Wireless Safe?
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- ArtDirector
I just got this laptop with wireless internet connection. I'd like to put all my private information, but will it be safe since it's wireless? I have norton's internet security.
- -leah-0
make sure you protect it with a password and you should be fine
- chimchim0
it depends on what kind of encryption methods you use to connect to your wireless router.
for example...you can connect to a network with no encryption..or you can use 128bit...with many settings in between. Are you paranoid?
Are you on a powerbook (I assume)
- ArtDirector0
I have to type in a password for my Windows XP home edition. Is that what you mean? Thanks
- ArtDirector0
I'm on the Sony Vaio s260, and i'm getting free wireless connection at work and home =)
- chimchim0
well...you need to set up some kind of password with encryption between your laptop and the wireless base station hooked to your cable modem or dsl. A trained hacker could intercept and capture your keystrokes if you transmit on an open network.
- chimchim0
(I'm using an extreme case scenario here)
it's not like people do that stuff everyday:)
- ArtDirector0
Thing is, i'm getting the internet connection for free from a neighbor. Am I still safe?
- Mick0
Haha
I wouldn't go using your creditcard or any important passwords while you're connected ;)
- ribit0
ha ha... using someone else's unsecured network, and wondering if its safe for you...
(actually.. I wonder if you could setup a secure VPN tunnel through your neighbors connection, so they are locked out from reading any of your communications going through their network??)
- ribit0
Data on you computer should still be safe, assuming you have the Firewall running, and all file sharing switched off or adequately password protected...
- TenaciousG0
If you have a VPN to connect to, then you can connect to it through any connection, anywhere, even a neighbor's wireless. ;-)
- ribit0
hmmm.. If you were to do that, I wonder if its possible to prevent them from disconnecting you or even switching off their connection? :)
- rabattski0
ofcourse they still can disconnect. anyways, *everything* can be hacked wireless or non-wireless it's just a matter of a) are you interesting enough to hack and b) the degree of protection that makes you a target or not.
- ribit0
but if you hacked into their system and made it so they think theyve disconnected you, but havent?
- rabattski0
depends what they use. most likely it's a standard wlan/router. making yourself invisible makes the router think you're not there so it can't filter/pass the ip traffic you request so that's not an option. i'd say don't worry about it. most people don't even know how to log into their router anyways (or never ever actually took the time to do so). but you can log into their router and check what router they're using, find online what the default password is, login, change the password and you own it. the only way they can undo it is by a hard reset of the router.
- Luckypp0
If you are on a PC, then by NO MEANS are you safe, and the wireless connection has nothing to do with it. Just connecting to the internet with a PC is a security risk.
- strabley0
go to Internet Explorer and type http://192.168.1.1 and use admin for the username and admin for the password. See whats open.
- rabattski0
could be but doesn't have to be that ip. differs per router. most routers also let you change that. either way there are a lot of ip tools out there who let you do an ip address scan to see if there's something alive or not. just look at your ip (take over the first 3) and scan the entire range from xxx.xxx.xxx.0 to xxx.xxx.xxx.255 (or worst case, take over the first two, is xxx.xxx.0.0 to xxx.xxx.255.255)
- strabley0
about 90% of all routers bought for home use are more open than my ex girlfriends legs, so let em have it.
- rabattski0
yeah fascinating isn't it? most computer users panic about virusses in their e-mail etc but most of the time they just leave the port to hell open. must say though that most routers by default are getting better except that you can find most default admin passwords in the manufacturers faq's online.