I can't believe the number of unprotected...

Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by Kodo, Jan 28, 2005.

  1. Kodo

    Kodo SNATCHSQUATCH

    Wi-Fi nodes there are. I took my Ax out with me today. I launched my wireless sniffer and just ran my normal route to work. About 85% of the nodes had the default name for the router and about 65% of the nodes didn't have any security on them whatsoever. It's a war-drivers dream! People! use SOME sort of security on your Wi-Fi.. WEP or WPA , Mac Filtering. Something is better than nothing at all even if WEP is weak.
     
  2. evilevets

    evilevets Sergeant Major

    What do you use for a wireless sniffer?


    Steve
     
  3. Kodo

    Kodo SNATCHSQUATCH

    WiFiFoFum was the only free one I could find that worked with my Axim.

    There were over 110 nodes on my way to work that I picked up. One of them was by the airport lol and the SSID was Airport Base Station ;)
     
  4. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    yeah know what you mean, I was yesterday sorting out a wireless problem for a family member and up popped a neighbours unprotected open WiFi connection.
     
  5. Colemanguy

    Colemanguy MajorGeek

    Now have you tried minstumbler at netstumbler.org. I am sure you have but I have heard it does work with the axim's.
     
  6. Kodo

    Kodo SNATCHSQUATCH

    oooh. no.. but I will when I get home ;)
     
  7. mcadam

    mcadam Major Amnesia

    I know exactly what you mean Kodo, found 4 wireless networks in my road which consists of 40 houses that were all unprotected! No encryption at all! Files available to view, internet access that can be taken. I was thinking about leaving them all a message telling them to protect their network, but then wasn't sure how to go about it and didn't want to get into someone's network! :)
     
  8. augiedoggie

    augiedoggie The Canadian Loon - LocoAugie (R.I.P. 2012)

    Drive-by spammers just love these open networks. :rolleyes:
     
  9. Freddy

    Freddy Sergeant

    I just read a report that ISPs are loosing something like $4B in bandwidth fees due to unprotected hot-spots.

    Looks like the wireless industry needs the same wake up call that MS went through before sp2. Encryption and authentication should be turned on by default.

    Jeez, my cordless phone won't activate unless its been docked in its base. How hard can it be?
     
  10. g1lgam3sh

    g1lgam3sh MajorGeek

    Not that I would ever war-drive if I happened to be out and about:) , but it's the same over here
     
  11. scorcer

    scorcer ajMro keGe

  12. mcadam

    mcadam Major Amnesia


    LOL whatever!!!! :p ;)
     
  13. Freddy

    Freddy Sergeant

    Ok people - just a timely reminder - using someone elses hotspots without their approval is theft of services - and because telephone and cable are regulated by the FCC its a federal crime..... :)
     
  14. bailmeout

    bailmeout Specialist

    lounge off topics - non computer related damn
    geeks :p
    soon we will be describing girls in megapixels heh
     
  15. G.T.

    G.T. R.I.P February 4, 2007. You will be missed.

    So is sharing copyrighted music, and we see how good a handle they've got on THAT. ;)
     
  16. Colemanguy

    Colemanguy MajorGeek

    Actually from a post at netstumbler forums, then connecting to a complety unsecured wireless network isn't ilegal just immoral. Cracking someone wep key is ilegeal.
     
  17. animatress

    animatress Corporal

    I guess I am one of those clueless people. Where exactly do you go to get protection for wireless connections? "security on your Wi-Fi.. WEP or WPA" what is that? Sorry I am behind the times, just upgraded from dial-up a couple weeks ago!
     
  18. Kodo

    Kodo SNATCHSQUATCH

    WEP or WPA is typically built into your wire-less router. It is typically located under Wire-less security in the routers configuration. WEP and WPA are secuirty protocols used to encrypt data over your wifi network. They aren't very good protocols but they are better than nothing.
     
  19. goldfish

    goldfish Lt. Sushi.DC

    Wardriving is not a crime!!!!

    http://www.staticusers.net/wardrivingisnotacrime/

    Its no more a crime than birdwatching!

    To give you an idea of how insecure WEP is, you can break it in about half an hour provided there is considerably data being sent wirelessly (like p2p apps). But it is definatly better than nothing!

    And Kodo: These networks may show up as unencrypted, but a lot of them probably have MAC filtering, which means other people cannot connect to the AP. However it still means you can sniff data being sent over the network, provided your network card supports promiscuous mode.
     
  20. Kodo

    Kodo SNATCHSQUATCH

    Yup, Fully aware of the legalities and Mac Filtering. :) Too bad I have to have my Axim exchanged so soon. It won't turn on when in sleep mode on battery. I have to take the battery out to get it to wake up. They are cross shipping me a new one at no cost.
     
  21. be0

    be0 Corporal

    Are you guys talkin about War driving?
    :)
     
  22. g1lgam3sh

    g1lgam3sh MajorGeek

    Only talking;) :cool: :D
     
  23. BoredOutOfMyMind

    BoredOutOfMyMind Picabo, ICU


    even when dl MSUpdates???

    Too slow on dialup, so I park out back of our office (11 on the scale for strength) with the laptop, and then move them from Laptop to desktop.

    :rolleyes:

    And to check how many others were around, I did a survey and found 12 open nodes here in our small town. Some as low as 1 on the signal strength, and the afore mentioned 11, sitting almost under the router at work, but still in my vehicle. :cool:
     

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