Quote Originally Posted by Lemur View Post
Very fuzzy legally. Yes, sharing cable TV is illegal, but inviting others over to watch it is not. Allowing others to copy your CDs is illegal, but having the neighbors listen to your thumpin' stereo isn't.

I suspect that sharing wifi without asking for money is legit, while attempting to resell would be verboten.

Many, many businesses now offer free wifi in their stores/hotels/car dealerships/restaurants. I would be interested to know if there are any legal hurdles they have to jump to clear themselves before they offer wifi to anyone in range.
I don't see the fuzzy thing there.

YOU invite your neighbors to use YOUR equipment/service on an INVITATIONAL basis without seeking to use that equipment/service as a revenue generator for you. All very reasonable.

I agree that offering, on an INVITATIONAL basis, your wifi to a neighbor is directly analogous and would be covered under that same interpretation -- even if such an invitation were functionally open-ended (after all, your neighbor can, if you so allow, come over and camp out in your living room in front of your TV and watch cable 24-7).

I not only suspect re-selling would be verboten, but would have little or no sympathy for either the re-seller or the clients thereof. All would be and should be criminally/financially liable.

I also believe that anyone seeking to use your connection without receiving your invitation to do so is stealing and should be liable for prosecution/damages as appropriate.

And yes, I have told an individual reading my paper over my shoulder on the Washington Metro to "Go buy your own paper," and I have already gone to a neighbor to suggest they change their system name from linksys to something else.*

*I freely admit that that was just to get my own laptop from trying to connect to his service on its own -- it kept thinking I was installing a new router/wifi and would offer me the chance to set up the new connection. Once a new wifi system name was in place the issue ceased. I do not know if it ever was encrypted...haven't checked. After all, you see, it doesn't belong to me.....