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Re: [Netstumbler] Browse Networks

Headshot <headshot_001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: 
Around my area there are some 802 networks. Some are secure - some are not.
I DO NOT want to break into the secure networks. I figure that if some are
unsecure (WEP not on) then they may be public networks. What I was asking is
how, using a WinXP machine, can I connect and browse files / services /
whatever to find out what they do.

1) Fire up netstumbler.
2) Look for non-WEP APs
3) If an AP has an obvious manufacturers SSID such as "linksys" it's highly likely to be a wide open AP put up by a clueless admin.
4) If the SSID looks like it might be deliberately open (eg "tmobile") use XP to associate with it.
5) If the AP gives you a DHCP IP address, open the browser and see if you can access any websites. If it's deliberate, then it's highly likely to take you to a sign in page
6) Login, sign up, pay your money and surf away.

Back to 3) There's quite a strong argument that if you connect to an AP, it's unsecured, it's running DHCP and it gives you an IP address and a gateway and you can then get an internet connection, then you've been welcomed to use a free gateway. This argument is made stronger because Win XP (and some other OSs) will do all this for you without you raising a finger. And if you happen to have Outlook running at the time it will go and collect your email on it's own as well. The argument against this is that if you take a consumer grade AP out the box and plug it in, then this is what you get even if you never meant to share your connection. Hence 4). You shouldn't really take advantage of the "Default Linksys Community Network" just because it's there.

Notice that I haven't once referred to any legal issues in this post. I'm really not interested in these, but rather in practicalities. Headshot raises a good point "they may be public networks". Indeed they may. So look for Non-WEP and a non-default SSID. If you get DHCP, I think it's reasonable to assume that the sharing is deliberate.

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Julian Bond Email&MSM: julian.bond@xxxxxxxxxxxx
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