The difference between using a protected and unprotected wireless connection unauthorized can be a felony charge or simply surfing the web.

According to Kent Strickland, ITS Information Security Officer, using someone’s wireless connection can be illegal. It can even be a felony if you try to decrypt someone’s network or use information like usernames and passwords you obtained even if it was over an unprotected connection

‘If your laptop is set up to find wireless networks it’s not illegal,’ Strickland said. ‘However, if you configure your system to find someone’s wireless and use it if unauthorized it can be illegal.’

When someone comes across a person’s wireless network and doesn’t have to do any encrypting or hacking to get into the network, then the network is open and it is legal to access the network.

Taking the proper precautions and using encryption will help prevent unwanted users from accessing a connection.

‘Encryption compresses traffic and runs traffic through special tools so only you and the recipient can view that traffic between the two end points,’ Strickland said.

Internet providers can help block neighbors from accessing people’s wireless connections said Pat McCauley, Time Warner government affairs manager.

‘When Time Warner installs wireless Internet, we encrypt it so that only computers in that house can access it,’ McCauley said.

Many wireless spots exist in Bowling Green.

‘There are over 500 access points around Bowling Green,’ Bill Bigelow, ITS senior network technician said.

People can access personal information if they access a network that isn’t encrypted.

‘If you are using a wireless network and you are using various e-mail sites and not using encryption someone could monitor your traffic and passwords,’ Strickland said.

Michael Smith, ITS network administrator, said certain sites like MyBGSU and Webmail are secure so even over a non secure wireless connection your passwords are safe.

Sites with addresses starting with https like MyBGSU use encryption to keep your information safe. But giving out information over an insecure wireless connection on an http address means the communication is unencrypted putting your personal information at higher risk.

Stealing a user’s personal information isn’t the only problem that can occur. Someone could be running peer to peer programs that can reduce a user’s bandwidth, Strickland said.

Teddy Rader, sophomore, takes precautions against people trying to access his wireless connection by making sure his wireless is encrypted and by making sure his SSID isn’t broadcast.

‘I encrypt it and don’t broadcast my SSID,’ Rader said. ‘I do the best I can to keep my connection protected.’

SSID stands for service set identifier and is how the wireless network is identified to users attempting to access it. Two computers have to have matching SSID to access a wireless area network. Having your SSID broadcast increases the chance of someone using your connection.

Using someone else’s wireless is sometimes referred to as wireless theft, but Rader doesn’t feel that is the right term.

‘I consider it more like sharing or borrowing,’ Rader said.