Can you really 'steal' unlicensed airwaves?

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: JOANIE WEXLER ON WIRELESS IN THE
ENTERPRISE
07/20/05
Today's focus: Can you really 'steal' unlicensed airwaves?

Dear networking.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* Man bites dog; airwaves encroach on intruder
* Links related to Wireless in the Enterprise
* Featured reader resource
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Fluke Networks
Special Report: Understanding the Changing Nature of Branch
Office Networks

Significant revenue is generated at the branch office. Business
needs to be seamless between locations. This special report
provides an approach to a resourceful way of using new tools and
analysis for branch offices. Learn about the analysis and
tools used to run a seamless branch business, click here to
download the report now,
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=108622
_______________________________________________________________
See the Best Products First at DEMOfall

Join the leaders September 19-21 at DEMOfall 2005 - where the
brightest minds unveil the most exciting new technology
products. Experience unparalleled innovation, and network with
powerful journalists, analysts, and VCs. Register now!
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=108514
_______________________________________________________________

Today's focus: Can you really 'steal' unlicensed airwaves?

By Joanie Wexler

Earlier this month, there was a widely reported story about a
man arrested in Florida for squatting on a home user's Wi-Fi
network from an SUV. Details about exactly what mischief the
"intruder" was up to were skimpy, which could greatly affect how
the saga plays out.

But for now, the blogs and chat room banter I've seen on this
issue tend to diverge from the direction I'd take. They focus on
whether it was the Wi-Fi owner's fault for not "locking the
wireless door" with encryption and whether this should give an
outsider the right to "steal" resources. This is an important
issue: if the fellow in the SUV indeed hacked into the
homeowner's computer and stole information (a privately owned
resource), he should indeed be prosecuted. But this isn't the
only issue.

If all the laptop-toting SUV passenger did was use the airwaves
to bridge to the Internet - which, at 2.4 GHZ and 5 GHz are
unlicensed in the U.S. and available for use by anyone so long
as their equipment meets certain standards - he didn't really do
anything wrong on the Wi-Fi side of the things. In fact, the
signal was leaking out of the house to the car; the resource
came to him, rather than the other way around.

If I ran water out of my hose to the street, would a neighbor's
dog be free to drink it? If my microwave oven blasted as far as
the street (remember, this is only an analogy!), would someone
walking by be free to toast their hot dog in the waves? If music
from my radio or stereo blared through my walls, would it be
legal for someone outside to listen, sing along, or jive?

If they can get the poacher on anything, I would think it would
be for the unauthorized use of the plaintiff's last-mile
broadband link to the Internet, a paid-for resource that has
state and federal regulations and tariffs associated with it. It
would seem that even the broadband provider might have a case
for restricting the unauthorized use of its network. Poachers
could seriously affect a service provider's oversubscription
ratios (a.k.a., network planning).

And, finally, if this is airwave controversy we're talking
about, isn't this an FCC matter, with federal jurisdiction? What
does it have to do with state or municipal prosecution?

Send me your opinions!

* CORRECTION: Due to an editing error in the last newsletter
headlined "Scanning grabs 802.11 spotlight", the first line
under "In this issue:" should read "Companies enhance wireless
IPSs".

RELATED EDITORIAL LINKS

The Wi-Fi police strike back
NetworkWorld.com, 07/07/05
http://www.networkworld.com/weblogs/wireless/009411.html?rl

Florida man arrested for stealing Wi-Fi
NetworkWorld.com, 07/07/05
http://www.networkworld.com/weblogs/layer8/009414.html?rl

Man arrested for hopping on to home Wi-Fi network
IDG News Service, 07/08/05
http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir3438

The top 5: Today's most-read stories

1. Future-proof your network
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir3439>

2. Appliances replace DNS, DHCP software
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir3440>

3. How to prevent pharming
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir3441>

4. City finds big savings in Linux
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir3442>

5. HP plans to cut 14,500 jobs and save $1.9 billion a year
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir3443>

Today's most forwarded story:

Grant Thornton standardizes IP PBXs
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwir3444>
_______________________________________________________________
To contact: Joanie Wexler

Joanie Wexler is an independent networking technology
writer/editor in California's Silicon Valley who has spent most
of her career analyzing trends and news in the computer
networking industry. She welcomes your comments on the articles
published in this newsletter, as well as your ideas for future
article topics. Reach her at <mailto:joanie@jwexler.com>.
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Fluke Networks
Special Report: Understanding the Changing Nature of Branch
Office Networks

Significant revenue is generated at the branch office. Business
needs to be seamless between locations. This special report
provides an approach to a resourceful way of using new tools and
analysis for branch offices. Learn about the analysis and
tools used to run a seamless branch business, click here to
download the report now,
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=108621
_______________________________________________________________
ARCHIVE LINKS

Archive of the Wireless in the Enterprise newsletter:
http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/wireless/index.html

Wireless research center
Latest wireless news, analysis and resource links
http://www.networkworld.com/topics/wireless.html
_______________________________________________________________
Need a better way to share enterprise information?

Enterprise messaging and collaboration expert, Paul Ritter
advises you on how to make the business case for web-based
collaboration. Gain insight on how firms have dramatically
improved the way they work together.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=108515
_______________________________________________________________
FEATURED READER RESOURCE
THE NEW DATA CENTER: SPOTLIGHT ON STORAGE

This Network World report takes a look at storage trends such as
virtualization, encryption and archiving. Here you will also
find seven tips for managing storage in the new data center, how
storage encryption can help ease the threat of identity theft,
why one exec believes its all about the information and more.
Click here:
<http://www.networkworld.com/supp/2005/ndc4/>
_______________________________________________________________
May We Send You a Free Print Subscription?
You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered
at your fingertips each day. Now, extend your knowledge by
receiving 51 FREE issues to our print publication. Apply
today at http://www.subscribenw.com/nl2

International subscribers click here:
http://nww1.com/go/circ_promo.html
_______________________________________________________________
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World e-mail
newsletters, go to:
<http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/Changes.aspx>

To change your e-mail address, go to:
<http://www.nwwsubscribe.com/ChangeMail.aspx>

Subscription questions? Contact Customer Service by replying to
this message.

This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com
Please use this address when modifying your subscription.
_______________________________________________________________

Have editorial comments? Write Jeff Caruso, Newsletter Editor,
at: <mailto:jcaruso@nww.com>

Inquiries to: NL Customer Service, Network World, Inc., 118
Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772

For advertising information, write Kevin Normandeau, V.P. of
Online Development, at: <mailto:sponsorships@nwfusion.com>

Copyright Network World, Inc., 2005