But the next time she uses an illegal file-sharing network to pick up a new Kanye West or 50 Cent track, there could be an extra pair of eyes looking over her shoulder.

September is the start of the prime season for illegal file-sharing monitors, such as the Recording Industry Association of America, or RIAA, to step up their quest to deter students from stealing music.

If the trend of previous years holds up, as is expected, nearly 150 e-mails will go out to students in the next two months warning them their Internet connection is under suspicion for illegal downloading. That number is nearly four times the amount of notices sent in August.

This year’s figures could leap even higher, as more students are taking advantage of wireless Internet used by others.

Randall Hall, who is in charge of network acceptable use policy compliance, said complaints made against students illegally downloading spiked last year from 39 in August to 145 in September. Two years ago, the number of complaints increased from 35 in August to 243 in September.

Hall added that wireless routers installed in dorm rooms across campus have led to an increased amount of students unknowingly being targeted for illegal file-sharing.

“A huge problem is students who use wireless routers and don’t password protect them,” he said. “Those wireless routers are registered to the student, and by design, when we look at that connection, we see the router.”

Hall said he’s met with students who haven’t illegally downloaded files themselves, but have fallen victim to others accessing MSU’s Internet service through their wireless router.

When MSU receives a complaint from the RIAA regarding a student or faculty member illegally sharing files, it sends a warning e-mail to the person registered to the Internet connection from which the files were downloaded. If the warning is not heeded, Hall meets with the registered person. If the file-sharing continues, suspended MSU Internet access and fines can result.

While MSU was once ranked at the top of the RIAA’s complaint list, the university fell to No. 7 last school year. Hall says he expects the downward trend to continue.

No preference sophomore Manuel Wilson said he begrudgingly started using Ruckus, a free music download service provided by the university, to get his tunes after hearing of students getting busted for using illegal downloading methods.

“I’ve seen a few people use it, but they got caught,” he said. “You want to take your music with you, but you really can’t because you’re using Ruckus.”

The increase in complaints at the start of the school year doesn’t have Smith worried that she’ll become a blip on the RIAA’s radar.

“It’s hard to believe people can get caught,” she said, adding that if she received an e-mail from the university, “I’d be more cautious about it, but I wouldn’t stop. I’d just slow it down.”