I need laptop help

[SillyMe]

I got a laptop for Christmas. What are my options for internet access? I bought a router today because I'd like to give my dd the desktop when we move b/c I'll have the laptop. However, the guy at the store told me since I live in town it could be dangerous for me to use a wireless connection. He said neighbors within the distance could access my connection and if they do something illegal, I could get blamed for it. They could also steal my credit card numbers if I shop online. Is there a way to secure my system and use the wireless router so this wouldn't happen? Is there another way I can access the internet while my dd is on the desktop? I have cable, if that makes a difference.

 

[phorsenuf]

all you would ned to do is secure your network with a pass key and then nobody else can access. We have 2 computers and my laptop on wireless connection here.

 

[LadyZolt]

Absolutely you can use a wireless router. We've got four PC's and one laptop currently on our home wireless network, and we have one cable modem that is routed through it and all of the computers can be on the Internet at the same time. You just need a firewall that will stop others from using your connection -- and by the way, this is true if you have a wireless router, whether or not you have a laptop on it. A hacker in a car outside your house can use your router if you don't have it protected.

We use Zone Alarm, and they provide a free firewall for home use (and they sell one for businesses). You can find them at:

www.zonelabs.com

You should also install an anti-virus program, and also a program one that stops spy ware and adware (we use Ad-Aware, www.lavasoftusa.com).

When you set up your firewall, you can tell it to allow your anti-virus to update itself and what other programs you want to alllow access to. It will also usually tell you when something is trying to get access and it will let you decide whether to allow or deny it.

Many cities are installing wireless access throughout the entire city so that people don't even have to pay for it themselves. Before long, I imagine most people will have some wireless connections. We love ours -- I already forget how I got along without it. LOL! Anyway, do some research and figure out what you need and what products will work best for you, and enjoy your new laptop!

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[SillyMe]

Absolutely you can use a wireless router. We've got four PC's and one laptop currently on our home wireless network, and we have one cable modem that is routed through it and all of the computers can be on the Internet at the same time. You just need a firewall that will stop others from using your connection -- and by the way, this is true if you have a wireless router, whether or not you have a laptop on it. A hacker in a car outside your house can use your router if you don't have it protected.

We use Zone Alarm, and they provide a free firewall for home use (and they sell one for businesses). You can find them at:

www.zonelabs.com

You should also install an anti-virus program, and also a program one that stops spy ware and adware (we use Ad-Aware, www.lavasoftusa.com).

When you set up your firewall, you can tell it to allow your anti-virus to update itself and what other programs you want to alllow access to. It will also usually tell you when something is trying to get access and it will let you decide whether to allow or deny it.

Many cities are installing wireless access throughout the entire city so that people don't even have to pay for it themselves. Before long, I imagine most people will have some wireless connections. We love ours -- I already forget how I got along without it. LOL! Anyway, do some research and figure out what you need and what products will work best for you, and enjoy your new laptop!

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

I have all that on my desktop...zone alarm, adaware, mcafee. Once I download it onto my laptop, how do I set it up to only allow my laptop to access the wireless system? I have no clue how to secure the system.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

Check and see if you have some sort of wireless network wizzard or help program in your control panel, and see if that will help you get it set up. Like another poster said, make sure you set your network up to require a password. If you really feel overwhelmed with it, ask around your friends, co-workers, family, etc. and see if someone can help you with it. Or call a local computer help company (like Geek Squad).

We live downtown in a large city, and there are 7 wireless networks that our computers pick up from our living room. Amazingly, only 3 of those are secure! Ours is one of the secure networks, but I've had to set up my computer so that it ignores all networks except for our own. Bad things could happen not only when someone connects to your unsecured network, but also when you connect to someone elses' unsecured network.

 

[Galahad]

If you "secure" your network with only designated MAC addresses, then you can be pretty safe - whether you "secure" it with WEP and such or not. It is possible for a persistent hacker to spoof a MAC but very unlikely. That way, only computers you have specifically said can be on your network can access it. DS24 has a wireless network in an apartment secured that way with no problem. I can pick up some other wireless networks near our house, but since our router is in our basement (which is completely underground - not a walkout) folks can't even detect our network past about 10 feet outside of our house. You'll be fine. Just take some precautions. Also, don't "share" a lot of folders on your computers. That will keep you personal info more safe.

