A freeloading neighbour in my building, with whom I have casual contact, has suggested she can log-on to internet through my modem. She wants to purchase a pc but cannot afford an internet connection of her own, she says, and thought she could 'get in' as she puts it, through mine. Is this really possible? Tried to get through to Rogers this morning but they took so long to answer I gave up and am posting here. Is there a solution?

Thanks.

Depends the specification of the modem, if it has wireless functionality then it is possible. Do you want to let her is my question?

If you post the model then I could tell you.

Are you wireless? I can't see your neighbour being able to use your modem because she would need to be plugged in to it. If your modem is connected to a wireless router, she could have access. If you are wireless, check to see if the network is secured or unsecured.

Secured means password-protected.

Unsecured means open-house. That could cost you.

In effect

If it's a wireless router you should have it password protected and that will give you the option to

1) Give anyone access by giving them a password to use.
2) Blocking anyone, by not giving them a password
3) Changing the password later if you previously gave someone access and no longer wish to.

For her to gain access she would also need to 'see' a good signal strength via the wi-fi system on her PC.

With threats of being charged for bandwidth everyone should take care to restrict access to their wireless signal. It could cost you big time if some teenager next door is gaming online through your account!

That could be an account killer!

Just wanted to add I am with Bell and we get charged $5 +HST for an additional 40 GB which is cheaper than some UK packages.

Last month I used 320gb - we just got netflix! I also have a 20 year old living in the basement and he does game online. If I was charged $2 for each gb over the alloted amount I would have been charged $600!

Quite. My idiot stepson accidentally made our network unsecured a few years ago. Some little scrote around here made merry and it cost me lots.

I'm wondering how long our uncapped deal with Telus is going to stay that way

Why are they starting to cap in Canada?

In the UK, years back, there was a cap but then, as internet access became every day stuff, it gradually lifted to unlimited bandwidth (with the usual fair usage clause slipped in there). Even here, in Portugal, bandwidth is uncapped and that's pushing the boat out for this place!

Canada appears to be goign to opposite way. There was some ruling a few weeks back allowing companies to charge for usage or something.

It depressed me too much to read it

It is not just the cash. If someone wants to use the internet for illegal purposes, say downloading the worst kind of porn, then they can tour a neighborhood, find an unsecured network, and leave you to explain to the police why your IP address is linked to these sites.

I would guess that a huge area with low population density means that large infrastructure costs are shared by fewer people when compared to more densely populated countries (this is why things like cell phone plans are more expensive in Canada). So they are trying to collect more revenue by increasing the costs of those people who use the system the most. The same concept probably applied to the UK until the market reached a certain size.

This was a big thing a few weeks ago when the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) made a decision to allow the big internet suppliers (Bell mainly) to force the smaller suppliers to bill by usage. This would have vastly increased many peoples internet bills and made thing like video on demand/ netflix stupidly expensive.

Luckily the Canadian government saw sense and over-ruled the decision.