Updated 13th May 2008

GET YOURSELF SECURED! Visit our IT Security Services today! to find out how we can help

Trouble is, when we nip round to tell our friendly neighbours about our new acquisition, we’re a bit confused as to why they tell us, with a smirk, how they’ve cancelled their broadband because they have discovered a much better deal; we think nothing more of it and walk away.

Days later a couple of odd things start to happen with our computer. The internet connection keeps freezing and we cannot download anything because our download limit has been reached ........ “but we’ve only downloaded a couple of Meg so far this month................... haven’t we?”!!

When you installed your wireless system following the quick installation instructions you’ll have been amazed just how quickly you got wirelessly connected but what you won’t have known is that many wireless out-of-the-box settings are factory applied low/no security settings to get the system working with minimum of fuss and user experience required.

Trouble is many installation instructions don’t stress the importance enough, of securing your wireless signals to prevent other outside users easily connecting themselves to your home network and using your broadband connection; and where there are instructions these are too deep and complicated, often leading the installer to give up once they have got connected to the internet anyway.

TRUE STORY: A customer’s new computer froze frequently when on the internet and his download speed was slower than it was on his old computer using same broadband connection. I removed all network connections from the back of the customer’s computer and showed it could still connect to internet; “How’s that?” the customer asked. The computer’s wireless connection had automatically connected itself to the neighbour’s unsecured wireless broadband modem/router and was accessing the internet through the neighbour’s broadband connection on a fairly weak (two-bar) wireless signal; hence the reason for the freezing and slow speeds.

“WHAT’S MY POINT: Have your wireless system secured by someone in-the-know; it takes less than an hour and costs around £20. Why? because whilst most have friendly neighbours who are just using your connection to save a bit of cash, there are also other less scrupulous users out there that are more determined to hack into your home network and steal your personal identity details or possibly use your computer as a covert staging post for material of an unscrupulous or illegal nature.

GET YOURSELF SECURED! Visit our IT Security Services today! to find out how we can help