 

[SillyMe]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm relieved now knowing I can do this like I wanted to. I just need to find someone to help me secure it.

 

[LadyZolt]

As another person posted, in the Control Panel, there are programs to help you set up your networks. Also, the brand of wireless router you are using should also come with set-up instructions. We use DLink and have found their website to be very helpful, as well as the instructions that came with the router. And, as mentioned, you can always consult someone with more experience in it, or call the manufacturer of the router and have a tech walk you through it on the phone. It sounds like you have everything you need to keep your new laptop secure, so you're on the right track already. I wish you the best!

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[Aidensmom]

Galahad has great advice. It is when you don't secure your wireless connection that people can access it, but even if you don't then it's not like it is easy to just log right into your computer, its just easy for them to use your internet service.

To protect against your passwords being stolen, the best thng to do is make sure you have good anti-virus and anti-spyware software installed, and keep it updated.

 

[dreamcometrue]

you can absolutely set up a secure network, so only people in your house have access to the wireless internet connection! I have a desktop and laptop, wireless router, and we live in a suburban neighborhood. Never had a problem with it! The person that told you that doesn't know what he/she is talking about!

And how would anyone be able to use your credit card? Let's say you didn't have a secure wireless connection, the worst that could happen is your neighbor, or someone parked outside your house would be able to get online with their laptop. Not like they can "hack" into your computer, at least not the average person!

 

[SillyMe]

Apparently our network at the office isn't secure, then. I thought the computer guy secured it, but I can access the internet from my laptop there. So can the other realtors.

Is it possible to tell if someone else does access your internet?

 

[HonestAbe]

You've opened a big can of worms. Wireless networking is the least secure of all network schemes. However I would say the closest parallel is trying to burgler proof your house. If a burgler REALLY wants in you arent going to stop him. So instead you make your house the least desirable on the block.

For wireless networking, use WPA. If your router or systems dont support WPA, WEP is an alternative although WEP encryption has been cracked for years. Regardless of WPA or WEP, you then enable MAC filtering on the router. A MAC address is a descriptor hardcoded into every network card (NIC) and should be unique. Odds you would have 2 NIC's with the same MAC on the same subnet are remote. This will allow only MAC addresses for your computers on your network to connect to the wireless and transmit / receive data.

There was talk about a firewall earlier but keep in mind that a firewall isnt going to protect you ONE IOTA if you expect it to keep from getting physical access to your network. If they compromise your wireless network, it's the same as them coming into your house, plugging their laptop into your network and then they can see all the traffic. If you have a firewall running on your computer, they will now have to get past the software firewall. If you dont, they are in. Again, it's a matter of trying to make your network look more impervious to the casual hacker.

Now somebody getting your credit card data? Use common sense. If you are on a secure shopping site, (https and make sure you see the padlock in IE) you can feel fairly secure that even if a hacker is watching your data stream he wont be able to hack it. BTW - the higher the number in the bit encryption the better. 64bit isnt anywhere as good as 128. 128 isnt just twice as good, is exponentially better because it's based on binary bits.

The other good piece of advice I would reinforce is dont keep anything important on your systems. Buy a USB stick, keep it on there, encrypt the USB key and password protect the documents.

Dont think for a second that what you think is a secure password is going to keep them out of your word doc. A password like 1Buffy624.....my password cracker opened it in 10 minutes. It never cracked the random string of 8 characters (i.e. 8hfY5jGz)

And generally speaking, you having to take responsibility if someone uses your wireless network to commit fraud or other cyber crime? That's crap. You are innocent until proven guilty and as wireless networks are for convenience and not very secure, I'd say you have little to worry about.

 

[HonestAbe]

Apparently our network at the office isn't secure, then. I thought the computer guy secured it, but I can access the internet from my laptop there. So can the other realtors.

Is it possible to tell if someone else does access your internet?

Where is your office? Are you ready to fire your IT guy and hire a real one?

