WiFi already manages this. Systems set up like eduroam have a student sign in to their university WiFi one time and have access to WiFi across their campus and all other universities that support eduroam.
There are also commercial options. ISPs offer a similar service where you enable your home router to broadcast a ISP connection point alongside your normal WiFi access point. This enables you to join any other ISP connection point where ever you go.
The issue with this is control. You would have to give up control of your access point to the centralised system. So your internet access may be limited by other people using your line.
And not to mention liability issues if you share a network like that with neighbors. If they start doing illegal stuff while connected to your router, you are on the hook for it.
That article doesn’t actually cite any legal precedent for someone being held liable, just a case in 2011 where the guy was found not guilty. It just says you could possibly be liable.
It would be like charging the ISP because someone did illegal stuff.
I have to imagine that on routers where the ISP offers a parallel portal through your gear, they isolate the other user’s traffic from your home network and will trace any illegal activity back to that particular subscriber.
Granted, this is probably a good reason to ditch your ISPs hardware and use your own where you can. Even AT&Ts gear can be set up in bridge mode to where it acts as simply a modem for your own hardware. Like hell if I want random people posted up outside my house to use the internet.
WiFi already manages this. Systems set up like eduroam have a student sign in to their university WiFi one time and have access to WiFi across their campus and all other universities that support eduroam.
There are also commercial options. ISPs offer a similar service where you enable your home router to broadcast a ISP connection point alongside your normal WiFi access point. This enables you to join any other ISP connection point where ever you go.
The issue with this is control. You would have to give up control of your access point to the centralised system. So your internet access may be limited by other people using your line.
And not to mention liability issues if you share a network like that with neighbors. If they start doing illegal stuff while connected to your router, you are on the hook for it.
Who needs a VPN when I can just use my neighbor’s hotspot to torrent and let them get the DMCA notices!
No, that possibility is why you’re not on the hook for it. An ip address is not enough to prove what person did it.
https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/wi-fi-network-criminal-liability.html#what-happens-if-someone-engages-in-illegal-activity-using-my-wi-fi-connection
If you knowingly share your connection with someone else and then they go on to do illegal activities with it, you can be held liable.
That article doesn’t actually cite any legal precedent for someone being held liable, just a case in 2011 where the guy was found not guilty. It just says you could possibly be liable.
It would be like charging the ISP because someone did illegal stuff.
I have to imagine that on routers where the ISP offers a parallel portal through your gear, they isolate the other user’s traffic from your home network and will trace any illegal activity back to that particular subscriber.
Granted, this is probably a good reason to ditch your ISPs hardware and use your own where you can. Even AT&Ts gear can be set up in bridge mode to where it acts as simply a modem for your own hardware. Like hell if I want random people posted up outside my house to use the internet.