This is a subject that appears to be in wide controversy. Is connecting to someone's unsecured access point illegal? My wireless adapter discovers many wireless networks, some of them secured, some of them unsecured.Ifsomeone were to click onone of the unsecured access points thata wireless adapter detects, is thatbraking a government-established law? Has there been a law passed by the United States government prohibiting the use of unsecured wirelss access points? If there is a law, could someone please tell me which government website I can go to to read about it?

There is no national law (AFAIK) governing this. To the best of my knowledge, no state gov't in the US has anything covering this. It's more local ordinance / policy / interpretation / etc.There are two schools of thought:- open AP = public invitation to use it.- would you just wak in thru the open front door of someone's house, uninvited?There's also the ethical matter - are you comfortable with taking someone else's 'net connection (that you aren't paying for) for your own use, uninvited?

The ethical perspective of the whole thing makes more sense, considering that I cannot find any shred of evidence that unsecured wireless laws have been passed.....except maybe in private busineses. Apparently, some people don't mindothers using their bandwidth. On the other hand, It seems that the real question is, if someone does in fact mind, then why don't they put a freaking password on their router? With that in mind, the ethical question must arrise from the fact the some people aren't aware that their access points are unsecured.............and if they became aware, how many of them would decide to keep their router unsecured?

The thing is, people have been prosecuted for using someone else's unsecured AP. In some places. 'Tis a very touchy-feely subject, as you said.And, you're right - a lot of people out there don't really know that their APs aren't secured (aside from the fact that their computer "just connected" when they selected, say, "linksys" to connect to. But, the masses don't think abou that.....)Better setup software from the various vendors (prompting one to actually secure their wireless) would be good (and, is finally starting to happen. IIRC, Belkin is doing this now.) They might mind someone glomming their internet connection, they most likely really mind some stranger browsing their various shared folders, but they don't know how to prevent it (or, very likely, don't know that it's actually possible.)There was a discussion on the MaxPC forums about this a little while ago on this very subject (notably, on making someone aware of their lack of wireless security.) Good stuff it was (before it got completely derailed....)

Where have people been prosecuted for this?

Google search There was a case here in MI a while ago (guy fined $400); the UK doeshave that on their books (another country, I know; but, the point is there...)

Hi, Please understand that this forum deals mainly with technical issue. Regardingthe legal affairs, we are not the best resource, I would like to change this issue type to Comment. Thank you for your understanding.