RV Park Wi-Fi Issues

I guess I'll just live life on the edge and continue to use campground wifi. :)

When referring to public WiFi, it generally understood as any network that is an 'unsecured' or unencrypted connection, not requiring WiFi login password. This includes coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, campgrounds, etc. If not using a 'secured' connection, then advisable to use a trustworthy VPN while accessing the network.

Don't be fooled by captive portal landing page which requires a password. Check your browser that the connection is or remains secured.

philh wrote:

magicbus wrote:
It’s not the “accessibility and attractiveness “ of a WIFI site. Picture yourself at a Starbucks, Mickey D’s, or wherever trying to locate the “public” WIFI site. Easy to latch onto a nefarious imitation. Now picture yourself at a campground where you were handed the name and password of the legit WIFI site when you check in. See the difference? I always use cell access from my phone or cell modem/router, but I have no fear of WIFI site at campgrounds after applying a bit of appropriate intelligence.

Dave

Friend of mine,super high end geek PhD, who I suspect was doing work for NSA used to amuse himself sniffing out hackers on any publicaccess wifi and would directly interface with the hackers screen. He said he stopped being surprised at how many people would be sniffing passwords and other content

This reminded me of a TED Talk some time ago to expose vulnerabilities of using public WiFi.

As a demonstration, a hacker built a simple wheeled robot with an ipad screen. The robot would triangulate the location of someone who was connected to the local public WiFi, and roll itself up next to that individual. It would then display the passwords the person used to access email/websites during their session.

Pretty effective in pointing out, if not a humorous way of showing how unsafe it can be to use public WiFi networks.

The issue is that its not difficult for a hacker to use the same SSID as the public WiFi, create a similar looking landing page or captive portal, and capture any login passwords for popular websites. It could even pass the login info to the actual site so the user would have no clue that their credential had been stolen. As they are logged into the site they wanted.

Worse if you allowed public sharing of files on your device.

Either avoid using public WiFi (unsecured), or only use along with a paid VPN service.

fj12ryder wrote:

RetiredRealtorRick wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:

RetiredRealtorRick wrote:
Look around. Campgrounds are not the only places with public (free) wifi, are they?? Come on now, there's public wifi EVERYWHERE. I speak not only of campgrounds (didn't think I'd need to explain that).

To your question, I know of numerous people that have encountered issues by using public wifi. So, enlighten me -- is the public wifi different in campgrounds than it is, let's say, in a restaurant or in a store or in a hotel? If so, how?

As a matter of fact, yes, public free wifi in the places you named is different than campgrounds. Someone can sit there plying his trade, and be exposed to many different sources in a pretty short amount of time. It's worth his time and effort to troll these popular places. A campground...not so much. Which is why I specifically stated "free campground wifi". But then I also don't know anyone who's ever had an issue with any free wifi, other than the apocryphal stories on the internet. :)

So, it's not really the actual wifi that's different (even though you say it is), but just the accessibility and attractiveness to a potential hacker (if that's the correct word).

And, if you've never talked to anyone that's had an issue with any free wifi, maybe I just talk to a lot more people than you do, eh? :h

Exactly, it's like the real estate agent says: "Location, location, location."

Well, maybe you just believe more of what you read/hear than I do. :)

Yes, I have no problem whatsoever believing people that I have known for many, many years. Sorry if you do.

RetiredRealtorRick wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:

RetiredRealtorRick wrote:
Look around. Campgrounds are not the only places with public (free) wifi, are they?? Come on now, there's public wifi EVERYWHERE. I speak not only of campgrounds (didn't think I'd need to explain that).

To your question, I know of numerous people that have encountered issues by using public wifi. So, enlighten me -- is the public wifi different in campgrounds than it is, let's say, in a restaurant or in a store or in a hotel? If so, how?

As a matter of fact, yes, public free wifi in the places you named is different than campgrounds. Someone can sit there plying his trade, and be exposed to many different sources in a pretty short amount of time. It's worth his time and effort to troll these popular places. A campground...not so much. Which is why I specifically stated "free campground wifi". But then I also don't know anyone who's ever had an issue with any free wifi, other than the apocryphal stories on the internet. :)

So, it's not really the actual wifi that's different (even though you say it is), but just the accessibility and attractiveness to a potential hacker (if that's the correct word).

