Wifi

I’m stealing Internet connectivity every time I log on from my in-laws’ house.

They have DSL feeding their desktop computer, but no wireless router and hence no Wifi. But my netbook can see three Wifi networks in range. Two are secured, but the one belonging to the folks across the street is not. So my netbook sees it and hooks up.

Sitting in the living room, which is the closest room to the street, I have two bars of signal strength.

I suppose I could bundle up and drive a few blocks to the public library and use the Wifi there, but it’s so much easier to sit here in the warm house and blog.

Historically, the FCC has taken the position that the airwaves belong to the public and that we can receive any signal that’s out there. That’s the basis of the argument in defense of radar detectors.

But I’m assuming that, since it’s an easy thing to password-protect a wireless router, the neighbor is OK with sharing his Wifi.