My job is IT and a big concentration is security. Perhaps he locked it down as much as he knows how. Security is difficult to keep up with and there's also politics. Even if he knows, is there an acceptable use policy at your office? If not, he's probably scared to lock down the network ports to MAC addresses and add secure VLAN's and a DMZ and proxies and so on and so on... for fear of backlash.

The important thing to keep in mind at your office is things like acceptable use policies empower IT to secure company data. If IT cant secure company data, that data could get compromised and then everyone could be out of work. I have seen it happen.

 

[cherylp3]

Kim Komando has some great info on wireless networks
http://komando.com/tips/categories.aspx?cat=130

http://komando.com/tips/index.aspx?id=1352

http://komando.com/tips/index.aspx?id=2110

 

[SillyMe]

Where is your office? Are you ready to fire your IT guy and hire a real one?

My job is IT and a big concentration is security. Perhaps he locked it down as much as he knows how. Security is difficult to keep up with and there's also politics. Even if he knows, is there an acceptable use policy at your office? If not, he's probably scared to lock down the network ports to MAC addresses and add secure VLAN's and a DMZ and proxies and so on and so on... for fear of backlash.

The important thing to keep in mind at your office is things like acceptable use policies empower IT to secure company data. If IT cant secure company data, that data could get compromised and then everyone could be out of work. I have seen it happen.

What is this language you speak in?

I work in a very small office. There are no departments or anything. A friend of the boss who is skilled in computers set up our networking system. Maybe I should just pay the guys at Best Buy to come set mine up when I'm ready.

 

[LadyZolt]

Eeek, no, don't pay Best Buy!!

If you decide to hire someone, ask around for a good rent-a-geek person -- the independent ones are better because they give better support and know more than the Best Buy people (you can research that online and see that they charged people and didn't even fix the problem, etc.) Don't hire a teenage kid, though -- hire an adult.

Also, laptops will try to look for a network. Your network might be totally secure, but the office down the hall might not be, and your laptop might be finding it, or some other network. So, you really want to be able to tell what network your laptop is finding and you want to set it up so that it connects only to the network you want it to connect to.

From my desktop here at home, when I look at the networks it can access, I can see ours, but I can also see three networks belonging to my neighbors. So, just because your laptop finds a network doesn't mean that your office network isn't secure -- it might just mean that another network within range is not secure.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[SillyMe]

Eeek, no, don't pay Best Buy!!

If you decide to hire someone, ask around for a good rent-a-geek person -- the independent ones are better because they give better support and know more than the Best Buy people (you can research that online and see that they charged people and didn't even fix the problem, etc.) Don't hire a teenage kid, though -- hire an adult.

Also, laptops will try to look for a network. Your network might be totally secure, but the office down the hall might not be, and your laptop might be finding it, or some other network. So, you really want to be able to tell what network your laptop is finding and you want to set it up so that it connects only to the network you want it to connect to.

From my desktop here at home, when I look at the networks it can access, I can see ours, but I can also see three networks belonging to my neighbors. So, just because your laptop finds a network doesn't mean that your office network isn't secure -- it might just mean that another network within range is not secure.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

Okay, I'll ask around and see if I can find someone reputable. Thanks!

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

also, when you set up your wireless... you can simply choose not to broadcast the name of your wireless network. That's what I do. I live at the top of a hill and I see many of my neighbors' networks, but mine won't show up on the list. One caveat, make it a name someone else on your street wouldn't likely use!

 

[Lisa L from MI]

Maybe someone can help me....I have a wireless laptop and right now it is connected "unsecure"....in properties it says "open"....and when I try to change it to WPA it won't let me and goes right back to open access. When I change it to WPA...then there is another option of "AES" or "TKIP" underneath that....

Anyone have any suggestions??

 

[SillyMe]

Maybe someone can help me....I have a wireless laptop and right now it is connected "unsecure"....in properties it says "open"....and when I try to change it to WPA it won't let me and goes right back to open access. When I change it to WPA...then there is another option of "AES" or "TKIP" underneath that....

Anyone have any suggestions??

That's why I don't want to attempt it myself. I have no idea what any of that means.