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Law regarding borrowing your neighbors wireless internet - NV

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TaoWanderer

Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Nevada

Anyone know what the law is in Nevada or Federal (if applies) regarding borrowing your neighbors wireless internet, either accidentally or intentionally?

Thank you.
 


justalayman

justalayman

Senior Member
borrowing? Since you cannot return what you "borrowed", there is no such thing as "borrowing" your neighbors WiFi connection. it's illegal to steal internet service from your neighbor. If you do not have internet service and you are accessing the internet, it is not an accidental act.
 
T

TaoWanderer

Member
"borrowing" was a euphemism, yes, you could call it stealing. Though you probably wouldn't if your relatives are over and they accidentally get on the wrong network. In any case, was wondering if anyone could point to an exact statue or knows what the penalty would be?
 
justalayman

justalayman

Senior Member
the only think I can think of off the top of my head would be; theft of services. Not sure that specific act is codified in federal or Nevada statute though.

the bigger question is: is there a problem because of this?

I really can't see much being done for this. If the neighbors a griping, apologize. You can try some lame excuse that where the relative comes from, the city has an open and free WiFi ISP throughout the city or something.

Then tell the neighbors they are idiots for not securing their router.

the other thing: your relatives have broadcast their info through another persons router. That can allow the owner of the router to nab any info your relative sent if the info was not encrypted. Your relatives should change their passwords to any accounts they accessed via the neighbors service as a safety measure.

your situation reminds me of watching Leo Laporte (a tech guru) doing his talk show. A woman called in and asked how to get her internet back that she had for a couple years. She even got a wifi range extender and no help.

as the discussion progressed, he realized she was riding on a neighbors wifi that either locked it down or shut it off so she lost access.

He had a very difficult time not laughing so hard she would hear and tried explaining (without success I believe) that she simply had to pay for her own ISP. She just continued to be lost as to why she could not get "her" service anymore.
 
A

Antigone*

Senior Member
justalayman said:
the only think I can think of off the top of my head would be; theft of services. Not sure that specific act is codified in federal or Nevada statute though.

the bigger question is: is there a problem because of this?

I really can't see much being done for this. If the neighbors a griping, apologize. You can try some lame excuse that where the relative comes from, the city has an open and free WiFi ISP throughout the city or something.

Then tell the neighbors they are idiots for not securing their router.

the other thing: your relatives have broadcast their info through another persons router. That can allow the owner of the router to nab any info your relative sent if the info was not encrypted. Your relatives should change their passwords to any accounts they accessed via the neighbors service as a safety measure.

your situation reminds me of watching Leo Laporte (a tech guru) doing his talk show. A woman called in and asked how to get her internet back that she had for a couple years. She even got a wifi range extender and no help.

as the discussion progressed, he realized she was riding on a neighbors wifi that either locked it down or shut it off so she lost access.

He had a very difficult time not laughing so hard she would hear and tried explaining (without success I believe) that she simply had to pay for her own ISP. She just continued to be lost as to why she could not get "her" service anymore.
Click to expand...
That is pretty hilarious. Maybe she should move in next to a Starbucks.:p
 
justalayman

justalayman

Senior Member
you would be stealing from the neighbor though. all the data transfer would be under his account so as far as the ISP is concerned, the neighbor is just a high traffic user. I am sure it is against their TOS for the customer to act as an internet provider for the neighborhood though. Any TOS I have read prohibits such. As such, the neighbor would be subject to what ever penalties the TOS prescribes but as it was an innocent allowance, I would think they would reprimand the guy and tell him to secure his router.

with cable tv, you are stealing from the provider

and you might have missed where I said Leo Laporte had said it is wire fraud. I'm not sure of that but he is a well respected technogeek that is pretty knowledgeable and sensible. Unless there was some illegal activity undertaken (other than the theft of services) by your relative, I'm not convinced it would be wire fraud.

so, is there a problem brewing?

and your neighbor really should lock down his router. If somebody does something illegal on his account, it could get traced back to him.
 
T

TaoWanderer

Member
According to wikipedia, the crime of wire fraud is codified at 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and reads as follows:

Whoever, having devised or intending to devise any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, transmits or causes to be transmitted by means of wire, radio, or television communication in interstate or foreign commerce, any writings, signs, signals, pictures, or sounds for the purpose of executing such scheme or artifice, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both. If the violation affects a financial institution, such person shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.

Wow, 20 years :eek: for "borrowing" internet, that seems a little harsh, don't ya think?
 
justalayman

justalayman

Senior Member
that is why I said I do not believe it is applicable. Wire fraud is where there was a crime committed and the fact some means of telecommunications was employed to facilitate the crime. I don't really see it as the theft of the means of telecommunications as the crime itself as falling under the statute.

but, I have heard of worse applications of laws before.
 
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