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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask neighbour if I can use his wifi?

326 replies

Foliageeverywhere122 · 21/11/2020 17:36

Just moved into a new flat by myself.

The earliest I can get wifi is not until next Fri (and even that's with lots of pestering to sky..) .

Would I be a total CF to ask neighbour if it would be possible to use his wifi until then? I would be really happy to pay however much he thought was reasonable and thought I could give him my number so that if it turns out 2 people on it means it's too slow for him I would stop using it!

I honestly think I will go mad if I have to sit in silence for a week. I've been alone since march and (sad as it seems) I've really found having podcasts/netflix playing in the background makes me feel less lonely and anxious. I've had already had to pay for 8GB data but need to keep that for work - it should be just enough for next week with a couple of video calls but def not for anything else! No TV so I can't drown out the silence that way...

OP posts:
Womencanlift · 21/11/2020 21:00

@AntiHop

Why aren't your work paying for your wifi?
Why would an employer pay for wifi? Even though a lot of people are wfh I have not heard of any employer paying their employee’s internet bill

Not arguing just genuinely interested if there are employers out there paying this

Icanflyhigh · 21/11/2020 21:02

@Sentient I guess I must be.
Aah well.

SentientAndCognisant · 21/11/2020 21:02

Sharing potentially compromising info inc passwords isn’t nice or neighbourly
It’s a data breach
It’s not indicative of lack of empathy to decline, it’s simply being tech savvy

user1471453601 · 21/11/2020 21:06

I would let both NDNs have our wifi. Having said that, one we've known for 20+ years and is currently self isolating. The other side are nice, we've known for 5+ years. He's terminally ill.

We are not emotionally close to either, but at the start of the first lockdown, we exchanged mobile phone numbers, and all said we would help each other if needed.

We benefited from this. One night, when DD, the only driver in the family, had a few beers. Our dog became ill and we were advised to go to emergency vets. One neighbour, in the midst of first lock down, got out of the bath she was having, and drove DD (masked and Windows open) to vets and back.

So, we initiated the "we will help if you need it", but we benefited.

So, ask. And if they agree, pay the favour on

Calcifer12 · 21/11/2020 21:15

I like to be friendly to neighbours. I feed their pets when they're away, and would happily give tea bags/lend a lawnmower/take their parcels in etc.

But I wouldn't share our WiFi password.

Zararose9x · 21/11/2020 21:17

Stand outside a friends or family’s house with your phone/iPad and download programmes on Netflix ect to watch at home?

1Morewineplease · 21/11/2020 21:20

Don't ask. You can get by , for a week or two , without those luxuries.

Thehogfatherstolemycurry · 21/11/2020 21:24

Hell would freeze over first.

My oh works in law enforcement (specialist area of Internet crime) and its really very common for him to have to seize neighbours devices and go to the wrong house because dodgy Larry next door is using their WiFi so their ip address is the one flagged!
Your neighbour doesn't know you from Adam why on earth would they give you this access?
Some of you here are being very nieve and putting yourself at risk in your eagerness to be nice.
Get a dongle!

PinkOrchids7 · 21/11/2020 21:33

Very dangerous to share your WiFi password with a stranger. They could hack you or download illegal and horrific material. You’ll also be introducing yourself as a cf and they’ll be wary of you. Not a great impression. You can get unlimited data packages for around the amount you’re currently paying.

youwouldthink · 21/11/2020 21:37

Buy a dongle/MBB device and a payg unlimited data pack you can top up once a month for £20 till you get your wifi. You can pair all your devices to it

switswooo · 21/11/2020 21:38

Yes it’s not something I would ever dream of asking unless I knew the neighbour well. If my NDN asked, I would say yes without hesitation because we’ve known eachother for years, but if other neighbours asked me I would feel put on the spot.

HotSauceCommittee · 21/11/2020 21:53

I wouldn't mind if you'd asked me in those circumstances. It's nice to be friends with your neighbours.

Ariela · 21/11/2020 21:54

There's loads of black Friday offers, eg 160GB a month for £20, and if you work for NHS
ee.co.uk/nhs-unlimited-data-allowance

inthekitchensink · 21/11/2020 22:03

Plenty of harm in asking I’m afraid. If you’re sharing WiFi and they are looking at anything illegal, if police knock down the door you could get the blame.

newusername2009 · 21/11/2020 22:12

I’d be happy to let a neighbour have my WiFi code whilst they waited to get set up - really don’t see the big deal for 1 week!

lockdownend · 21/11/2020 22:19

@newusername2009

I’d be happy to let a neighbour have my WiFi code whilst they waited to get set up - really don’t see the big deal for 1 week!
Then you don’t understand the dangers you’d be opening yourself up to and need to educate yourself on cyber security.

Your ignorance can not be your defence.

Mandalorian · 21/11/2020 23:00

My son in law works in cyber security. I'd never share my wifi because handing over that password is just like handing over your laptop to someone with a little bit of knowledge.

malmi · 21/11/2020 23:03

Some people really do assume the worst of their neighbours don't they? I'm surprised you open the door to them. What if they shoot you?

SentientAndCognisant · 21/11/2020 23:03

It’s the Pollyanna responses, oh it’s mighty neighbourly and nice to share

Mandalorian · 21/11/2020 23:14

@malmi

Some people really do assume the worst of their neighbours don't they? I'm surprised you open the door to them. What if they shoot you?
What a strange over reaction to simple security.

I like my neighbours, I'd go so far as to say I'd trust them. Would I hand them my banking details? Absolutely not.

PigletJohn · 21/11/2020 23:16

@mummmy2017

On settings....
@mummy2017 has it

"Tethering" (with a cable) or "hotspot" (your smartphone creates wifi) and you can run off the data allowance on your phone.

I do it when away from home or when Broadband is down.

Having set up the network name and password, it takes only seconds to do.

Lalliella · 21/11/2020 23:42

You can’t ask that! It’s massively cheeky and puts your neighbour in a really awkward position. Do you really want to start your neighbourly relationship like that? You’re a complete stranger to him and you could be up to all sorts with his WiFi, which he would be liable for. Ffs what have we come to as a society if someone can’t live a few days without WiFi? Have you ever heard of reading a book?

Redlocks28 · 21/11/2020 23:58

Embarrassed to say I'm a Gen X/Millennial and have no dvds/radio/cds/dl music.

Yet you’re managed to get yourself so fleeced you’ve paid £22 for 8GB of data! That’s the sort of thing my mum might do!

Yet, she has a radio and would rather read or watch the telly than do something needing WiFi.

I wouldn’t let a neighbour do this-it is cheeky in the extreme.

Alexadomyhair · 22/11/2020 00:00

What does CF mean...? Hmm

I don’t think you should ask to use the internet, even if you offer to pay.

It puts the neighbour in an awkward position.
We’ve had new neighbours move in next door. I wouldn’t want them using our wifi but I would feel really uncomfortable telling them no.

For the sake of a week just buy some extra data on your mobile phone.

TeeniefaeTroon · 22/11/2020 00:06

I wouldn't mind, in fact I offered our neighbours our password when theirs was off for a month.