Re: Secure? Installing a wireless router at next door neighbor's so I can surf

To answer your questions...

Based on what I learned on Security now, yes you should be secure from the
casual hackers. As we all know, if they really want your data, they can get
it. The episodes that talk about this are:
http://www.twit.tv/sn14
http://www.twit.tv/sn17
http://www.twit.tv/sn18
http://www.twit.tv/sn19

Now as far as alternatives, you have EVDO and WiMax (I believe) through your
cell phone carrier. So more local cell carries may have "Wireless DSL" I
know Midwest Wireless does here and from a relative that has it, they say it
works great (even for gaming). Technically yes, what you are doing is
illegal based on most TOS. However, the other side is how will they know? If
the tech comes in and sees it, he will just automatically think she is using
the wireless. If she is okay with it, I wouldn't worry about it. However, I
would talk to the company and explain that you need a reliable solution.

On 8/10/06, Dan <dan27649@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I am in a situation where I am away from home several nights per week,
staying with my father-in-law who, surprise surprise, has no broadband
access.  Part of my job duties require me participate in a weekly rotation
to log in and monitor some jobs at 9:30 in the evening.  Last night, for
the
second night in a row, I had to drive a few miles into town to find a
wireless hotspot to do this.  I'm really not going to want to be doing
this
in January, though.

Anyway, given that the cheapest I could get broadband at my
father-in-law's
was in the $45/month range, I proposed to my father-in-law's neighbor, who
has cable internet, that I would split the cost of her internet-related
fees
if she would allow me to install a wireless router in her home.  She
thought
that was a dandy idea.  The distance between the router and my laptop
would
be approximately 30 feet max.

Today, I bought a Linksys/Vonage router for free after rebate (no
obligation
to get Vonage service - that was yet another rebate) at CompUSA.  (FYI,
it's
a Vonage Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router With VoIP, 802.11g,b, SKU
316790.  Don't trust the out-of-stock messages on their website, speak to
a
human at the store you shop at.)

But this is a situation where I don't have total control over the wireless
router, since I don't have possession of it.  Since I connect to work via
a
VPN connection (using the Contivity VPN client), and surf the internet
through that VPN, that should be secure against *any* snooping, right?  On
my laptop, I can set up the connection so that I know I'm utilizing WPA,
and
I would consider that a first line of defense from "outsiders", but has no
effect on my neighbor's ability, if she were so inclined, to snoop on my
traffic.  Correct so far?   It is almost silly to consider her a threat
from
what I know of her, but I'm a paranoid kind of guy, ya know?

Advice, comments, and money (especially money!) always appreciated!

- Dan
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