OT OT Wi-fi question

 Why does one need a password for Wifi? Iow, what am I protecting my
AirPort connection from?!  ;-)
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

 

It's because anyone in your area could use your wifi connection is
they can locate your router.

Steve

--
Neural network software applications, help and support.

Neural Planner Software     www.NPSL1.com

 

It depends a bit by what you mean by password.   Quite often the password
isn't that but a key instead.   That key is then used as the basis for
encrypting the message between the router/wifi hub and the wireless device
(laptop etc).   The theory is that if the data isn't encrypted it can be
seen by other laptops etc and if that data contains account passwords (say
for you bank) or credit card numbers or even e-mails such data can then be
misused.   It can also be that if the router isn't protected someone could
use it to send e-mails etc which could then be traced back to you which
could be an issue.   Or that they might get past the router into your
network and read all sorts of other data stored there. Or........

In the end, however, you have to undertake a risk assessment and determine
whether you consider the risk is high enough to warrant precautions.   Even
though I live in a rural location I do protect my computing assets in a
number of ways.   You may feel the risk is low enough not to need it.

 

Any passer-by who might use your broadband connection, possibly for
nefarious reasons.  Since your own computer(s) can store the password, it
isn't really a nuisance.


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/4 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

 On 11/07/2011 13:50, Sacha wrote:

Drive by surfers... without a password the connection is unencrytped and
anyone within range (or even at some distance but with a much better
than normal aerial) can use your Wifi connection and/or read any of your
files that are available on the network. Not a good idea!

There are a surprisingly large number of insecure WiFi nodes around.
See also war chalking: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warchalking

A bit like the mobile phone hacking problem if you use weak passwords or
leave them at manufacturers defaults they are easy prey to bad guys.

Regards,
Martin Brown