Thursday, January 29, 2009

Wild and Wacky World of WiFi Worries

Last weekend, in the very darkest hours of the middle of the night, I was awakened with a start by watch dog Winnie barking from her lookout spot on the window seat in the front room. She sleeps in our bedroom, so I knew something was amiss. I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a car parked in front with a glowing computer screen clearly visible in the passenger's lap (sorry -- couldn't really make the Christmas rhyme work). What?!!! Someone was stealing our internet: a scallywag, internet-thieving, twenty-something zoobie! I felt violated and angry.

Watch dog (not Winnie with a dye job)

I dashed to the study and unplugged the router, then hurried back to the window in time to see the perp reviewing a drag-down menu on an otherwise blank screen. They must have found another unsecured router in the area because they stayed right there for several minutes before I went back to bed. With my WiFi unavailable, I didn't care how long they stayed. Who knows? They may have found Stephen's Internet.

"Scally Chat Chav?": obviously a British illustration

I was certainly ruffled by people stopped right in front of our house using our internet, but I also found it somewhat humorous and wanted to share. Needless to say, we will be securing our router toute suite!

That's all for now.

OXO

D.

10 comments:

Maren said...

I am surprised you didn't go knock on his window and ask what he thought he was doing.

Ellen said...

too funny. at least it was probably just a zoobie... and not a hacker trying to steal your credit card #s. i've sat in my car in front of coffee shops before... but never in front of someone's home. if i'm going to steal someone elses internet, at least i try and do it from the privacy of my own home... or someone elses.

Katy Kathryn said...

HAHAHAHAHA!!! OH that is too funny... I am always worried that when I go for my night time drives at three in the morning searching for free unprotected wireless internet that I'll get caught... but I haven't been... yet... WHO GOES SEARCHING FOR FREE INTERNET IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?! What silly sausages these zoobs are...

David and Kris Taylor said...

In my green bathrobe, right?

D.

David and Kris Taylor said...

WWJD?

K.

Anna said...

Our old neighbor in Omaha could be seen right by his sliding glass door, piggybacking off the neighbors across the lot wi fi. I guess the concern with them accessing your network is identity theft. We turn ours off at night and password protect it.

AnneMarie said...

That is so weird and so funny! John is obsessive about this stuff, if you have any ???'s call us.

Maren said...

YUP!

Anonymous said...

You must feel so violated! We didn't have ours password protected for a week or so. We met some people at the church that lived just below us. When we introduced ourselves, they said, oh, you're courtandtodd, we've been stealing internet from you! At least they're honest...

Katy Kathryn said...

Good 'ol Mormons...