Students who access someone else's wireless Internet to avoid paying for the service could be subject to legal action, said Pat McGee, managing attorney for the Center for Student Legal Services.
A statute in the state of Ohio protects citizens against unauthorized use of technology
McGee said, adding that he has not seen any cases in Athens County dealing with the unauthorized use of wireless Internet.
Students living in apartments might be tempted to avoid paying for Internet service by using someone else's network, said Sean O'Malley, manager for Communication Network Services at Ohio University's Information Technology office.
Using another person's network is fairly easy to do if your neighbor has a wireless access point with no security O'Malley said, adding that Microsoft Windows commonly searches out the strongest signal for wireless Internet on its own.
The IT office has had no complaints of unauthorized wireless use this year, and it often is difficult for wireless subscribers to tell if someone else has used their networks, O'Malley said.
Students who pay for wireless service can protect their networks by making fairly simple changes to their computer's settings, he said. These changes will vary depending on the type of wireless service and the computer's operating system.
Future cases based on unauthorized use of another person's wireless network would revolve around interpretation of current laws, McGee said. Prosecutors could probably build a case against a student for using wireless without authorization, but it would be difficult to win such a case, he said.
McGee said that while students could be charged with unauthorized use of technology for accessing another person's wireless network, it would be unlikely for them to be charged with theft.
As a defense attorney I would challenge whether ... the person was actually depriving another person of anything
he said.
Unauthorized use of technology would most likely be a low degree misdemeanor charge, McGee said.
OU's campus is in the process of becoming wireless by allowing access to wireless Internet in all buildings, O'Malley said. Students need an OAK ID to access the network, which currently covers 70 percent to 80 percent of the campus. The whole campus should have wireless access by the beginning of next Fall Quarter, O'Malley said.
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Elyse Ball
Using unsecure networks may lead to charges
