I'm a bit new to this and I have an open wireless network that I use linksys to log on to the internet. Is that safe or do my neighbors (not that I don't trust them) have acess to my wireless network as well?
thanks in advance,
Melinda

If any of your neigbhbors knows a little about hacking, I'd say you are in danger.
Have you secured the network? (some are completely open as default)
I'm quite paranoid about network security, so I prefer wired connections.

/Irkasmork

Yes melinda I wouldn't allow them to have access. For several reasons. Mostly one being that they will run up your bill, and that is kind of sad, if you are going to be paying for it. My neighbor was doing that to me for a while there.

Keeping your wireless router open is dangerous.

Check out this article for securing your wireless router
Wireless Router & Security: A Step-By-Step Guide

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I have a Linksys router as well and I noticed that I was picking up another Linksys signal from one of my neighbors. They had absolutely no security to speak of. Not even a connection password, I could have just clicked connect and logged on through them.

Luckily it only goes one way...I'm protected.

I suggest you set up a password to protect your network so that way you'll be safer - but you can check your connection program to see if anyone else in the area is using Linksys as well.

Well, there is a considerably number of people who do feel that it is okay to leave your wi-fi connection open as a public service.

Unfortunately, war driving (driving by and looking for open wi-fi connections) these days is a province of some very unsavory characters, so it would be highly advisable to secure your wi-fi.

i would suggest securing it, i have had my own router attacked and my house basically lost internet, or it was unusable for several days. We now have encryption as well as MAC address identification to prevent against the spoofers in my neighbourhood.
it's not that i don't trust them... no wait... that's exactly what it is, i don't trust them!!

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</Dream In Code>
-William. § (marvin_gohan)

It is not even a matter of your neighbors doing anything, all though that can be an issue. A savy teenager next door could certain cause a lot of problems for you by using your network to do any number of things.

You also have to be concerned about people who roam neighborhoods with laptops in search of open networks. Even secure networks with encryption are vulnerable, but the more precautions and steps you take, the less likelyhood you will have of keeping someone out of your network.