Wireless, how to connect and what to connect to.

It seems that everywhere you go with your laptop you see multiple wireless networks available for you to connect to. Which one should you use? That’s a good question. The first thing you should do is ask someone who works at the establishment you are visiting if they provide wireless and at what cost. Oftentimes, businesses offer it for free, but there may also be pay-for-use options available that the unsuspecting patron might log onto. If the establishment does not provide WiFi, then you may need to search for Wireless Networks and pick one that satisfies your need. How do you do this? Well, you probably have something in the bottom right corner of your desktop window near the clock that looks like a computer with a few waves next to it. If you right click on that, there will be an option to “View Available Wireless Networks.” Select that and a window will pop up showing all of the Wireless Networks that are within range. Usually it’s best to select the one with the strongest signal. Once you do that, and you are connected, you’ll most probably need to launch an Internet Explorer window to pay for time. Launch it and it should re-direct you to a page where you can enter your credit card information and get surfing. If this type of page does not pop up,you’re in luck; you've found a free network to connect to.

Connecting to a free network has its pros and cons. If it’s a publicly broadcasting free network, you’re fine to log onto it. However, if you see a “Linksys” or other private named network and are able to connect, you’re technically breaking the law by using a WiFi network without permission. It’s always best to verify you are connecting to a company name or something labeled “Free-WiFi.”

This brings me to setting up your own wireless networks at home. Mobility is a standard nowadays, so you most probably have picked up a wireless router from Best Buy or Circuit City and are using it at home. The most common type of security is WEP. WEP can employ different levels of encryption, 64 bit or 128 bit (most-common). When you’re setting it up, I advise you to set up a complicated key that cannot be guessed, i.e., don’t use 1234567891 or abcdabcdab. It is also advisable to have some security applied to your wireless network. Ultimately you are responsible for any malicious behavior that comes from your connection; therefore, if your neighbor feels like accessing your network, their activity will become your responsibility. It would be very difficult to prove it was not you. Better to be safe with WEP than sorry.

Now that you know some extreme basics about WiFi, wireless networks, and securing them, I wish you well in your Internet travels.