A bit lost on that one...
So I would have to have something to broadcast it at home right? Is that expensive to do & pay for monthly (or is it the same as normal broadband)?
How does it work when you are out and about? Silly me thought it was free (because with work it is) until I looked it up. So what if you don't want to use a credit card - can you set up so that it is included in the home wi-fi? & again - is that common/expensive & does it work well?
Would I need more security than my firewall & anti-virius? If so what kind?
Anything else I should know?
ria
2
benjus
Hello again Ria... have you chosen your laptop yet?
To get WiFi at home, you just need a standard broadband connection and a wireless router. If you have ADSL broadband (i.e. via your phone line), you need a router like this one: ADSL WiFi router. If you have cable broadband, you need a router like this one: WiFi router. Just plug it in and follow the instructions. By default there will be no WiFi security enabled, so anyone in the area with a WiFi compatible device will be able to access your network. You will need to setup WEP/WPA/WPA2 security to ensure that this does not happen (WPA2 is the most secure, but you need to chose one that is compatible with all the devices you intend to use with the WiFi). The routers are configured by connecting your computer to them (either using an Ethernet cable or via WiFi) and putting a special URL into your web browser. The web browser will then show the router's control panel. You should also set up a password for connecting to the control panel.
That covers the security of the WiFi connection between your computer and the router. To ensure good security between your computer and the rest of the Internet, you will need the usual set of internet security products installed on your computer (AntiVirus, firewall, anti-spyware etc). The wireless routers I've listed above also contain their own firewall which will give you extra protection from people trying to hack your computer. Also, because of a thing called NAT (Network Address Translation), the fact that you are using a router rather than a modem means that your computer is not directly exposed to the Internet, making it more secure.
When you are out and about, it depends on where you are. Lots of pubs, cafes etc allow you to use their WiFi access points for free as long as you're buying drinks every so often. If you have your broadband with BT, you may get some free credit to use on BT OpenZone WiFi access points (I don't know much about OpenZone - see the BT website). Places like airports will usually charge for access.
3
rayonline
If you have broadband at home, get a modem and a router or a builtin modem / router and you should be fine sharing your own internet for free by wireless or Wifi.
If you just use Wifi - some hotspots are free and some are not, those that are not would likely need a credit card. If you are at home and don't want to use a c/c you can consider contacting the company directly for alternative payment types. For example this can be a giant telecommunication company who also supplies Wifi internet for a fee.
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