Piggyback on neighbour's broadband?

[frostbite]

My setup is currently dialup only but my neighbour has said if I can piggyback on his wireless broadband, go ahead.

Since I'm not certain of getting a signal I don't want to waste money, so what is the minimum kit I need to test it?

Is it just a PCI wifi card, or do I need more?

[BOAC]

Find a friend with a wifi laptop first and 'sniff'

[Saab Dastard]

I can thoroughly recommend one of these (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=38209&doy=22m5) to improve the wifi reception of a PCI wifi card. Best ten quid I've spent this year!

SD

[Keef]

Looks a useful device, SD, but what's that SWR? +/- 2.0V isn't an SWR reading!

To answer frostbite's question:
- if you can get a friend to come round with a laptop (or even a Wifi-enabled PDA) you will find if there is a useable signal;
- otherwise, for about £10 you can get a USB WiFi dongle which you can plug into a convenient USB slot on the PC and have a sniff around the spectrum.

[BOAC]

I won't post the URL, but a Google for 'wifi remote aerial' will produce antennae up to 7DB gain or more (a little more than £10) - and that will probably be my next purchase.

[Richard Spandit]

If you neighbour has an open network (i.e. no encrpytion) then if you connect to it, you are possibly leaving your computer open to attack. It's a small risk, but best to be aware.

If he encrypts it, then you'll need a password which it sounds like shouldn't be a problem.

You may well find that the signal is so weak it becomes slower than your dialup connection, albeit cheaper

Why don't you just install ADSL at your house, or is that not possible?

[frostbite]

I would love to have ADSL but, I am on BTs Light User scheme which prohibits ADSL (in fact, I think it's supposed to prohibit all internet!).

Since my normal Quarterly bill is around £12-14, going on to a regular rental would mean a huge hike + ADSL charges.

[BOAC]

There is a product called 'on-speed' which claims to improve dial-up performance.

[Richard Spandit]

I may be wrong, but I think that products like that start downloading links in the background whilst you are reading the present page - or possibly compress files on a proxy server and then uncompress them locally.

Good luck with neighbour's internet - I'm presuming you aren't a Professional Pilot using this network then?

[frostbite]

I tried On-speed a couple of years ago. It worked amazingly well for the first couple of weeks and then, for some reason, became a millstone around the neck of the dialup speed. Decent people running it though - gave me a full refund without argument.

In the absence of a wifi-enabled laptop, looks like my best bet is either a USB dongle, or a wifi PCI card then?

PS The excellent 7day shop is offering a Bluetooth Wifi Dongle for £6.49 - will this do the job, or should it not be bluetooth?

[Richard Spandit]

The Bluetooth one may not be the right kind for you. I'd suggest a PCI card - get a better aerial than a USB one and less hanging off your computer. Should be able to get one cheap online...

[Llademos]

I bowed to my age (ie over 5) and got an expert in to set up my wireless for two computers. It took around an hour, and was worth every penny for the security settings properly set and explained.

Kit wise, a card plus, if necessary, a booster for your neighbour's transmitter would do it. I can pick up signals from 3 houses down but wouldn't want to risk connecting to it because it is not secured.

[IO540]

I've been using Onspeed for a couple of years with GPRS/3G. It saves a factor of several times on the cost (PAYG data is normally charged per byte).

The system sets up a www / pop proxy which your machine connects to instead, so it's transparent.

However, two problems

1. The Onspeed resident program does a fair bit of comms with their server to set up the connection; around 10-15k bytes and that can slow things down if you just want a quick connection

2. The Onspeed servers have slowed down hugely over the past year. I think they are playing the old ISP game and milking their assets for all they can. Max profits are always made just before total service collapse ;)

Back to the subject, I find wifi works over a fairly short range unless one is using a directional aerial. In this case that's what I would get. If the signal has to pass through two outside walls there won't be much left otherwise.

And yes, security.... the neighbour will see everything on your PC, unless you enable the login/password login option and then it's best to not have any shares, and disable the Guest account.

[Keef]

You don't want the Bluetooth dongle. That's not WiFi.

A WiFi dongle won't pick up the signal as well as a PCI card with a decent external antenna, but if the signal is strong enough, you can move the dongle on its lead to the spot where you get the best signal.

Your neighbour can read all the stuff passing through his broadband connection into your machine (if he really wants to), but he can't access your machine unless you enable sharing on it.

[jetcollie]

I've got one of these: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hawking-HWU54DM-Hi-Gain-Mini-Wireless-G-USB-Adapter_W0QQitemZ250117873801QQihZ015QQcategoryZ45002QQssPag eNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Has 5db gain and with the included extension lead you can position it where you want. Plugs into any usb port.

[frostbite]

Thanks to all for the info & suggestions.

I ordered a PCI card for £10 (inc) on fleabay last night, so will see where that gets me.

[airborne_artist]

You and your neighbour may need to play around with location at both ends. breeze blocks have a high slag content, which does attenuate signals quite heavily. If they can site their router in the roof space you have a better chance, as one thickness of tile/slate is far less of a problem than a traditional brick and breeze block cavity wall.

[Saab Dastard]

breeze blocks have a high slag content

So does Essex...:}

I'll get my coat.

SD

[frostbite]

And you a moderator too !

Go stand in the corner.

[Keef]

'Ere! Watch it, or we may have to come and sort you out ;)

[ohitsmonday]

Shouldn't be a problem, my neighbour uses my wi-fi internet connection with a 10 quid usb dongle. Works out quite well - he takes me and mine out for a meal every now and then as a thankyou and it costs me nothing

[frostbite]

Quick update - I get five networks listed, but only one is not password protected, so I use that. I hope it's my neighbours!

I am fairly confident that it is, as it's the only one showing 5 bars on the signal strength meter but (oddly?) this drops to 2-3 bars when connected.

Just as well, the garbage service I'm getting from Madasafish is very much akin to money under false pretences (two line drops just typing this, but when I complain, they always claim it's my equipment).

[Mac the Knife]

Wherever I go these days there seem to be unsecured networks.

If I happen to want to browse I use 'em

A wide-open network seems to me to imply consent to use and I have no qualms about it.

Just don't use unencrypted protocols to access anything where your logon/password is important (Banks and the like).

Ppruning is OK :E

:ok:

[Keef]

A thought on that certain ISP...

A friend of mine locally was using Madasafish, and has recently switched to broadband.

She discovered that she can't collect her Madasafish mail via her broadband connection - she has to access it via their dial-up. She sent everyone in her address book a message with the new address, asking them to drop the old one.

A week later, the only thing in the Madasafish mailbox was a large crop of spam. So she's just left it. Serves Madasafish and the spammers right ;)

[Cremeegg]

For info a BT engineer told me that their routers are set up to be secure by default; no one elses are. Huge numbers of insecure routers around; with very little knowledge it is possible to wreck havoc up and down your road. Beware. Glad I'm not wi-fi'd.