April 2006

Wardriving

I've got a couple of new gadgets recently: a Dell Axim 51v PDA and a sweet dinky Sony Vaio TX.

Both are titchy, all singing all dancing computers and both have wireless LAN functionality. Now I didn't think this was going to be so much use but when I got home I discovered that I live in a veritable wireless hotspot. I have something like 6 open access points to choose from and I can therefore access email and update this blog from every room in the flat. The obvious question then is, why bother paying an exorbitant fee for broadband access when I can get it for free?

What do you think? Is this an ethical question or a no-brainer? Anyway I did a search on google and it seems the practice of scanning an area for available networks is called wardriving and doing this and accessing the networks found has a dubious legality. In fact it is quite possibly illegal. Bummer eh? Interesting article can be found here, entitled Stealing your neighbours bandwidth.

Anyway, although I can access the net I am having trouble sending any mail so thats one reason for keeping my own account.