Cable Forum - View Single Post - Sharing my wi-fi with a neighbour. Ramifications?

DaggaDagga · 01-03-2006, 11:48

My worry would be that, unless you buy an additional router, they'll be on the unprotected side of your router's firewall.

I have no firewalls within my network, so if anyone connected their virus-infested PC to my network, their viruses would have a free run at all my PCs.

I also have shared folders and a shared printer. Unless I restricted access, they'd also have unlimited use of these.

A (not very techy) friend turned up with their laptop, and wanted to connect to my network. I first shutdown all my PCs, then connected theirs and did a McAfee online freescan. It was choking with viruses.

It seems like a simple, kind idea. But, on balance, it's probably not a good idea. I'd be wondering why she's so keen to use someone else's net connection. As said previously, she obviously isn't completely broke. Not all criminals are blokes, and they all live somewhere!

01-03-2006, 11:48	#12
DaggaDagga Inactive Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hampshire Services: Royal Mail snail mail. No telly. Wind-up gramophone. Posts: 125,837.56 Posts: 385	Re: Sharing my wi-fi with a neighbour. Ramifications? My worry would be that, unless you buy an additional router, they'll be on the unprotected side of your router's firewall. I have no firewalls within my network, so if anyone connected their virus-infested PC to my network, their viruses would have a free run at all my PCs. I also have shared folders and a shared printer. Unless I restricted access, they'd also have unlimited use of these. A (not very techy) friend turned up with their laptop, and wanted to connect to my network. I first shutdown all my PCs, then connected theirs and did a McAfee online freescan. It was choking with viruses. It seems like a simple, kind idea. But, on balance, it's probably not a good idea. I'd be wondering why she's so keen to use someone else's net connection. As said previously, she obviously isn't completely broke. Not all criminals are blokes, and they all live somewhere!