Let's look at what the law actually does about unauthorized access to personal networks:
It's a felony in Florida:
http://money.cnn.com/2005/07/07\tech...reless_arrest/
The man illegally accessing the network was charged with a felony and had his laptop confiscated. Right on.
And here's one from Michigan:
http://www.networkworld.com/news/200...ifi.html?t51hb
This guy was even fined for using a public Wifi hotspot from a parked car. Yes, the owners provided wifi, *but for their paying customers inside the premises*, not for any passerby. And he got off easy. It's a felony in Michigan, up to a $10K fine.
It's also a felony in Illinois:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060323-6447.html
So, I think the law is clear. If you access a wireless network without the owner's permission, you are committing a felony in most states of the union. From the last article, it seems that even the NY Times has whined about it, saying it ought to be a "public service". Well, the law does not, and should not, agree.
Let me repeat this to the OP. You are most likely committing a felony.
-Richard