And, if you've never talked to anyone that's had an issue with any free wifi, maybe I just talk to a lot more people than you do, eh? :h

Exactly, it's like the real estate agent says: "Location, location, location."

Well, maybe you just believe more of what you read/hear than I do. :)

philh wrote:

magicbus wrote:
It’s not the “accessibility and attractiveness “ of a WIFI site. Picture yourself at a Starbucks, Mickey D’s, or wherever trying to locate the “public” WIFI site. Easy to latch onto a nefarious imitation. Now picture yourself at a campground where you were handed the name and password of the legit WIFI site when you check in. See the difference? I always use cell access from my phone or cell modem/router, but I have no fear of WIFI site at campgrounds after applying a bit of appropriate intelligence.

Dave

Friend of mine,super high end geek PhD, who I suspect was doing work for NSA used to amuse himself sniffing out hackers on any publicaccess wifi and would directly interface with the hackers screen. He said he stopped being surprised at how many people would be sniffing passwords and other content

Probably not doing this at campgrounds. LOL

magicbus wrote:
It’s not the “accessibility and attractiveness “ of a WIFI site. Picture yourself at a Starbucks, Mickey D’s, or wherever trying to locate the “public” WIFI site. Easy to latch onto a nefarious imitation. Now picture yourself at a campground where you were handed the name and password of the legit WIFI site when you check in. See the difference? I always use cell access from my phone or cell modem/router, but I have no fear of WIFI site at campgrounds after applying a bit of appropriate intelligence.

Dave

Friend of mine,super high end geek PhD, who I suspect was doing work for NSA used to amuse himself sniffing out hackers on any publicaccess wifi and would directly interface with the hackers screen. He said he stopped being surprised at how many people would be sniffing passwords and other content

It’s not the “accessibility and attractiveness “ of a WIFI site. Picture yourself at a Starbucks, Mickey D’s, or wherever trying to locate the “public” WIFI site. Easy to latch onto a nefarious imitation. Now picture yourself at a campground where you were handed the name and password of the legit WIFI site when you check in. See the difference? I always use cell access from my phone or cell modem/router, but I have no fear of WIFI site at campgrounds after applying a bit of appropriate intelligence.

Dave

fj12ryder wrote:

RetiredRealtorRick wrote:
Look around. Campgrounds are not the only places with public (free) wifi, are they?? Come on now, there's public wifi EVERYWHERE. I speak not only of campgrounds (didn't think I'd need to explain that).

To your question, I know of numerous people that have encountered issues by using public wifi. So, enlighten me -- is the public wifi different in campgrounds than it is, let's say, in a restaurant or in a store or in a hotel? If so, how?

As a matter of fact, yes, public free wifi in the places you named is different than campgrounds. Someone can sit there plying his trade, and be exposed to many different sources in a pretty short amount of time. It's worth his time and effort to troll these popular places. A campground...not so much. Which is why I specifically stated "free campground wifi". But then I also don't know anyone who's ever had an issue with any free wifi, other than the apocryphal stories on the internet. :)

So, it's not really the actual wifi that's different (even though you say it is), but just the accessibility and attractiveness to a potential hacker (if that's the correct word).

And, if you've never talked to anyone that's had an issue with any free wifi, maybe I just talk to a lot more people than you do, eh? :h

RetiredRealtorRick wrote:
Look around. Campgrounds are not the only places with public (free) wifi, are they?? Come on now, there's public wifi EVERYWHERE. I speak not only of campgrounds (didn't think I'd need to explain that).

To your question, I know of numerous people that have encountered issues by using public wifi. So, enlighten me -- is the public wifi different in campgrounds than it is, let's say, in a restaurant or in a store or in a hotel? If so, how?

As a matter of fact, yes, public free wifi in the places you named is different than campgrounds. Someone can sit there plying his trade, and be exposed to many different sources in a pretty short amount of time. It's worth his time and effort to troll these popular places. A campground...not so much. Which is why I specifically stated "free campground wifi". But then I also don't know anyone who's ever had an issue with any free wifi, other than the apocryphal stories on the internet. :)