On Fri, 27 Oct 2006 12:19:25 -0400, Larry wrote:

While I'm very proud of all of you who feel guilty in some way of using
someone else's wifi, I don't think you need be.

a net philanthropist are you?

If they don't want you to
use it, they simply WEP protect it,

wrong, they would use WPA or better WPA2

which is like locking your house to
keep the public from using your bathroom.

using WEP to "protect" your AP would be more like just shutting the door
to the house.

The serious hacker is going
to use your WEP-protected wifi, anyway, and that's where to draw the
line.

serious?... any 15 year old with a clue could be piggybacking his way to
Runescape or Pornworld via your "WEP-protected wifi" in very short order
indeed... yeah, the wifi that _you_ pay for, not him.

On Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:23:13 +0000, Don White wrote:

Ah ha! I'm still running Windows 98. No Skype until I upgrade.

for clarity Don, XP would not necessarily constitute an "upgrade". If you
are going to use Skype, you might want to investigate some more robust,
secure operating systems. Investigate OS X on Mac -if money is no object-
or Linux which is free. Both will run Skype software and neither will
leave you feeling like you're walking around with your pants down around
your ankles every time you log on.

On Thu, 26 Oct 2006 10:56:09 -0400, Glenn Ashmore wrote:

In places like Tortola where Cable & Worthless charges outrageous fees
for LD Skype is a life saver at 2 cents/minute to a POTS line and free
Skype to Skype. I especially like the video feature. I was down last
week having diner with some friends and we decided to call some other
friends in Dallas. Spent 30 minutes video conferencing for zero dollars.

Skype is great, but it's not the only player in the game. Depending on
your particular needs, you may find Gizmo Project, etc., to be a better
value. Google "SIP phone" to start, and check out some of the other
options.

Matt O.

mr.b wrote:
On Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:23:13 +0000, Don White wrote:


Ah ha! I'm still running Windows 98. No Skype until I upgrade.


for clarity Don, XP would not necessarily constitute an "upgrade". If you
are going to use Skype, you might want to investigate some more robust,
secure operating systems. Investigate OS X on Mac -if money is no object-
or Linux which is free. Both will run Skype software and neither will
leave you feeling like you're walking around with your pants down around
your ankles every time you log on.


I tend to be dubious with these too good to be true deals. You comments
tell me I'm on the right track. Thanks!

On Sat, 28 Oct 2006 20:06:14 +0000, Don White wrote:

mr.b wrote:

On Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:23:13 +0000, Don White wrote:


Ah ha! I'm still running Windows 98. No Skype until I upgrade.


for clarity Don, XP would not necessarily constitute an "upgrade". If you
are going to use Skype, you might want to investigate some more robust,
secure operating systems. Investigate OS X on Mac -if money is no object-
or Linux which is free. Both will run Skype software and neither will
leave you feeling like you're walking around with your pants down around
your ankles every time you log on.


I tend to be dubious with these too good to be true deals. You comments
tell me I'm on the right track. Thanks!

I'd prefer Mac or Linux too, but boats usually need a Windows system
aboard to run navigation software.

I do wish there was a good nav package for Linux.

Matt O.

"mr.b" wrote in news
1. If Don is on a cable, Skype software may identify his connection
as a supernode, thus Don's $50/mnth bandwidth is used to route calls
for Skype, not that they let Don know that that's what could happen
nor does Skype reimburse Don for the use of a service that Don is
paying for.

Not true. Skype uses your connection to route your connection data through
and passes those connected through you their contact list and who's online.
It does NOT, route any calls, whatsoever through your system. Mine's been
on it for a long time. It's bandwidth usage is undetectable, even on
limited bandwidth DSL. I'm on a 7Mbps cable connection through a
wired/wifi router, sometimes with 3 Skype devices running at once. It has
made NO difference in my constant usenet downloading or it would have been
gone long ago.

2. Proprietary software/encryption/protocols that
according to the head-honcho at Skype "will not pass OpenSource
auditing for security".


AS I don't send state secrets over Skype's connection, I doubt anyone will
become enthralled with my Skype conversations with Skip aboard Flying Pig
about Icom HF Radios connecting through SGC antenna tuners. Proprietary it
is. Proprietary is fine with me if they're letting me use it so cheap as
Skype does. As a matter of fact, I hope it's so damned proprietary the
government snooping bureaucrats aren't listening to our every word,
especially when talking to some hot chick who's telling me she's gonna make
me sleep a week!....(c;

I monitor my TCP/IP connections constantly and closely using TCPView from
www.sysinternals.com. I also monitor system loading with Process Explorer
from the same website. Neither Skype or its proxy for other users routed
through my free software pose any threat to the system or use any
detectable bandwidth. What this small usage DOES accomplish for me is a
near infinite possible routing network of all 6,800,000 Skype users online
as I type this, making the system damn near crash proof! Unless my local
pipe is down, I've never seen Skype ever NOT connect to its servers. Too
bad other systems are not this reliable. Bandwidth is cheap and goes,
mostly, unused. Skype can use my bandwidth just like the boys using my
wifi hotspot do.

The maximum connections I've ever seen on the home system with cable
bandwidth is 7. One of those was MY connection to the Skype network,
fanned out to 6 other users. Halting all other TCP access to the router, I
noticed the cable light intermittently blinking about every 6-9 seconds,
handling this awful load. Watching the Ethernet lights blinking about as
often, I think I was watching about as much Ethernet broadcasts as Skype's
traffic. Downloading movies during this time was too close to cap speed to
even matter......

