Traveling with Home networked Laptop

[Mellowed]

My laptop is tied into my home network. The question is if I have to
disable that for traveling. I'll be using public Wi-Fi such as
McDonalds, etc.

 

[Nil]

My laptop is tied into my home network. The question is if I have
to disable that for traveling. I'll be using public Wi-Fi such as
McDonalds, etc.

I will make many assumptions about your setup being a typical one and
say, "no, you will not have to disable anything." When you connect to a
new Public wi-fi node, Windows will prompt you to apply a suitable
security policy.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

My laptop is tied into my home network. The question is if I have to
disable that for traveling. I'll be using public Wi-Fi such as
McDonalds, etc.

Depends on what you mean by "tied in". But in most cases, probably not.

Unless you already use web-based email, you may well not be able to
send, or receive, or possibly both, email: that depends on whether your
ISP blocks access to their servers, or whether Macs (or whoever) block
use of those ports. Worth checking from a friend's house or something
(obviously one with wifi but a different ISP, and who's willing to tell
you their network name and key!). News posting and access ditto, though
I think you're using eternal-september rather than your ISP's
newsserver, so the only problem there would be if the wifi provider
blocks news access.

If you find you _can't_ get/send email from your friend's house, now
would be the time to find out how to use their webmail interface, or, if
they don't have one, to set up an account with one of the webmail
providers.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

After I'm dead I'd rather have people ask why I have no monument than why I
have
one. -Cato the Elder, statesman, soldier, and writer (234-149 BCE)

 

[Ed Cryer]

My laptop is tied into my home network. The question is if I have to
disable that for traveling. I'll be using public Wi-Fi such as
McDonalds, etc.

If I take you aright you simply mean that you always use a network
router in your home. But I think you'll find that when you come in range
of other wi-fi networks they'll show up in the wi-fi list. It's a matter
of choosing it and then logging onto it. Some are free, such as at
McDonalds and many airports and pubs I've used.

You don't have to "disable" anything. Win7 will poll for wi-fi; your
normal one won't be in reach; it'll list those that are and wait for you
to select one.

Not long ago I used the free wi-fi in a famous cafe in the shadow of the
Acropolis in Athens; through my iPad.

Ed

 

[Ken1943]

My laptop is tied into my home network. The question is if I have to
disable that for traveling. I'll be using public Wi-Fi such as
McDonalds, etc.

Shouldn't be a problem. You may be asked about what type of network and
you just select Public. The only thing is that each wireless network you
use will leave a record.

Control Panel > Network & Sharing > Manage Wireless Networks and
delete the not used anymore ones.


KenW

 

[Ken Blake]

My laptop is tied into my home network. The question is if I have to
disable that for traveling.

No.

 

[Mellowed]

My laptop is tied into my home network. The question is if I have to
disable that for traveling. I'll be using public Wi-Fi such as
McDonalds, etc.

Many thanks for all of the excellent replies. I just did not know if I
was vulnerable or not.

Thanks,

 

[John Williamson]

Many thanks for all of the excellent replies. I just did not know if I
was vulnerable or not.

As long as you keep your security program up to date, and are aware that
unless you are logging on to a secure webpage, your traffic may be
monitored, there's no problem.

Personally, being slightly paranoid, I use 3G, which is always (not very
strongly by modern standards) encrypted from my machine until it hits
the internet backbone, but costs more to use. If I log onto an https://
page, then there are two layers of encryption to disentangle.

If you are on a public wifi, nobody can use your computer to log onto
your home network if you are out of range physically, although there is
a theoretical risk that the security key may be compromised if you are
attacked by malware of some types, as may the security you use on the
machine. Having your network password isn't much use without a clue as
to its location, though, and if your home network is also password
protected with proper user accounts, that's another layer of safety.

 

[Mellowed]

As long as you keep your security program up to date, and are aware that
unless you are logging on to a secure webpage, your traffic may be
monitored, there's no problem.

Personally, being slightly paranoid, I use 3G, which is always (not very
strongly by modern standards) encrypted from my machine until it hits
the internet backbone, but costs more to use. If I log onto an https://
page, then there are two layers of encryption to disentangle.

If you are on a public wifi, nobody can use your computer to log onto
your home network if you are out of range physically, although there is
a theoretical risk that the security key may be compromised if you are
attacked by malware of some types, as may the security you use on the
machine. Having your network password isn't much use without a clue as
to its location, though, and if your home network is also password
protected with proper user accounts, that's another layer of safety.

Thanks for your elaboration. I run Security Essentials and IO Bit
Malware fighter in real time plus the Win7 Firewall. I run Malware
Bytes on demand when something flacky raises its head.

The home network base unit created a network password that I had to use
to connect the laptop at home. Then of course my router has its own
password for Wi-Fi. However, home is in the boonies so only maybe one
neighbor might even catch my wi-fi signal. I password protect my router
only because it seemed like the thing to do to save bandwidth incase
somebody caught my signal. My concern was my vulnerability of going
across country to somebody getting inside my laptop and screwing things
up.

From this thread I understand that when connecting to an unknown wi-fi
signal my laptop will ask me if the signal is public or private. I'll
always select Public. I think I'm good to go.

 

[Paul in Houston TX]

Thanks for your elaboration. I run Security Essentials and IO Bit
Malware fighter in real time plus the Win7 Firewall. I run Malware
Bytes on demand when something flacky raises its head.

The home network base unit created a network password that I had to use
to connect the laptop at home. Then of course my router has its own
password for Wi-Fi. However, home is in the boonies so only maybe one
neighbor might even catch my wi-fi signal. I password protect my router
only because it seemed like the thing to do to save bandwidth incase
somebody caught my signal. My concern was my vulnerability of going
across country to somebody getting inside my laptop and screwing things up.

From this thread I understand that when connecting to an unknown wi-fi
signal my laptop will ask me if the signal is public or private. I'll
always select Public. I think I'm good to go.

Sounds like a good plan. Just make sure the connection is legit.
Airports and motels abound with not so nice connections.
I do not wifi at airports but use my cell card instead.
Motels are usually legit since you normally have to get the p/w from
the front desk. Use a vpn if connecting to the office.

 

[Gene E. Bloch]

Thanks for your elaboration. I run Security Essentials and IO Bit
Malware fighter in real time plus the Win7 Firewall. I run Malware
Bytes on demand when something flacky raises its head.

The home network base unit created a network password that I had to use
to connect the laptop at home. Then of course my router has its own
password for Wi-Fi. However, home is in the boonies so only maybe one
neighbor might even catch my wi-fi signal. I password protect my router
only because it seemed like the thing to do to save bandwidth incase
somebody caught my signal. My concern was my vulnerability of going
across country to somebody getting inside my laptop and screwing things
up.

From this thread I understand that when connecting to an unknown wi-fi
signal my laptop will ask me if the signal is public or private. I'll
always select Public. I think I'm good to go.

And of course, be paranoid about sending passwords and other personal
data at McDonald's.

Well, to be honest, that has to be my advice, because I don't know
enough to be sure what's safe and what isn't.