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It could, depending on the level of service you have and what they (and you) are doing at the time.
I'd be more concerned about having an open network, if that's not what you want to do. You're likely also violating your ISP service agreement by not securing your network from unauthorized use. If you take care of business at home, you won't even need to be concerned about your neighbors.
Sounds like your wireless router is not secure. You're taking a big chance doing that. What if the neighbors do something that is against the rules of your ISP (spamming, sharing music/movies) and that gets you banned as a customer? You might lose your Internet connection and your phone or Cable TV permanently!
Wow, thanks for the info. i will turn my comp off and check the modem. Also, how do i see if my wireless is secure? My brother tried to use his computer here online and it said he had to get my password before he could. Does that mean I'm secure?
Also I have heard put the "Secured Encrypted" router in the center of the home if possible. On the local news several weeks ago they where talking about " Mobile Side Jacking" in the Orlando,FL area. The bad guys roam the streets after sun down with a lap top and a special program, when then hit a "OPEN NetworK" they down load everything coming out of that house for several minutes and move on to the next victim.... Not to scare you but it's out their.....
Wow, thanks for the info. i will turn my comp off and check the modem. Also, how do i see if my wireless is secure? My brother tried to use his computer here online and it said he had to get my password before he could. Does that mean I'm secure?
You need to enable encryption on your wireless router. Go into the router setup page (typically http://192.168.1.1) and enable WPA (wifi protected access) mode. There is also usually an option for WEP mode - don't use this - it is less secure than WPA. Then you will need to enter a nice long passphrase - make it hard to guess; throw in some numbers and symbols. Save the config. You will then need to go to each of your wireless clients and set them up for WPA by entering the same passphrase.
If WPA is properly enabled on your router, there is a slim to nil chance that your neighbors are stealing from your ISP connection.
If your friend needed a password, anyone else trying to log on should need one. An "open" system is one that anyone can join without a password, so you don't need to hide the router in the middle of the house once you verify that your network is secure.
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