Two wireless access questions

Right now I have just one computer that gets my cable broadband signal only
after going through a wired DLINK router, which I wanted primarily because
of its hard-wired firewall.

However, occasionally I have guests with notebook computers and wireless
cards who want to connect to the Internet. The easiest way for me and them
would be if I had wireless available in the house, right?

But -- if I get a wireless router and link my own computer to it BY WIRE:

1. Does the traffic between my wired computer and the wireless router become
accessible to snoops?

2. Could someone outside my home pick up my wireless signal, use it to
cruise the Internet, and thereby slow down my own wired connection with the
Intenret?

Thanks.

BH wrote:
> Right now I have just one computer that gets my cable broadband signal only
> after going through a wired DLINK router, which I wanted primarily because
> of its hard-wired firewall.
>
> However, occasionally I have guests with notebook computers and wireless
> cards who want to connect to the Internet. The easiest way for me and them
> would be if I had wireless available in the house, right?
>
> But -- if I get a wireless router and link my own computer to it BY WIRE:
>
> 1. Does the traffic between my wired computer and the wireless router become
> accessible to snoops?
>
> 2. Could someone outside my home pick up my wireless signal, use it to
> cruise the Internet, and thereby slow down my own wired connection with the
> Intenret?

If you hook up a wireless router and don't disable the wireless side,
then it's accessible. If you leave the wireless side live, at least put
in WPA security.