Archive for the ‘home’ tag
A Word About Network Security
My previous post about an unknown neighbour with an unencrypted wireless network has provoked some negative comments. People have said I was “stupid” for calling the neighbour an idiot for leaving a network unencrypted. They reasoned that this neighbour might have been very generous, and intentionally left his network open so people could connect and use it.
JamesM said:
Being a generous sole he has decided to setup an open wireless router so others may use the service too.
…
Calling some one an idiot for being generous shows how small minded and stupid you are. Happy to much of others but too intellectually tight fisted to return the favor.
The work of a small and selfish mind. Maybe next time you will see an open network and think, hay, what if the world were like this? What if I shared my connection and encouraged others to do the same?
Hittman said:
It’s always dangerous to assume you know someone else’s motivation. My first thought, reading this post, was that he decided to be generous. And you decided to insult him for it. YOUR ridiculous beliefs, about him, are based on nothing but assumption.
At this point I should make it clear that I never even mentioned or “assumed” anything about the motivation of my neighbour in the article. I assumed nothing, my commentators assumed he was generous. Now lets look at the facts.
The Joys Of Insecure Wireless Networks
Today was moving day. I moved my entire small bedroom at my mothers house into her car (well, 50% of it anyway) and we drove 56 miles to a town called “Egham”, popularly referred to as “Eggs ‘n’ Ham”. This is the location of my university, Royal Holloway University of London and also the location of my new house, which I will be staying in for the next 2 years.
The house is a 4 bedroomed semi-detached with a nice large lounge and a plantless garden (hey, it saves me from moving the lawn). The kitchen is less than satisfactory for 4 people, but I can imagine us all relaxing after the lounge, laptops on our laps, programming to our hearts content (we are all computer science nerds).
However, one major problem loomed in advance of our move. The problem of setting up internet. The house in question had had every service other than water and electricity cut by the previous students moving out (for obvious reasons). This means the phone doesn’t work, which in turn sets the internet activity for the house to nil.
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