Can my pc be seen on a wireless nt-wk?

Question

am able to pick up and access www thro' unsecured wireless networks in my neighborhood. am wondering if the owners can be able to monitor my activities while am logged onto their networks? my concern is mostly when i transmit email passwords and the like? can they pick out my passwords? if so how can i encript those transmissions?

thx for all the answers-detailed and to the point less a lesson on morality or ethics. very good that's how i wanted it except for

GTB's answer; ur review is right am freeloading. here's my response to u - SO?

thx for all the answers-detailed and to the point less a lesson on morality or ethics. very good that's how i wanted it except for

GTB's answer; ur review is right am freeloading. here's my response to u - SO?

now i know what am gonna do with my dsl service for sure-it doesn't hv a prayer.

to KIM K below. opinions are like an armpit - everybody has one and some stink. u can hv whatever opinion u will about my dsl or lack thereoff. or network, n linksys whatever, i don't care about your opinion it stinks n in any case you hv wrong "advise" - i don't hv that "must have linksys" i just hv a dell LT with a wireless pci card that is functioning as it was advertised.

Answer 1

The owner of the unsecured network would be able to see that you are there if they knew where to look.

It's just your good fortune that owners who leave their WAPs unsecured don't usually have the sophistication to know either that there are others using their access point, and certainly wouldn't know how to access a host attached to them.

In order for anyone to see your clear-text passwords when they are transmitted, third-party packet-capture, packet-filtering software would be used. Then, again, being able to capture packets, and being able to do anything with them is not something amateur users will be adept at.

I wouldn't worry about it.

But, just FYI, I also use an encrypted browser when I want to be sure I have another level of protection:

http://www.gcn.cx

You'll like this, and it will put your mind at ease.

Answer 2

I don't know what your dsl has to do with all this. Obviously someone has a setup that is not protected. If you are on a network like we'll say Linksys, then the person you are stealing from must have the same thing, you just can't steal from the air. You must have a Linksys to steal it even though it is not connected. I think I'm missing something here but you're getting upset with the person who thought you should be honest is rather ridiculous. The people you are stealing from are obviously not aware that someone like you can come along and actually steal what they have paid for. So if you are basing canceling DSL on that, all you have to do is call whomever your network connection is with, I have Linksys and that can be shut down so that no one can share it. Keep your precious DSL if you even have it. Which at this point I'm beginning to doubt if you have DSL or a network connection of any kind.

Answer 3

Let's review your comments and questions

1. You are hacking into and freeloading upon someone else's unsecure wireless network.
2. You have NO problem freeloading and actually stealing bandwidth.
3. You are concerned that someone else will take advantage of the unsecure network and intercept your infomation. Never mind that you are illegally tapping onto someone else's network. Of course, you don't want to consider it illegal any more than someone who walks into your unlocked car and takes things from it and claiming it is not stealing because the car is unlocked.
4. You want encryption to protect your transmissions; of course you don't want encryption to prevent you from accessing someone else's currently unsecure network.

Having clarified the above, here is my answer:

1. Comply with the law - and stop hacking and freeloading on someone else's network.
2. Purchase your own Internet service. If you wish to use it in a wireless mode, use security to keep other freeloaders off.

Answer 4

When you submit passwords, they should already be encrypted. Yes they can monitor your activities, but only if they are IT smart enough to do so. Nowadays, technology is made so anyone can put up a wireless network. What they can't do is access anything you've sent. They can only see where you've been, not what you've been doing there.

Answer 5

They can see you IF they log into their router or run an 'IP scan' on their network subnet (Google: Angry IP Scanner), If they have the knowledge they can see what you are doing yes, BUT that said if they had the knowledge the wireless network would surely have been secured to begin with! :-)


Stuart
http://www.layerone.co.uk/

Answer 6

Your passwords, etc. are encrypted already.

They probably won't notice you unless you start using up a lot of bandwidth when they are trying to do something (and even then they might not connect the dots...)

Answer 7

the owner can see your pc but can't track ur activities. They can terminate your connection. They can record ur ip address.

Answer 8

yes they can see your passwords. they only way that makes them encrypted if they enabled WPA which then you wouldn't be on their network