Hot spots for laptops......
By mamacathie
@mamacathie (3928)
United States
May 10, 2008 8:45pm CST
I am just learning about this even though I have had a laptop for years. I just used it here in the living room and never took it out until last year. Then I only took it to my son's house.
I have been hearing about "hot spots" and "wi-fi" LOL not sure that is right. LOL So tonight I rode to town with my husband and kept refreshing my networks to see where there was a connection I might could connect to. It was so funny with my sitting there in the van with my laptop in my lap. I guess you can tell that I'm not used to doing that. LOL
Okay, we stop at a store and he runs in. I cannot find any networks so I get in the driver's seat and move to a different parking space to see if I can find a connection. I moved about four times until I found one. LOL I was hoping no one was watching and trying to figure out what I was doing. LOL
I finally find a spot and move back to the passenger's seat and start working and it is not a strong enough signal for me to connect. So I'm sitting there and then realize that my husband may not see where I had moved the van. LOL He found me!
There were two different connections that came up. One was unsecure which were the ones I could automatically connect to. The other one was secure and you had to have a network key like I do at home and at my son's.
On the unsecure it would say that it was not encrypt and that someone else might be able to see what I was writing or something. That got to me thinking if I even wanted to use the unsecure hotspots.
Well, if you have any input I will be glad to hear it. Thanks for your comments.
1 person likes this
3 responses
@ferdzNK (3211)
• Philippines
11 May 08
Hi Mamacathie, the only hot spots that you can successfully connect without an access code are unsecured one. As long as your anti-malware tools are actively on guard and you're exercising safe web practices you have nothing to worry. This is what you do anyway in say Starbucks or other similar hot spot with access code.
@wayz12 (2059)
• United States
11 May 08
I'm just curious. Why don't you just get yourself a wireless router for your house so you don't have to do this? Then you can access the internet anywhere in your house.
Logging into unsecure connections can be dangerous. While on this connection, and you go and do some personal stuff on your computer, they can actually steal some of your passwords. Thats why when you are traveling, like waiting at an airport and you are using an unsecured connection, it is recommended not to do online banking or shopping, because phishing can be done, where they steal your account numbers and passwords.
So spend a few bucks, set your own secured wi-fi connection, and enjoy wireless around the house.
@terri0824 (5203)
• United States
11 May 08
That's too funny! Well, I have a wireless card in my desktop. And I have a connection to my neighbors wireless. It sure does beat the dial up! I've even been uploading pics to various sites today!
