Should I use my building's free wifi?

[Kevin Slater]

My building has started providing free wifi to tenants. It's one of those things where you're first directed to their launch page and have to enter an access code (in addition to the WPA key when you first joined the network). You just have to do this once ever, but I'm clueless. Does that they are able to redirect my first web query imply that they can subsequently monitor my usage, specifically what sites I go to or even my emails? In short, is this a good idea for me? Thanks.

 

Kevin Slater

[+ deej]

It means that all of your web and email traffic goes through their router. It is unlikely that this is a bad thing. There are few entities with the time and inclination to monitor all traffic. Still, a requirement for doing it if someone is inclined to do the monitoring is getting the traffic to go through a router that they control.

 

It's probably OK, unless you're paranoid.

[Kevin Slater]

It's probably OK, unless you're paranoid.

 

Why are you asking if I'm paranoid? Do I look paranoid? What makes you ask that? What do you mean by that? Whom have you been talking to? WHY WOULD YOU EVEN ASK IF I'M PARANOID????!!!

 

Thanks, Deej.

 

Kevin Slater

[+ deej]

[rguer]

You could try a private VPN service. Then, no one in your building could tell where your traffic is going or what it says, even if they were able to read all the router traffic.

 

The idea, oversimplified, is that all of your internet traffic is encrypted before it leaves your computer. It goes to a VPN site somewhere, where it is unencrypted and sent out to its original destination. The VPN site doesn't keep track of what traffic comes from whom (or so they all claim), and because your traffic is consolidated with traffic from all the other users, nothing could be traced back to you even if all the traffic at the VPN site could be monitored.

 

I suspect that if the NSA wants to know what you're doing, this won't stop them, but it will stop casual monitoring. Also, if you sign up with a multi-country VPN, you may be able to see sites that are normally restricted to residents of other countries. For example, you could use a London VPN site to watch shows on BBC.

 

http://www.bestvpnserver.com/ lists a few VPN providers. I don't have any opinion on which is best.

[+ deej]

As tempting as it may be to use a VPN as a shield for prying eyes, note that if eyes are really prying your traffic will stand out like a sore thumb. IOW, if someone is watching you'll just be giving them a reason to watch even closer. It will appear to them that you have something to hide.

 

If you really want a shield from prying eyes, buy your own WiFi router and plug it into your wired internet connection. They can be had for less than $100. Or buy and carry one of the many 4G portable devices and you're your own WiFi hotspot wherever you go. (Slightly more expensive because you have to buy the 4G service.)

 

As you point out, none of this will thwart a serious investigation from someone with legal authority to mount such an investigation. It'll discourage snoopy landlords, though.

[rguer]

As tempting as it may be to use a VPN as a shield for prying eyes, note that if eyes are really prying your traffic will stand out like a sore thumb. IOW, if someone is watching you'll just be giving them a reason to watch even closer. It will appear to them that you have something to hide.

 

And maybe he does. So what? Nothing wrong with hiding things that aren't anyone else's business in the first place.

 

If you really want a shield from prying eyes, buy your own WiFi router and plug it into your wired internet connection.

 

If he's worried about the landlord, that won't help.

 

They can be had for less than $100. Or buy and carry one of the many 4G portable devices and you're your own WiFi hotspot wherever you go. (Slightly more expensive because you have to buy the 4G service.)

 

A bigger concern is the traffic limits.

[Xander]

If you really want a shield from prying eyes, buy your own WiFi router and plug it into your wired internet connection. They can be had for less than $100. Or buy and carry one of the many 4G portable devices and you're your own WiFi hotspot wherever you go. (Slightly more expensive because you have to buy the 4G service.)

 

If you're in a big company (lots of access points), I think you're more likely to get attention from THAT than from using a VPN.

 

VPN's don't necessarily screw up traffic ... starting up a wireless router on a channel that already used will DEFINITELY.

 

But anyway ... maximum security would be to use a laptop which is not owned by the company (or registered w/ the company for that matter) so the MAC address is not in their system. Get a wireless router & make sure its set to a channel not conflicting with any of the ones in your immdiate area (or above or below you, for that matter) and make sure its WAP2 and not set to broadcast SSID. From there use a paid private VPN (NOT YOUR COMPANY'S VPN lol).

 

But deej is correct in that no matter what you do, you can't protect yourself from a very deep, thorough, cyber investigation. If its their internet, they can figure out whats going across no matter how encrypted it may seem. If you're in a big city, see if WiMax is available at your location..

 

edit -- just read that this is at your home and not your company, sorry about that.

 

You get free wifi but not wired?

 

The fact that you have to sign in with your apartment info definitely makes this a noooo gooo