Got to love unsecured 802.11 networks

[Kenyth]

If you turn off your PC when you're not using it, nobody can get into it anyway. If you're concerned about people using your network, there are a few easy things you can do.


Availability: When not in use, turn off some or all of your equipment. Most importantly, the PC with sensitive info. When on your PC but not using the network, disable your NIC interface with the little icon in the taskbar.

Limit reception: Put the WAP in the basement instead of the top floor of the house. This should seriously minimize the usable signal area by directing the line of sight radiation to a cone shaped pattern directed straight up from the basement.

Enable 32 bit WEP: Although this method is relatively easy to break, it will take significant effort and time on the hackers part. Like a deadbolt lock, it will deter the lazy hacker.

Firewall: Use your firewall on the router and your PC. This will probably require a little technical knowledge. Firewalls may interfere with certain actions you wish to do on the internet. A tight firewall will probably need to be tweaked occasionally.

Updates: Keep your OS and Web Browser updated with all the latest security patches.

[SuperChuck]

Friends don't let friends use Windows

[Kenyth]

Friends don't let friends use Windows

Are you wunna them thar commie pinko "Linux" users stranger? Whassa matter, "Winders" haint good 'nuff fer ya?


If you work in the computer field, you'll have to work with Microsoft products, like it or not. Actually, I'd like to have the time to get into Linux one of these days. At this point I just don't have the time or the room for it.

[ukyfan]

Are you wunna them thar commie pinko "Linux" users stranger? Whassa matter, "Winders" haint good 'nuff fer ya?


If you work in the computer field, you'll have to work with Microsoft products, like it or not. Actually, I'd like to have the time to get into Linux one of these days. At this point I just don't have the time or the room for it.

Yeah, I went and tried to Dual boot with Ubuntu the other day and it screwed up my MBR, Fixed that, but I haven't gotten around to reinstalling linux yet. Sounds like a project for this weekend since I can't do much else since having surgery.

[SuperChuck]

If you work in the computer field, you'll have to work with Microsoft products, like it or not.

I actually work in the computer field and have minimal windoze exposure. Both my home machines run Ubuntu. My desktop at work runs Windoze, but I don't deal with it very much. I run thunderbird, firefox, eclipse, and gaim. Most of my work is done on on linux machines.

Come to think of it, the only reason I'm not running linux at work is laziness...

[Kenyth]

I work on Windows based servers and PC's. I set up an old P90 machine to run as a Linux router once, but that's as far as I got. The software was already written, I just loaded and configured it. I never got any use out of it, so it may not have even worked. When I moved, I reloaded W95, took out the spare NIC and sold it at my garage sale.

[SuperChuck]

I work on Windows based servers and PC's. I set up an old P90 machine to run as a Linux router once, but that's as far as I got. The software was already written, I just loaded and configured it. I never got any use out of it, so it may not have even worked. When I moved, I reloaded W95, took out the spare NIC and sold it at my garage sale.

Shoot, guess I missed this :)

I always chuckle at the idea of a windows server.

When I think server, I think some kind of Un*x variant or an IBM oddity (although IBM is all Linux all the time, now).

However, I should point out that most of the server systems I work with are running AIX, which just about predates Windows v1.0

[Kenyth]

Shoot, guess I missed this :)

I always chuckle at the idea of a windows server.

When I think server, I think some kind of Un*x variant or an IBM oddity (although IBM is all Linux all the time, now).

However, I should point out that most of the server systems I work with are running AIX, which just about predates Windows v1.0

Our main financial data is maintained and processed on an AIX RISC server. The vendor primarily maintains it, so outside of the data processing command interface we don't mess with it much.