Bits and Bytes: Wireless Networking

By Steve Staves

If you are a home user or a business user looking to expand your “Network”, one of the annoyances is finding ways to get CAT 5 cable strung up and hidden from view.

With the latest technologies available for next to nothing, the most acceptable and well used solution is to set up a wireless network.  Convenient and easy to do.  The unfortunate downside to this is that without the proper security measures in place you and your wireless network are  susceptible to the meanderings of a wardriver.  The inherent dangers of unsecured wireless networks often offset the value that you get from them.

“Wardriving” is a term which originated in the 1983 movie Wargames in which hackers dialed phone numbers to find systems to break into.  Modern day hackers are far more advanced and the common practice is for hackers to drive through cities using a wireless laptop (Or other device capable of receiving a wireless signal like a Smartphone) and infiltrate wireless networks. 

Quite often you can find wireless “Hot Spots” maps posted on the internet by the wardrivers which details all the available access points.  Besides providing free Internet access to your neighbors – Your business or personal data is compromised as a computer savvy person will be able to access everything on your computer through these wireless networks.

To protect yourself from these wardrivers it is imperative that you get your wireless network properly set up and security put in place. 

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Steve Staves is the owner of Premier Computer Care Inc. you can reach him  at www.pc-care.ca or by phone 250-562-2273  for more information on  security systems for  your system.

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