whatnot.

 

[Rydian]

Even in the US it depends on the state. There have been cases both ways.

 

[Shockwind]

Of course it's illegal without permission. Why would it be legal, stealing somebody's Internet?

 

[Deleted User]

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wireles...l_free_wifi.htm

However, I doubt you will get in trouble, I doubt it can be tracked back to your location, unless you're using a computer to connect, or cellphone.