Is this illegal?

Serendipity

So - I'm considering moving off campus with a bunch of friends and getting an apartment in town.

If possible, we would like to share Cable TV, phone, and Internet service between our apartments by running an RG6 cable between our residences and split the bill. Also, have a few wireless access points so that we can share a WiFi connection between the 5 of us.

Is this considered cable theft?

BottomFeeder

Gotta be.

janmike

100% and I work for a Telecommunications company.

Serendipity

So each of us has to have our own bill?

My neighbor pays one bill and "shares" it with the tennant downstairs - that's NOT okay, right?

Serendipity

janmike wrote: »

100% and I work for a Telecommunications company.

Even if all of us are living in the same apartment, shared kitchen but each of us are separated by individual rooms?

Can I just order 4 connections, one for each room?

wingnut4772

appadv wrote: »

Even if all of us are living in the same apartment, shared kitchen but each of us are separated by individual rooms?

Can I just order 4 connections, one for each room?

If it's the same address you should be fine.

Serendipity

Yes, it's the same address.

wingnut4772

Allrighty then.

ben62670

2 Addy's and one service equals illegal. Some play games with wireless. "Constitutionally" any unscrambled wireless signal if free to receive except radar and laser used by the police in some states. If the wireless signal is encrypted you are stealing it with no argument to lean on. You run a wire from one place to another you can get into trouble. People play stupid all the time and say I turned my computer on and had internet I know one guy that changed the name of his puter to comcast because he knew the neighbor used comcast. This way if anyone looked at my network places they would see comcast, and not the name of another computer:D That didn't work for long. Comcast came and asked if he was using the neighbors internet, He said no, and next thing you know it was secured:D

Ben

Disclaimer: The material in this post is to be taken as humor. I do not condone the use of more than one Addy to one service.

ben62670

appadv wrote: »

Yes, it's the same address.

Your good. Previous post does not pertain to you;)

Serendipity

Thanks!

The cable company here only charges $1.75 a month for a CableCard, so if I have multiple TV's it's less than $2/set to have them connected.

ND13

Illegal only if ya get caught.;):D

Serendipity

Uhm...I believe it's been established that this is legal.

The cable provider does give you the option to order additional boxes!!

disneyjoe7

I would think apt A is a different address then apt B so 100% illegal. Now different rooms in an apartment yes legal. Unless it's a lockable door then considered an apartment. I would think anyway.

Serendipity

Different rooms as in a separate, lockable door?

I'm talking about an apartment with a common area (living room), shared kitchen, and individual bedrooms.

It's one address - lots of college kids around here live in similar apartments.

dkg999

In Illinois using a wireless connection, whether secure or open, without patronizing that business is illegal. There was a case were someone parked in front of Starbuck's and used the wireless connection from the car without buying anything at the business, and got busted. IIRC, they did this everyday at about the same time, so stupidity got them busted.

Serendipity

dkg999 wrote: »

In Illinois using a wireless connection, whether secure or open, without patronizing that business is illegal. There was a case were someone parked in front of Starbuck's and used the wireless connection from the car without buying anything at the business, and got busted. IIRC, they did this everyday at about the same time, so stupidity got them busted.

That's someone else's (in this case, a business') wireless connection.

Serendipity

Using a wireless connection that is not yours = illegal.

But from what Wingnut posted, it should be okay to have 1 cable connection shared with others in the same address.

Poee7R

Yes, if you're all living at the same address, you are perfectly fine.

Would have to put the bill in one persons name. Its the same as electricity, water, cable/satellite, phone service etc.


Dave

disneyjoe7

I think the owner should have cable installed and add to rent.

MHayes

appadv wrote: »

If possible, we would like to share Cable TV, phone, and Internet service between our apartments by running an RG6 cable between our residences and split the bill.

This statement makes it sound like there are different apartments. I wouldn't call my own bedroom a residence.

mmadden28

Whatever you do, if you end up with one service for 4 "apts", make sure the one paying the bill/responsible party, sets the purchase/parent codes on the boxes to keep the others or thier freinds from making PPV purchases, etc. without approval.

John30_30

janmike wrote: »

100% and I work for a Telecommunications company.

wrong. Just because the telecommunication company considers it that and wants to get over on you and everyone else doesn't make it the law.
You're paying for the service and the signal that you've paid for is yours to do what you want with.

mmadden28

John30_30 wrote: »

wrong. Just because the telecommunication company considers it that and wants to get over on you and everyone else doesn't make it the law.
You're paying for the service and the signal that you've paid for is yours to do what you want with.

Actually, you have to conform with whatever is in thier subscriber agreement. Violation of that agreement, can make something illegal. Or in some subscriber agreements , the subscriber gives up certqain legal rights and would have to settle any disagreements via a mediator/arbitration.

tcrossma

John30_30 wrote: »

wrong. Just because the telecommunication company considers it that and wants to get over on you and everyone else doesn't make it the law.
You're paying for the service and the signal that you've paid for is yours to do what you want with.

This is not even close to correct.

shadowofnight

I remember a while back ( Good while ) , a friends cable internet service tied the installation software to the NIC's MAC address as to limit the service to that one pc.
Of course we never even used the installation software...set everything up manually and worked around that limitation easily...but your average pc user was stuck to service on that one pc.

Used to be ( Not anymore , they encourage sharing now ) our local dsl service cringed anytime you mentioned the dirty word router in a conversation...cringed even more when wireless routers came on the scene.

I believe service to a single address means service to that address....no matter what you do with the signal inside the residence...so sharing that service inside your shared apartment with different rooms is fine.



I do like ND13's quote though....and I remember that motto back when sharing cable tv service before going to sat service

ND13 wrote: »

Illegal only if ya get caught.;):D

Serendipity

Poee7R wrote: »

Yes, if you're all living at the same address, you are perfectly fine.

Would have to put the bill in one persons name. Its the same as electricity, water, cable/satellite, phone service etc.


Dave

Thanks,

I understand that since it's the same address the bill goes to 1 person's name. Then you tell the cable company that you want additional boxes and they will charge you accordingly.

shadowofnight

appadv wrote: »

Different rooms as in a separate, lockable door?

I'm talking about an apartment with a common area (living room), shared kitchen, and individual bedrooms.

It's one address - lots of college kids around here live in similar apartments.

I did a lot of pc/wireless network installs in like situations.....I never minded when the female residents walked around comfortable while I was working

PhantomOG

It depends on the landlord situation. Did each of you sign independent leases to live there? Are there keyed locks on each bedroom door?


When I was in college I had a similar situation. House was converted into "apartments". Each floor had a shared bathroom and kitchen. Each bedroom on the floor was keyed and the resident had a completely separate lease. We "split" internet connection for a couple months with long cat5 runs between the rooms (back before wireless was ubiquitous). Somehow the cable company found out and complained to the landlord who then threatened to come cut the cables so our jig was up.

goingganzo

dude i love to war hack. if i am out and about and have my labtop and need to use the internet. if you dont secure your wi-fi you are to blame.

rdb2001

If I understand correctly, are all of you living in the same house? If so that is no different from everbody else who uses a wireless router or a switch to share their signal within the house. How is that illegal in anyway. Bellsouth even has the built in wireless router in their modems if you choose. I dont know how sharing a signal in the same house is illegal and as goingganzo said if you dont secure your signal then shame on you.:D. The more people using your signal the slower your connection will get especially if the are downloading or streaming anything.