Q from newbie

Hi,
AFAIK, I have enabled my laptop's wireless connection, short of finding a
hotspot is there anything else I need to do to use wi-fi on the move? Do I
need some sort of user account?

TIA

"retro_cal" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:kt35f.440$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
> AFAIK, I have enabled my laptop's wireless connection, short of finding a
> hotspot is there anything else I need to do to use wi-fi on the move? Do I
> need some sort of user account?
>
> TIA
>

Some places have free hotspots, others you need an account or at least a
password to logon. The accounts usually are not free either payable as a
daily access rate often in the $8-$10 range or on an ongoing montlhly fee
basis. You'll have to decide if it's worth it to pay-- or seek out free
spots (many hotels have free access but you have to be a guest-- or sweet
talk the password out of the desk clerk or some other user in the lobby ;-)

Doc

Be careful about just connecting willy-nilly to whatever public or unsecured
network your laptop finds a signal for. Trust me - I've learned the hard way
that if you don't configure some decent security on your wireless connection,
anybody with a mind to can intercept your connection's signal. Naturally,
this puts you at risk of identity theft. In my case, all I got was a nasty
worm that caused me to have to do a system restore - which has been headache
enough.

I'd srongly recommend reading up on the basics of wireless security. Here's
at least one link that'll get you started:
http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html

Cheers,
JD

"retro_cal" wrote:

> Hi,
> AFAIK, I have enabled my laptop's wireless connection, short of finding a
> hotspot is there anything else I need to do to use wi-fi on the move? Do I
> need some sort of user account?
>
> TIA
>
>
>