Hello all,

I have some work to do outside of the home today and was going to use a "hot spot" connection to access the internet. I have been reading all morning about WEP Keys and SSID....and still don't know what they are....

Is there anything by chance that I need to know or configure before attempting to connect at a hot spot?

And you have probably gathered that I have not done this before....but just wondering how it works....

I have the linkysys 802.11b card on the laptop but wondering how the puter acquires a signal from a hot spot and whether or not I need to do anything to access it...

Also, how does one make a Wi-Fi connection secure...if there is such a thing....?


TIA

(I just know that Alan is ROFL somewhere...)

Wireless Hot Spots are typically INSECURE (UNSECURE?) NETWORKS. Thus, anybody connected to the hotspot w/ a packet sniffer can easily see what data is being transmitted (including POP3/SMTP e-mail accounts/passwords, IM accounts/passwords, etc.)

If you visit a web site which has an "HTTPS" address, that data is transmitted encrypted (albeit weak encryption).

The simplest way I know of to establish a "secure" connection from an open Wifi Hotspot is to VPN connect to another network (such as back to your home network). VPN connections are secure (i.e. encrypted). This of course requires you to have access to a VPN server. If you own a Linksys WRT54G (v4 or earlier), 3rd party firmware freely available for this router makes setting up a VPN server fairly simple.

Some Wifi Hotspot providers may offer encryption (WEP, WPA, etc.); however; I've never used one that does.

In short, it's always a gamble when using a wide open Wifi Hotspot. I try not to apply for too many credit cards, mortgages, HELOCs, etc. when on a Wifi hotspot (unless I'm drunk)!

Diggler

P.S. Commercial Wifi Hotspots (i.e. non-FREE ones) I've used have also been insecure. They don't let you access the internet until you've authenticated yourself on an "HTTPS" web page they automatically forward you to (at least the page for collecting payment has always been an an HTTPS page). Methods of authentication can include: credit cart payment, authentication w/ popular Wifi providers (Boingo, T-Mobile, etc.), promotional code/cpn, etc. Once you've authenticated on the Wifi network, your wifi adapter's MAC address is permitted to access the internet.

wow this sounds really complicated....lol..

Agree with the above with two exceptions
1. Secure websites (e.g. https, VPN) can be considered secure even over insecure wifi
2. WiFi secured with WEP/WPA in a public hotspot should not be considered secure, because everyone has the same key. Therefore they can see all your packets and information except on secure websites

Equally true
1. Public wired terminals should not be considered secure because of the potential for keystroke logging, even on secure websites
2. Connecting into a wired port in a public area like a hotel should not be considered secure (unless the website itself is secure). Because hotels typically use hubs (not routers) every packet is rebroadcast to every room

To answer your specific question, your laptop should pop up a message that a new wireless network is available

I've posted a lot of advice on networking here

Seriously, don't think that way. It's all a matter of training & experience. Nobody knows everything.

I really don't have much more to add, except that when you're in range of a wireless signal your laptop should indicate that a wireless network is available*. If the network is not secured you should be able to just connect to it and be online. If it is secured you'll need a password or network key to logon.

*Depending on the version of Windows you're running (&/or the wireless card software), the laptop may or may not automatically indicate a wireless network as being available. You may need to access either the software for the wireless card or the wireless card properties and have it scan for networks. May sound complicated, but it's actually not.

As already suggested, don't do anything important over a wireless hotspot or public Internet connection. You never know who's listening in. The risk just isn't worth it. If you do connect, make sure file sharing is turned off. You don't want others on the network to access any shared files/folders on your system.....and make sure there's a password for the Administrator account. This is often overlooked and a huge security risk.

Okay, where do I go to turn off the file sharing? And when I start up my laptop I have to login using a password....is that what you are talking about?

TY

To turn off file sharing in XP:
Start > Control Panel > Network Connections
Right-click on the icon for the wireless adapter and choose Properties
Uncheck File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks

When you start up the laptop and have to enter a password you're probably logging on with your account (your username), not the administrator account. To password protect the administrator account in XP Home you'll need to do it it safe mode:
Reboot your laptop and press F8 after the BIOS check is complete
Select Safe Mode
When in Safe Mode:
Click Start > Control Panel > User Accounts
Choose the Administrator account and change the password
DON'T FORGET THE PASSWORD!!!

Oh, also, it's a good idea to have the firewall enabled:

Start > Control Panel > Network Connections
Right-click on the icon for the wireless adapter and choose Properties
Click the Advanced tab then the settings button
Make sure the firewall is on

I've posted a lot of advice on networking here

[/quote]

mcdonalds has hotspots now for those NDS people

this is a great thread.... next month I have to go to a convention in Las Vegas and the place will charge $1,300 for 4 days of internet access -- needless to say, my boss does not wish to pay for that...
I've seen cards that one can buy with prepaid time to access the web wirelessly and was thinking of trying to get one of those and see if it would work.... does anyone here know anything about this?
TIA

you may want to check out t-mobile hotspots and starbucks too.

http://hotspot.t-mobile.com/



there's also different deals if you're currently a current tmobile subscriber.

//krunk (^_^x)

ipig is a free vpn to protect yourself at public wifi points.

I assume you mean this:
http://www.iopus.com/ipig/

Looks interesting...