Is there a security / privacy risk of using a wireless phone in an apartment?

Question

Could someone in a nearby flat with the same make of phone overhear our calls or make calls using our line?

Answer 1

Nobody can use your line regardless of what phone you have. Even the old technology had a security chip in it to prevent this from happening.

To test your phone:

1 - Take off the battery cover.
2 - Unplug the battery (or remove the battery)
3.- Plug or put the battery back in.
4 - Put the cover back on.
5 - Try to make a call.

You will not be able to make any call or get a dial tone, and it'll just beep at you.

6 - Put your phone back on the base/charger.

Now you can make your phone call.

Note: There are a few Sony cordless phones where the phone does allow you to swap the battery out, and it will not reset the internal security code. Without the internal security code from the base, the phone will not work.

For security, make sure you have a 5.8 GHz phone. That way you don't get the ole lady down the street that has the 10 channel police scanner from listening in on your phone calls. I'm not sure if that band is available in a scanner. I've got two scanners and haven't listened to them in years. 900 MHz phones can be picked up by any old cheap scanner if people are really trying to be a snoop. Most of the time people are chirping one another on their Nextel.

If you two were on the same channel, all you would hear is garbled speech, something like the Teacher from Peanuts cartoon. If that happenes just hit CH (Channel) button on your phone, even while on a call, and it will change the channel to a clearer one.

Answer 2

holy crap is the one to listen to. Cordless phones operate on radio frequency between the handset and the base. Starting with the oldest style first: 49 MHz, no security but you did have a channel selection so you could change it. 900 MHz, analog-security was set up by setting the handset on the base. As mentioned before, loose the battery and replace it you had to mate the handset to the base. So far both 49 and 900 analog werer able to be picked up on scanner radios. 900 Mhz Digital (not a digital answer machine (no tape)). Scanners could pick you up but all they heard was a machine language, no talking. Digital spread spectrum came out where the frequency changed automatically as you talked. FCC made it illeagle to be able to pick up telephone conversations so at this point the scanners were changed so they could not. 2.4 MHz - safely out of any scanner range but interferes with wireless networking. (same frequency)(again you have to mate the handset to the base to work) 5.8 - higher frequency farther distance from base, no interference with networking. Scanners (even the old ones) can only go up to 1300 MHz or 1.3 MHz.

Answer 3

Anyone can listen in on a phone conversation just by holding a radio receiver near the external phone wire, so there's no reason why they couldn't do the same from a wireless phone which has a range wide enough.

Answer 4

Ya, i was able 2 overhear conversations , but only frm 3rd floor apartments-quite by accident tho.. It is possible 2 make calls using others' lines, but only frm the switchbox which is located in places not easily accessible..Linesmen hav been jailed 4 doing so

Answer 5

that is not less difficult to hack into your workstation; in concept, that is less difficult to get carry of the information you're sending to and receiving from the internet via intercepting the communique between you and your router. you are able to shield your self via encrypting those products with wpa or wep. Your router setup will clarify this. In practice, that is not likely that somebody is using around attempting to get carry of your transmitted info. that usually happens to companies, no longer human beings. you haven't any longer have been given plenty that is worthwhile. maximum usually, in case you do no longer take care of your new community, somebody on your community will leech onto your sign for loose. lower back, that would not many times impression your ability to apply the internet, and is preventable. And once you get waiting to establish your instantaneous community, do a seek on yahoo solutions or google or only study your rfile on the thank you to set it up. there is already a ton of information available.

Answer 6

If it is a DECT phone (Digitally Encrypted Cordles Telephone), then NO, you cannot listen to the radio transmissions.

Old style cordless (that crakled & whined when you walk about) - you could pick the up on the radio!

Answer 7

no that cannot happen. to do this the person will have to have a device that can use the same frquency as urs. mind u this device is somethign that the military use to overhear terrorist/opposition parties talking.

Answer 8

I would think it a possibility, same with a wireless computer!

Answer 9

some of the cheaper phones can get signals crossed and you can hear the conversation.

Answer 10

if its NOT digital, yes! make sure its not a cheap one - digi ones have thousands of mhz so thers no chance of people listening in