Piggy backing on other people's wireless networks

[tvmercia]

i know it isn't strictly fair to piggy back on other people's networks, but i can assure you the piggy backing consists of simple web browsing, rather than any bandwidth hogging downloads and it is not a long term situation - hence the reluctance to install a bt line etc.

i have my own wireless network at home, having purchased all the equipment and paying the monthly bill. so i am not a complete freeloader, and, crucially, of course, i took the time of securing it. however i have the need to use a computer in another location which just happens to have 3 unsecured networks within radius - 2 of which have signal strengths of 35ish%.

having taken a laptop and wireless usb connector to the location the signal strength varies from 30 to 40% on the networks, and sometimes all 3 of the networks disappear. surely people don't turn their wireless routers off? and sometimes i can get disconnected several times within 10 minutes- then go for three quarters of an hour uninterrupted. high sided lorries or buses could not fit down the road, so i guess it cant be that.

i know other metropollers have piggybacked in the past, anyone got any tips or answers?

[Nick Harvey]

There's nothing ethically wrong unless you download ALL the heat to keep your radiator warm.

Well, that's what a well known, forty-five degree Metropoler told me, anyway.

[Sput]

USB dongles are very fab, I'm using one to piggyback right now. You are better served though with one that you can connect a directional aerial to - that way you can do as the satellite dish does and get a good focus on the source.

As for the variation, it can depend on anything from electrical interference from car alternators to atmospheric conditions. Also, sometimes the list will vanish because none of them have advertised their presence for a while.

(Maybe I should start a regular thread called Sput's Science Secretion)

AND NICK! I've told you before! The heater is actually to take heat AWAY from my head due to the furious brain power therein!

[Dr Lobster*]

if you have a wireless access point, you might be able to configure it as a wireless repeater and boost the signal from a high point in your house - you won't need your ap connected to anything for this to happen, and it will make the signal a lot more stable if it's only about 35%.

i must admit, i do turn my router (which isn't a integrated wireless one) at home off sometimes - i don't know if its a claranet thing, but for some reason, the connection would just go dead until i manually renewed the ip address.

[Bail]

On a slightly related note, I often use mine on the train, however I've never yet been able to a network other than my own. How do you "piggyback?" The card often "connects" but never works, sometimes three or four connections are listed but none ever seem to work.

As I use my laptop more out and about than at home it would be nice to use the internet with it, I've looked into T-mobile wifi access but at their prices I decided against it.

[cdd]

Of course it isn't immoral to borrow others' wireless networks. You're simply getting them better value for money!

[Gavin Scott]

On a slightly related note, I often use mine on the train, however I've never yet been able to a network other than my own. How do you "piggyback?" The card often "connects" but never works, sometimes three or four connections are listed but none ever seem to work.

Most wireless devices can see each other, but you have to make sure your Windows workgroup is set to the same as theirs.

In most cases people use MSHOME as that is what the documentation that comes with wirelss devices suggests you should use.

Change those settings in your Control Panel > System settings, and click on the tab for "Computer Name". You may have to reboot to get it to work.

[Bail]

Dam my fondness of the older "WORKGROUP" thanks for the tip, I will give it a try.

[Lorns]

(Maybe I should start a regular thread called Sput's Science Secretion)

AND NICK! I've told you before! The heater is actually to take heat AWAY from my head due to the furious brain power therein!

WOW!!!! You must be seriously clever, that radiator looks suspiciously like one of those really old pig metal ones. Those things can get really hot. If only you was at my school. They didn't like turning them on very often, so i'd have made sure i sat next to you in lessons

[Sput]

Matter of fact I was fortunate enough for that to be at my hall of residence a couple of years ago. To that end the pic is quite old now! Biggest problem was that the valve was jammed permanantly in the "on" position

[Pete]

Matter of fact I was fortunate enough for that to be at my hall of residence a couple of years ago. To that end the pic is quite old now! Biggest problem was that the valve was jammed permanantly in the "on" position

you hinting at an impending replacement?