OK, I have been writing about Skype almost continually and this is not intentional. There is just a great deal of news about the company lately. For example, George Ou discusses today how a man in the UK was arrested for using a neighbor’s WiFi network. He went on to say he was reviewing a Skype phone which automatically connected to an open WiFi network in an unfamiliar area. He wonders if using such a device will make a person a criminal and he has a point.
If a WiFi network is unsecured, should it be a crime if your computer accidentally connects to it? This question needs to be worked out by law enforcement in many countries. If not, virtually all people with dual-mode phones and laptops are likely targets for jail.
If you really want to protect your WiFi from being stolen be sure to cover your windows with this signal leakage protecting film I wrote about a few months ago.
Update:
Update:
I received this e-mail in response to this post. The reply is below.
Rich,In the close of your article on "Skype, go to jail", you mention using film over your windows as the only way to assure you don't have anyone steal your wireless signal.Here I was under the impression with my D-Link 524 wireless router that when I restrict users by entering their number ID into the allowed user list, that only those identified users (my computers) could get on my wireless network. You leave me with the impression that my restrictions don't really work. Is that what you are telling me? Please advise.Name Withheld
Dear “Name Withheld,”
There are a number of wireless security methods such as the one you mention above which should protect you as well. Then again, hackers seem to get better and better at breaking through such defenses. The film mentioned above is really a last resort meant for corporations and/or government agencies.
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