Hello!
My husband and I just purchased our first proper lap top and wireless Router.
Does anyone know how safe it is to use them? I know you can enable encryption, but does protect what you are sending or just the ability of others to use your connection.
Also, how do I know which connection is mine? When I start the lap top, it recognizes more than one wireless network!
Thanks,
Sandy
You need to do a little searching on wireless home networks.
We use encryption, filter by mac address to keep others out, and dissable broadcasting that we have a wireless network.
If someone really really really wants in, they are gonna get in eventually. But that isn’t the case with most people. In fact most people seem to use the default settings, plugging it in and letting it run, never thinking twice.
Ps. you can tell windows to use your own network only. Rename your network from the default to something else.
The guy from Spleen is right. Being a bit active about securing your system helps a lot, but consumer stuff is as inherently insecure as a teenager at prom. On the bright side, most hacks require someone really putting effort into surveilling you. Call it a hunting thing, not a fishing expedition.
Hi Sandy
Check on your router set up program for something called SSID, it will probably be set to something like Default or the name of the company manufacturing your router. Change this to something else and when you go back to the laptop you will be able to identify what is your network. As a quick check however look for the signal with the highest signal strength, it is most likely the one for your network.
David
Thanks guys, the computer seems to automatically want to sign into the strongest signal which is mine so that problem is solved. What a learning curve!
Again thanks for the input.
Sandy
…and if yours is up and the neighbor’s is down where do you think his computer will connect?
Listen to VB & David…
You are giving access, to your network, to anyone (and any malware they have contracted) in the area…