Is it really so much to ask to have people who are making and enforcing laws concerning technology actually understand the technology they're dealing with? Following the series of recent arrests of people for using open WiFi networks, the definition of illegal equipment is being stretched. In the UK arrest, the guy was arrested for "possessing equipment for fraudulent use of a communications service," which all of us who have WiFi in our laptops probably are guilty of. At least that's just in the UK. Over here in the US it's apparently still legal to have WiFi equipment -- but if you dare try to boost your signal with an antenna, watch out. According to the head of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, the popular "cantenna" device is completely illegal. For those who don't know, someone a while back worked out that you could boost the range of your WiFi router with a Pringle's can. It requires a bit of work, so a small operation sprung up to sell Cantennas. They're quite popular with people who want to spread WiFi around a house where the basic router won't reach certain parts of it. Hell, even CompUSA sells them! But, according to this "high tech" police officer: "They're unsophisticated but reliable, and it's illegal to possess them." The article includes a story about how the police arrested a high school student for breaking into his school's network to change his grades and they (gasp!) found a cantenna in his room! Again, the crime he committed has nothing to do with having an antenna booster, but that doesn't stop the reporter and the cop from talking about the evils of connecting to WiFi networks. Source: TechDirt
I never knew that signal boosters were illegal. I've seen the cantenna pringles one and others. This just demonstrates the stupidity of wireless network owners. Use protection - Use 128bit encryption with a secure key.
Signal boosters themselves aren't illegal but they are regulated and can't exceed certain specs put out by the FCC/CRTC/whatever govt. organization controls the airwaves in a particular country. Unregulated equipment could cause interference with important equipment like medical devices so it's fairly heavily regulated, at least in North America anyways.
did anyone hear about the cantenna contests they have one of them reached across the arizona desert. thats awesome, thats like free internet for your state :good: lol
I don't think that using someone elses WiFi connection should be illegal, if you don't protect your network with the most basic of procedures then its like leaving your router connected on the streets with a big sign "FREE BROADBAND".