What IS funny is watching 3 or 4 users using my notebook's Skype through
the free wifi at a restaurant for the brief time I'm online, there...(c;

"mr.b" wrote in news
serious?... any 15 year old with a clue could be piggybacking his way to
Runescape or Pornworld via your "WEP-protected wifi" in very short order
indeed... yeah, the wifi that _you_ pay for, not him.



Poor paranoid baby! I've only had two cases of abuse on my wifi hotspot.
Taking the wifi hotspot down for a week, then putting it back up, seemed to
stop it. If it were a problem, I would simply cease its access. It's
not....

Does that make you feel better....less totally negative??



--
-- (shameless tagline) --
If you're sending someone some Styrofoam,
what do you pack it in?

On Sat, 28 Oct 2006 20:35:54 -0400, Larry wrote:

"mr.b" wrote in news
1. If Don is on a cable, Skype software may identify his connection as
a supernode, thus Don's $50/mnth bandwidth is used to route calls for
Skype, not that they let Don know that that's what could happen nor does
Skype reimburse Don for the use of a service that Don is paying for.

Not true.

actually Larry what I wrote is true

Skype uses your connection to route your connection data
through and passes those connected through you their contact list and
who's online. It does NOT, route any calls, whatsoever through your
system.

actually Larry, the software does use your connection to route calls and
if you are unlucky enough to be tagged as a supernode, the system will use
your bandwidth -the bandwidth _you_ pay for, to route _many_ calls. This
seems simple to me.

Mine's been on it for a long time. It's bandwidth usage is
undetectable, even on limited bandwidth DSL. I'm on a 7Mbps cable
connection through a wired/wifi router, sometimes with 3 Skype devices
running at once.

Perhaps reading more carefully might assist. Your connection -fast as it
is- probably has not been co-opted as a supernode -without your knowledge
or informed consent- which is the way Skype works.

It has made NO difference in my constant usenet
downloading or it would have been gone long ago.

well then, perhaps you've been lucky

2. Proprietary software/encryption/protocols that
according to the head-honcho at Skype "will not pass OpenSource auditing
for security".


AS I don't send state secrets over Skype's connection, I doubt anyone will
become enthralled with my Skype conversations with Skip aboard Flying Pig
about...snip

that isn't the point is it, but then it seems that while you resent
"state-snooping", other forms of snooping -or the potential for it- are
alright with you. Seems a contradiction to me. Whatever makes you happy.

On Sat, 28 Oct 2006 20:37:56 -0400, Larry wrote:

"mr.b" wrote in news
serious?... any 15 year old with a clue could be piggybacking his way to
Runescape or Pornworld via your "WEP-protected wifi" in very short order
indeed... yeah, the wifi that _you_ pay for, not him.



Poor paranoid baby! I've only had two cases of abuse on my wifi hotspot.
Taking the wifi hotspot down for a week, then putting it back up, seemed
to stop it. If it were a problem, I would simply cease its access. It's
not....

Does that make you feel better....less totally negative??

I suppose you could characterise my criticism of your poor advice as
negative. I think others might find it helpful. Either way, help us out
by making up your mind. First you say freeloading on your wifi is fine
and everyone is welcome to it, then you say it's been abused and you've
had to shut your router off for a week at a time -and that apparently is
no problem for you-?!? Well, what is it?

Skype is very insidious. Intentionally so to prevent it being blocked.
Cable and Worthless BVI has successfully blocked vonnage because the source
IP is easy to detect but have not found a way to block Skype. As I
understand it, if Skype runs into a block it will try connecting through a
series of different "supernodes" until it finds one that can sneak around
the block.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

"mr.b" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 28 Oct 2006 20:35:54 -0400, Larry wrote:

"mr.b" wrote in news
1. If Don is on a cable, Skype software may identify his connection as
a supernode, thus Don's $50/mnth bandwidth is used to route calls for
Skype, not that they let Don know that that's what could happen nor does
Skype reimburse Don for the use of a service that Don is paying for.

Not true.

actually Larry what I wrote is true

Skype uses your connection to route your connection data
through and passes those connected through you their contact list and
who's online. It does NOT, route any calls, whatsoever through your
system.

actually Larry, the software does use your connection to route calls and
if you are unlucky enough to be tagged as a supernode, the system will use
your bandwidth -the bandwidth _you_ pay for, to route _many_ calls. This
seems simple to me.

Mine's been on it for a long time. It's bandwidth usage is
undetectable, even on limited bandwidth DSL. I'm on a 7Mbps cable
connection through a wired/wifi router, sometimes with 3 Skype devices
running at once.

Perhaps reading more carefully might assist. Your connection -fast as it
is- probably has not been co-opted as a supernode -without your knowledge
or informed consent- which is the way Skype works.

It has made NO difference in my constant usenet
downloading or it would have been gone long ago.

well then, perhaps you've been lucky

2. Proprietary software/encryption/protocols that
according to the head-honcho at Skype "will not pass OpenSource auditing
for security".


AS I don't send state secrets over Skype's connection, I doubt anyone
will
become enthralled with my Skype conversations with Skip aboard Flying Pig
about...snip

that isn't the point is it, but then it seems that while you resent
"state-snooping", other forms of snooping -or the potential for it- are
alright with you. Seems a contradiction to me. Whatever makes you happy.