What do you call someone who uses your wifi

[smoogatz]

from the house next door or whatever? Is there an actual name for that? Serious question: need it for the book I'm working on.

[sailor65]

1. "More clever than you are"

:rofl:

[NMDemDist2]

3. yup, that pretty much covers it

:yourock:

:rofl:

[Trillo]

14. Need more info.

Are they load balancing multiple access points for faster speeds?

[mikelgb]

2. better question:

what do you call the idiot who lets the neighbor use it because they didn't secure the connection

[gkhouston]

4. an opportunist who'll educate you in the importance of securing your wifi?

[mudesi]

5. leech

That's the official term.

[ananda]

6. Why isn't your wifi secured and..

.. password protected???????????????????

[MercutioATC]

17. Because it slows down the connection, perhaps?

I really don't know of a reason to secure your wifi signal.

[Demobrat]

21. If somebody's piggybacking on you

your connection will be slower.

[PeaceNikki]

26. Securing it does not slow it down.

You'd secure it because you don't want someone leeching intentionally or otherwise and downloading Indian Jones or kiddie pr0n and sucking up your bandwidth.

[parasim]

7. "Wardriver" could be a name for such a person...

Typically it refers to someone who picks up WIFI signals as they drive around town... not sure what a neighbor "borrowing" your signal would be called, though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wardriving

on second thought, piggybacker, pirate or leech might be more apt for a neighbor.

[shanti]

27. right, wardriving

that's the word for it.

[GOPisEvil]

8. A thief.

You should really secure your network. If some asshole downloads child porn on your wireless, the cops will come to your door.

[smoogatz]

11. It's for a book.

My personal WiFi is password protected, thanks (plus the signal is so weak I can barely get it on my own back porch, much less next door). I just wondered if there was a common term for such people.

[GOPisEvil]

12. Ah, ok.

Good luck with finding the correct term.

[parasim]

24. Not necessarily...

Interesting article on this very thing... interesting comments as well...

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/01/10/why-its-good-to-leav.html

[merwin]

9. Piggybacking

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piggybacking_%28internet_access%29

[HughMoran]

10. A mooch?

:D

My dad had 6 people stealng his - bet they were pissed when I turned security on.

I have no idea of a better name for a wifi thief.

A wifiminal?

[smoogatz]

13. Nice.

Good, but I don't think I can use it!

[SoCalDem]

15. lock it up..put a password on it..

No one can use mine:evilgrin:

[Bluerthanblue]

16. frugal?

:evilgrin:

[Snotcicles]

18. It's called Piggybacking, or Hitchhiking.

I think

[SoCalDem]

20. bandwidth buccaneer?

[cloudythescribbler]

30. Here's a Wikipedia URL proving that "piggybacking" is at least ONE used term:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piggybacking_%28internet_access%29

[TroglodyteScholar]

19. A piggybacker n/t

[Nictuku]

22. Leech

[diane in sf]

23. I call them a tapeworm

[dkofos]

25. I have a name for someone that doesn't keep their WIFI secure.

DUMBSHIT

[kestrel91316]

28. I am in an apartment building and somebody has an unsecured

wifi signal that my laptop picks up...........so I have never bothered to get cable internet. Uh oh. Am I a bad person?? I have DSL at the office which is slow, and the wifi is obviously cable because it's lightning fast. I never download any music or movies, just surf the net (and post on DU) with it.

There are also several secured wireless signals, I assume from various neighbors. I am wondering if the landlord provides it and I just wasn't paying attention when I moved in?

[hendo]

29. piggybacking or...

the smart way to engage in file sharing.

[Eurobabe]

31. Smarter than you.

:evilgrin: