Should I allow other people to access my Wi-Fi service? Wi-Fi Security Tips And Facts

Some users often see no harm in sharing there Wi-Fi signals, giving neighbors and even total strangers free access to the Internet. Others hold fast that piggybacking can open their networks to potential danger. The decision is yours, but if you choose not to encrypt, make sure to disable file sharing. Assuming you have your hardware firewall turned on, the worst that probably will happen is that your throughput will drop if your piggybacking friends crank up BitTorrent every evening. If you want to determine whether others are using your unsecured network, most routers have a page that lists all the wireless clients currently connected.

Some people, are not comfortable with the idea of allowing just anyone to use their wireless service. Feeling that that kinda practice can make your network vulnerable to hackers, since anyone who uses your wireless signal is on your home network. Malevolent users, for instance, could release nasty viruses or hijack your PC. That's not vary likely, but you should avoid the possibility by using WPA to protect yourself and keep others off your network.

What should I do to secure my Wi-Fi network?

Routers offer two common forms of security: WEP, and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption. Both are easy to enable, although you'll get maximum protection from WPA. To activate security, go to your router's browser-based administration tool (the default address for most routers is http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1.1) and look for the wireless-security area. WPA requires you to enter a simple security phrase (eight to 63 characters), or, with some routers, a more secure (but much harder to remember) 64-digit key. Similarly, WEP demands that you choose from 64-bit or 128-bit encryption, and enter an alphanumeric hex phrase,.

In addition to enabling wireless security, you can also disable the broadcasting of the Service Set Identifier (SSID, or network name). Doing so can make the network more difficult for hackers to see. Also, make sure to enable the router's hardware firewall (more on that later), and change the router's default password. And never enable file sharing, unless you really use it.

How To Get Secure Internet access in a public hotspot

Wireless transmissions on a public hot spot are typically unencrypted, and thus exposed to snooping. All computers on a public hot spot are typically exposed to each other, and thus vulnerable to network attacks.

Use a software firewall
A good software "firewall" will protect your computer from network attacks.

Make sure you are using strong passwords on all system accounts (including Administrator) and on all user accounts.

When Using Microsoft Windows

Use Simple File Sharing (Windows XP only); or
Make sure that all network shares are secured with strong passwords (all versions of Windows). Use Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Computer Management, Shared Folders, Shares to review and check Properties of all network shares

My Wake On LAN (WOL) won't work from the Internet how Can I Fix This

The problem is that for a router to send magic WOL packets to your network, you need either: 1.an external router interface for generating and sending magic WOL packets, or 2.manual enabling of a static route or directed broadcast. Many (most?) low-end routers don't have that capability because of the risk of smurf denial of service attacks.
WHAT IS A SMURF ATTACK?

The smurf attack is a way of generating a lot of computer network traffic to a victim site. That is, it is a type of denial-of-service attack. Specifically, it floods a target system via spoofed broadcast ping messages.

In such an attack, a perpetrator sends a large amount of ICMP echo (ping) traffic to IP broadcast addresses, all of it having a spoofed source address of the intended victim. If the routing device delivering traffic to those broadcast addresses delivers the IP broadcast to all hosts (for example via a layer 2 broadcast), most hosts on that IP network will take the ICMP echo request and reply to it with an echo reply, multiplying the traffic by the number of hosts responding. On a multi-access broadcast network, hundreds of machines might reply to each packet.

Today, thanks largely to the ease with which administrators can make a network immune to this abuse, very few networks remain vulnerable to smurf attacks.

The fix is twofold:

Configure individual hosts and routers not to respond to ping requests to broadcast addresses, and Configure routers not to forward packets directed to broadcast addresses.

Another proposed solution, to fix this as well as other problems, is network ingress filtering which rejects the attacking packets on the basis of the forged source address.

Wi-Fi Speed Whay Is my Wi Fi Connection Slow Slow

The raw speed reported by your wireless network adapter is not necessarily a reliable indicator of actual raw speed. The reason is that transmit speed fluctuates according to the wireless error rate, and when the wireless link is idle, unrealistic speed may be reported (since no errors are occuring when the wireless link is idle).

Data can only flow on one wireless link in one direction at any one time, which means that the maximum data transfer rate will be well below half of the raw wireless network speed.

Increase transmit power
Won't help on receiving, so higher power may well be needed at both ends.
Takes a lot more power to make a substantial difference in range.
May increase interference to other users of the frequency band.
Improving antenna (helping sending & receiving) is usually more effective & neighborly.

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My Wireless connection drops periodically How Do I Fix This

Possible interference
Try manufacturer's wireless connection manager -- If your hardware came with its own wireless connection manager, trying installing and configuring it to manage wireless connections. (Some drivers will not maintain the association with the strongest signal access point in situations with high density access points.)

Too much wireless (RF) interference

Switch to a different channel
First try minimally interfering channels: 1, 6, and 11

If that doesn't solve the problem, try other channels

Remove interference (e.g., replace 2.4 GHz cordless phone with 900 MHz or 5 GHz cordless phone) Use a directional antenna or reflector pointed
toward desired radio, and
away from source of interference,
Switch to 802.11a (5 GHz)

Find a Wi Fi Hotspot anywhere in the world Search for free and paid hotspots

Search for free and paid hotspots anywhere in the world by chatting with the Wi-Fi Companion just like your other Skype buddies.

Search any part of an address such as the zip code or city name, or type a phrase like "free hotspots in Paris" and in approximately 15 seconds you'll have the first 5 results back from the Companion.

Search on keywords like "cafe" or "hotel," or you can search by actual names of venues like "McDonald's" or "Borders." You can also combine keywords such as "free" and "hotel" for more precise results. See "Use keywords" for a list of possible keywords to help you search.

Send your list of hotspots to yourself or anyone else simply by typing in an email address.

Find yourself anywhere in the world
No matter where you are in the world, the Wi-Fi Companion displays your exact location and all hotspots and other services around you.


Use the Find Me tab at the top of the map to view your location and all the hotspots in your current location.

View local information such as news, weather, time and even directions and traffic reports.

Time Warner Customers Get Free Wi-Fi

Time Warner Customers Get Wi-Fi Hotspots

In a big win for a little Wi-Fi startup called Fon, Time Warner Cable Inc. will let its home broadband customers turn their connections into public wireless hotspots, a practice shunned by most U.S. Internet service providers.

Fon was founded in Spain in 1995 on the premise that people shouldn’t have to pay twice — once at home, then again in a coffee shop — for Internet access. At first, the company offered software that let members, called Foneros, turn Wi-Fi routers into shared access points, but it took hours to get up and running.

La Fonera splits a Wi-Fi connection in two: an encrypted channel for the Fonero and a public one for neighbors or passers-by. Foneros can decide how much of their bandwidth to share with the public and can log on to any Fon router without charge. “Aliens,” as Fon calls nonmembers, can register on a Web page and pay a modest $2 or $3 for 24 hours of access.

Joanna Rees, chief executive of Fon USA, said such rates at coffee shops, airports and hotels might work for a business person with an expense account but are too high for people who just want to quickly check e-mail, make a call on a Wi-Fi phone or play on a wireless video game device.

Starbucks Corp. and T-Mobile USA Inc. representatives responded that they provide a premium service, and that customers see value in paying for speed, security and reliability.

But until now, ISPs in the U.S. have resisted the Fon model. Most big companies’ end-user license agreements prohibit subscribers from sharing their connection outside the home or business. Verizon Communications Inc., for example, can terminate contracts if it finds an ad-hoc hotspot.

“It’s a dirty secret how much leeching” goes on, Rees said. She said ISPs should embrace Fon because the routers, which require that “aliens” enter a valid credit card number before getting online, put a sharp stop to the leeching. And getting free access to the worldwide network of La Fonera routers encourages people to get or keep a broadband connection at home.

Time Warner may be looking ahead to the not-so-distant future when some of the 300 or so municipal wireless projects — featuring free or at least inexpensive broadband — being considered today become reality.