Are there any free wireless Internet spots maybe in the Reston area? I just got a new laptop with wireless.

Panera Bread has free wireless. There's one in Tysons, and I'm pretty sure they're also in Reston.

Yes, there are 3 Panera's in the Reston / Herndon area. One is in the Reston Town Center. Another is in the new shopping center on Sunrise Valley Drive just west of Monroe St and another in on Elden St in the old Lone Star steakhouse building in the K Mart shopping center.

I think another coffee shop called Greenberrys in the Home Depot shopping center has free wifi as well.

Carlos O'kelly's in fairfax city has free wifi... if you dare go into fairfax city.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Fairfax libraries and schools. There is a code you can use to access wireless internet at these locations. They should have a poster called "Fairfax Hot Spots" that give more information.

Huh?

Why not drive down any residential street and hop on one of the thousands of open wifi routers in your area.

ummm...anyone using a computer while driving would have to be a complete asshole dumbshit fucktard...like a cop.

hmmm...maybe thats why the 22 year old murdering slut cop ran into that poor innocent girl on route 1?

nakedshoplifter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Huh?
>
> Why not drive down any residential street and hop
> on one of the thousands of open wifi routers in
> your area.


I work in a mixed-use complex that has both offices and condos. When I scan for networks, there are hundreds of open wi-fi routers. Are people really that lazy or stupid or both?

To that point, I bet if you went to the Reston Town Center you would find some open routers.

Hmm. Question for the computer saavy: If you log into an open router, can the person who owns the router (1) view your work product and (2) access files on your hard drive or LAN. I'm just curious if there's a program out there that enables such a function.

I find it strange that so many people would not encrypt their connections; it's almost like they're baiting people to connect to their router for some reason. -§

A bunch of Mcdonalds have free wifi now too, according to the web...these one's do:

1 13003 LEE JACKSON
FAIRFAX, VA 22033

2 12700 SHOPS LN
FAIRFAX, VA 22033

3 4040 GERMANTOWN RD
FAIRFAX, VA 22030

5 5760 UNION MILL RD
CLIFTON, VA 20124

§ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hmm. Question for the computer saavy: If you log
> into an open router, can the person who owns the
> router (1) view your work product and (2) access
> files on your hard drive or LAN. I'm just curious
> if there's a program out there that enables such a
> function.
>
> I find it strange that so many people would not
> encrypt their connections; it's almost like
> they're baiting people to connect to their router
> for some reason. -§

They can certainly view all of your traffic (except for SSL traffic).

WashingToneLocian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When I scan for networks,
> there are hundreds of open wi-fi routers. Are
> people really that lazy or stupid or both?

why is leaving wi-fi openly accessible stupid or lazy? i leave mine open so anyone can use it.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

§ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I find it strange that so many people would not
> encrypt their connections; it's almost like
> they're baiting people to connect to their router
> for some reason. -§

perhaps they just dont care if other people use it too.


WashingToneLocian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When I scan for networks,
> there are hundreds of open wi-fi routers. Are
> people really that lazy or stupid or both?

why is leaving wi-fi openly accessible stupid or lazy? i leave mine open so anyone can use it.


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Gravis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WashingToneLocian Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > When I scan for networks,
> > there are hundreds of open wi-fi routers. Are
> > people really that lazy or stupid or both?
>
> why is leaving wi-fi openly accessible stupid or
> lazy? i leave mine open so anyone can use it.

Because it is a security problem. That's why when you are in a hotel and you have access to an open network they tell you anyone can read what you are sending over. Seems to me you would want to block access to your router, especially given how paranoid you are about cops and the government.

Let's say you leave your router "open" and Gravis lives on your block. Gravis connects to your "open" router and proceeds to download kiddy porn and have IM conversations with Chris Hansen. Who's name is the IP listed under? YOURS. Who is going down for downloading pedo-porn? YOU.

Another, more extreme case: Gravis sends an email (using your wifi connection) to the CIA telling them to go fuck themselves, ali-babba jihad jihad jihad! Guess who's gonna get a late night visit?

>> block access to your router

By purposely leaving your router open you can catch people connecting to it, giving you the chance to compromise their machines.

TheMeeper Wrote:

> giving you the
> chance to compromise their machines.


Which in Virginia is either a class 1 misdemeanor or a felony. Connecting to your 'open' wireless might also be a crime, but it will really ruin your day to also be charged with a crime (felony?) after you screw up your neighbor's computer.

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+18.2-152.4

WashingToneLocian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Because it is a security problem. That's why when
> you are in a hotel and you have access to an open
> network they tell you anyone can read what you are
> sending over.

SSL anyone? besides, who cares? if you are doing business stuff that might matter but it's not like it's a matter of national security here.


> Seems to me you would want to block
> access to your router, especially given how
> paranoid you are about cops and the government.

oh please, the cops are too stupid to even stop shooting unarmed people. even if they werent, i would have a fun time screwing with them. :)
i have no beef with government agencies, just the fucking scumbag politicians that do jackshit about real problems.


Oomp Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Connecting to your 'open' wireless
> might also be a crime

it's not.


nakedshoplifter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Let's say you leave your router "open" and Gravis
> lives on your block. Gravis connects to your
> "open" router and proceeds to download kiddy porn
> and have IM conversations with Chris Hansen. Who's
> name is the IP listed under? YOURS. Who is going
> down for downloading pedo-porn? YOU.

WRONG! an IP address does not equal a person and that has been validated in court. there are a lot of people who dont even know how to secure their router, do you really think charges like that are thrown around so hastily?


> Another, more extreme case: Gravis sends an email
> (using your wifi connection) to the CIA telling
> them to go fuck themselves, ali-babba jihad jihad
> jihad! Guess who's gonna get a late night visit?

LOL! paranoid much?


"the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

Perfect timing......

Washington Post Blog 5/12/08

Wi-Fi Warning:

That Person Next To You May Be A Hacker

Next time you flip open your laptop as you wait for a flight or work at a
coffee shop, beware, says the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The person next
to you may be stealing your personal bank account information, address book
and other files from your computer.

The agency warned earlier this week that the information on your computers
may not be protected when using some of the 68,000 Wi-Fi hot spots, or local
wireless Internet connections, around the country.

"Odds are there's a hacker nearby, with his own laptop, attempting to
'eavesdrop' on your computer to obtain personal data that will provide access to
your money or even to your company's sensitive information," the FBI said in a
advisory on its Web site.

Wi-Fi connections are common at airports, hotels, bookstores, schools and
parks. Many of the hot spots are secure, the agency said, but if you tap into
some of the unsecured networks, you may be opening yourself up for a personal
invasion.

The FBI goes further to warn that if a hacker hooks into
your computer, you are also connecting to his computer. That means you could
be unknowingly downloading viruses and worms.

To protect yourself, the FBI advises the following:

-Update the security protection on your computer with current versions of
operating systems, web browsers, firewalls and antivirus and anti-spyware
software.

-When tapped into a Wi-Fi network, don't conduct financial transactions or
use e- mail and instant messaging.

-Change the default setting on your laptop so you have to manually select
the Wi-Fi network you connect to.

-Turn off your laptop's Wi-Fi capabilities when you're not using them.