Today's Featured Question:
 
I have a wireless router in my apartment. Should I be concerned about someone accessing my laptop? What can I do to prevent it?
-- R.L., Detroit, Michigan

Answer:
 
You should be concerned: Most wireless routers have a range of up to 300 feet. According to Mark Frauenfelder, author of Rule the Web, if you have no security in place, a snoopy neighbor or passerby can read your e-mail and see what you download relatively easily, although it would be more difficult to get to your credit card or bank information because most retailers and financial institutions encrypt the data. If you check the manual for your router, it will explain how to close your network so outsiders can't see it. To stop determined hackers, you will need to change a setting on your router to operate Wired Equivalent Privacy or the more secure Wi-Fi Protected Access to encrypt the data sent between the router and your laptop. Once encryption is in place, only people who know the password will have access (be sure to change your router's default password and network name). If you are using a public hot spot, such as a coffee shop or airport lounge, there is no security in place. The least you can do in that situation is turn off file sharing and place passwords on directories with sensitive files (in Windows XP, right click on the directory and go to PROPERTIES).

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Photograph by Stewart Smith