What's your Wi-Fi password?!

[ohbigdaddio]

This has just happened and I didn't have a clue what to say and feel like an idiot!

So a man just came to my door and said he was staying next door for a few weeks and doesn't have wifi so wanted to use mine until they get it installed in a few day's time. That didn't add up to me as if you were staying somewhere temporarily then you would just use 4G or go to a cafe and use free wi-fi there! It's a rented house with various people living there and I didn't want to give my password out anyway but also he could tell the whole house and then everyone there could use it for free! It's also hard to believe that nobody in the house has wi-fi.

He was quite pushy and I told him to use 4G or BT wi-fi FON. He ignored this and when I wouldn't give him the password he got annoyed and said "So you're not going to give me the password then? I'm your neighbour!!" He added that his mum was ill in Pakistan and he wanted to phone her with my Wi-fi code...

I told him I was in a rush to go out (was in middle of drying my hair!) and I would get back to him. God knows why I said that, I just didn't know what to say and just wanted him to go.

Any ideas?! Don't know if I over reacted but there have been some dodgy characters next door and I just didn't feel comfortable potentially giving them all my password.

IMNOTAMUG

Wow CF indeed! Quite right to say no.
Would never dream of asking the neighbours for their passwords and I know them quite well. Whenever I have a new piece of kit and want to use my brother's wifi when I am staying at his, I ask him to key in the password. Admittedly I save it but he is my brother .......

I'd tell him you don't hand out your wifi to anyone not in your household and that the local library has internet access and his phone bill is not your problem.

I know I did the right thing but wish I had the quick thinking to just say f--- off!

I like and know our neighbours and wouldn't let them use our wifi. I would let them use our computer or phone in an emergency. This guy is a stranger who is staying near you short term.

Absolutely do not do this.

If he does something, whether indecent or expensive, you will be liable (possible criminally responsible).

Plus, is your wifi password the same as your password for other things? Totally dangerous!!!

Funnily I have actually done this for random neighbours who wanted Wi-Fi. They were only renting for three months on some exchange program, foreign students. They did offer to pay but I let them use it for free. I'm reasonably tech savvy and set up a segregated guest type network on my router with some bandwidth restrictions. I wouldn't be amazingly worried about dodgy stuff tied to my IP. I'd have at least a reasonable explanation and no trace of weirdness on my hardware. Not sure that is watertight but no one has come after me yet.

My neighbour let me use her wifi when I first moved in and I paid her bill for the month.

Yeah you CAN change the router name. DH put FBI surveillance van on ours once (I think someone further upthread said something similar.)

There are a raft of funny names you can use. Here are some of my faves.

The LAN Before Time
It Burns When IP
Pretty Fly for a Wi-Fi
FBI Surveillance Van #594 (scares away stupid criminals)
LAN of Milk and Honey
Hide Yo Kids, Hide Yo Wi-Fi!
Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Lan
Skynet Global Defense Network
Help, I’m Trapped in a Router!
A LANnister Always Surfs The Net (for Game of Thrones fans)
Silence of the LAN
Wi believe I can Fi
Click Here for Viruses
Wu-Tang LAN
I Can Haz Wireless?
Look Ma, No Wires!
Network Not Found
2 Girls, 1 Router
One Does Not Simply Log Into Mordor (for Lord of the Rings fans)
Winternet is Coming (for Game of Thrones fans)
99 problems, but WiFi ain’t one
Please Connect for Identity Theft
I Pronounce you Man and WiFi
I’m Under Your Bed
Ermahgerd, Wi-Fi!

How to change router name...

In order to change that name, you simply have to log into your router through your Web browser. Basically, you just enter a string of numbers into the URL of your browser. You can find this by looking on the bottom of your router or simply searching the Net for your router brand. Netgear routers, for instance, use 192.168.1.1 to reach the admin screen. At this point, you just navigate through the admin to find the Wi-Fi network name, then change it.

Ash him what his bank PIN number is and to leave his card with you for security. If he asks if you're insane, ask if he is.

What a CF.

Tell him you'd like to run an extension lead from his house so you can use his electricity. After all he is your neighbour!

I wouldn't give him my password. I'd change my wifi name to "fuck off you cheeky fucker" though.

Alpha & Rockin

www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/how-to/how-to-change-your-routers-wifi-settings

And the award for cheeky fucker of the week goes to...

Do not do it. He could down load anything!!

Fucking cheeky cunt!!

What a cheeky sod. I changed the name of my router to Get Your Own Bastard Wifi when I found out that my next door neighbour had asked DS17 if they could use ours while theirs had been cut off (they are the same age as DS so probably thought he'd be an easy touch). Luckily he said he didn't think I would be happy with it.

If someone really wanted to do something iffy with your wifi they would probably just hack it.

Please don't say you don't know your password. It's printed on the router, as he would no doubt tell you. You need to shut down the conversation and the simplest way is to say you checked with your BB company and they advised you against giving out your password for security reasons and because you are near your download limit anyway. So sorry but there is free WiFi at the library/coffee shop/supermarket. Then smile.

Wtf did I read? Invite him in to use your laptop to do what he needs.. that is shocking advice.

Just tell him no. Go and ask his housemates for their password.

Brilliant, thank you Wine, I’m going to have fun with that 😁

Christ, seriously cheeky. I'd probably give my upstairs neighbours my password if e.g. their WiFi was down due to building work or something; but one of them has been my neighbour for about 8 years, the other about 3, and we are all friendly and do each other favours. I'd probably change it afterwards even then, TBH, not because I don't trust them but just for security best practice.

Not the same as letting a stranger have it. How dare he stand on your doorstep and pressure you?

Absolutely don't do it.

He might use it for downloading illegal porn, and you could then be responsible.