UK ISP cuts off punters with open WiFi
FILE SHARING nexus Torrentfreak points out that the UK Internet Service Provider (ISP) Karoo is threatening to disconnect punters who have a publicly available WiFi access point connected to their systems, regardless of whether or not they realise that it's not secured.
Insecure wireless networks that don't require a user ID or password to access are practically everywhere nowadays. Some older and cheaper WiFi routers come from the factory wide open by default, such that anyone having a WiFi card within signal range can piggyback on the wireless owner's Internet connection. Other WiFi users don't even look at instructions, don't care if others share their ISP connections, or use a router that isolates their own PCs.
But when an ISP customer is accused of copyright infringement, they can sometimes beat the rap if they have an open WiFi access point, because that creates plausible deniability. In several cases, users who allegedly trafficked in copyrighted media files have successfully established reasonable doubt of their culpability by arguing that someone else might have used their WiFi network. Since anyone else could have borrowed their ISP connection, it's impossible to prove that they did any filesharing that may have occurred.
Apparently due to pressure applied by the Big Media's MAFIAA lawyers, Karoo states in its September 2008 Terms and Conditions:
"We shall be entitled to terminate the Service immediately if We discover that you have permitted (whether knowingly or not) a third party (or third parties) to access the Service using a wireless connection over Your Communications Line."
The ISP can't believe it can detect open WiFi networks to enforce such a draconian policy. Even if it could discover customers who had open WiFi access points, why ever wouldn't it prefer to educate and if necessary help them, rather than lose them as paying customers?
As long as it's not an unsecured WiFi device that belongs to Karoo itself, that it installed and configured, where's its potential liability and why should it care? Reading that, we would be tempted to tell Karoo where it can stick Its Communications Line, and go find another ISP. µ
L'Inq
Torrentfreak
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We have no choice of ISP in Hull, its Karoo or nothing, so they can do what they like, they were the first to throttle us, and now this... the other ISPs will soon follow suit.
Punishable device settings? So, now are some of yours legally purchased devices, such as computers, routers, hubs and so on declared illegal, if settings disagree wit mafia recommendations? People will be put in jails or fined sums equivalent of lifesavings for placing media file in “wrong” folder and for not absolutely secure network connections? WOW!!! If I recall another day news about cracking all wireless secure codes which makes all wireless devices insecure…. but who cares…
For many of their customers, that "go find another ISP" suggestion is going to involve moving house ...
Have another ISP no one will even bother to release a package avaiable because of KC. They state time and time again that they allow other competition yet not 1 has even tried too because they would have to pay line charges to KC on there crappy copper wiring thats been around since the 80's.

You can bet your top dollor with even the amount Karoo and KC as a whole make a year fibra optic will never come until maybe 10yrs time. They earns millions a year and up charges provide poor service excuse after excuse when there connections go down last time it was 14hrs. And all they said was they was working on it and it won't happen again well thats the 3rd time it happend.

Buisiness' lot trade in January when it went down 1 had to drive to his home outside hull to get and make orders. There was no compensation just "Sorry" I mean they dont even have back-up servers for crists sake they can't or business' would have that to rely on yet when the home customer is down so are the business'.

Karoo are perfectic and we can't do nothing about except maybe protest outside there offices and show that we've had enough. Writing to stupid OFCOM who don't do nothing at all except probably play solitaire all day stay there fine as a business and there's no monoloply YEAH RIGHT!
secure your WiFi and put up a sign "My WIFI password is 12345" 

If there is no alternative ISP, then look for an alternative technical solution. That technical alternative solution could be the very same WiFi connection which the ISP and the MAFIAA are trying to eliminate. It already exists and is available at no charge.

Take a look at
http://global.freifunk.net/
and
http://www.fon.com/en/

You have the choice. Reward Karoo for their misdeed or invest some time into finding an alternative.
This is not the way for the ISP provider to bully you, the customer. Just because there is only one ISP in the district that doesn't mean you cant do anything. On the contrary, if one by one was to give up on their ISP, and eventually at least 45 of the populous does so, then only will ISP realize what a fool they have been. So, stand up for your self, your community and your torrents. God speed.
Name your Access point 'access' and then make the password the same with WPA encryption.

Encrypted? Yep. Accessible? Yep. Legal? Yep.
"If I recall another day news about cracking all wireless secure codes which makes all wireless devices insecure…. but who cares…"

WEP encryption is quickly breakable, but WPA *with good password* is not.
Just wondering how Karoo and other anti-piracy groups are doing with FON, with FON you allow anyone to access your internet through their login and allow them to use your network for internet. Obviously the company behind FON has details of the persons login and information about what they are doing, such as downloading illegal files, but if they do this who would be targeted the user on the FON network or the customer that is "sharing" their wi-fi network to create a wi-fi Britain?
Also what about people with slightly defective routers, my router is a useless Vonage one, I only have it 'cos I want Vonage and I don't want to leave my PC on 24/7 just to have full access to the phone, but whenever this router is switched off for even 5 seconds it has no battery backup/eprom to store it's settings, it totally forgets all security and everything and needs setting back up.