When I turned on my lovely new MacBook, I was asked during set-up which of five available wireless connections I'd like to join. Given that I don't know whose they are (some have meaningless names like DG834G, others are obviously named after householders), what is the correct etiquette for using the facilities? I'd freely share a connection if I had one, but I don't want to trample on anyone else's garden. Tom Anon
Using someone else's connection is wrong, but you could certainly approach neighbours whose networks have recognisable names and ask permission. You could even offer to pay. Of course, some people choose network names that indicate they are happy to share. However, it still wouldn't be polite to hog the bandwidth of someone's "freenet" by, for example, file-sharing large movies.
If you are on the road and stuck for a connection, very few people would object if you used their Wi-Fi to fire off a handful of emails -- as long as they are not spam. Using next door's connection full time is a different matter.
Backchat: Pat Turner points to a BBC News article about a London man fined £500 for doing this - he was using a laptop while sitting in his car.
Huw Lyan Thomas says: "a bigger issue with file-sharing movies over a neighbour's unsecured Wi-Fi connection is that you're exposing them to a copyright lawsuit -- their IP address will be the one logged against the illicit activity. And file-sharing is not even the most serious crime that could be committed."
