Quick Reference:
Public Wi-Fi Hotspots
Last Updated
June 22, 2007
What Is Wi-Fi
A way to get Internet access, the term
Wi-Fi is a play
upon the decades-old term HiFi that describes the type of output
generated by quality musical hardware. Wi-Fi stands for Wireless
Fidelity and is used to define any of the
wireless
technology in the IEEE
802.11
specification - including (but not necessarily limited to) the wireless
protocols 802.11a,
802.11b, and
802.11g. The
Wi-Fi
Alliance is the body responsible for promoting the term and its
association with various wireless technology standards.
What Are Wi-Fi Hotspots?
A Wi-Fi hotspot
is defined as any location in which 802.11 (wireless) technology both
exists and is available for use to consumers. In some cases the wireless
access is free, and, in others, wireless carriers charge for Wi-Fi usage.
A hotspot is defined as a specific geographic location in which an
access point provides public wireless
broadband
network services to mobile visitors through a
WLAN. Hotspots
are often located in heavily populated places such as airports, train
stations, libraries, marinas, conventions centers and hotels. Hotspots
typically have a short range of access.
To use Wi-Fi, you must be using a computer or PDA that has Wi-Fi
connectivity. Newer handhelds, notebooks and
tablet PCs
will come equipped with Wi-Fi, or you can add Wi-Fi capabilities by
using an adapter that plugs into a PC card slot or
USB port.
Public Hotspots
Hotels, restaurants, airports and other businesses offer
wireless LAN (hotspot) connectivity to met the growing demand of mobile
business professionals and typically allow those connected to do things
like access the World Wide Web, use e-mail, instant messaging, and other
Internet services. There are generally two types of public hotspots;
those which are free to use by anyone and subscription-based hotspots
where you need to register an account before using.
To connect to a free public hotspot all you need to do is move within
range of the network and your Wi-Fi card will automatically connect.
Subscription-based hotspot accounts work similar to mobile phone
accounts, and are usually a time-based subscription service. Once you
have registered an account with the provider you access their hotspot in
the same way that you would connect to any wireless network. When using
subscription-based services if you go over your allotted time for your
specific plan, you will usually pay a higher per minute rate for
connectivity.
Are Public Hotspots Secure?
A public hotspot is not nearly as secure as your corporate or home
network. In fact, most public hotspots don't offer any security at all,
making these types of wireless networks inherently "unsecure." This is
because encryption methods such as
WEP and
WPA, which
are usually used to protect private wireless networks, aren't
implemented due to the complexities of supporting users. For security
and privacy reasons there are some precautions and things to consider
when connecting to a public hotspot to make your connection more secure.
Firewall: A firewall will help protect your laptop by
preventing other users from gaining access to your computer through the
wireless network.
Access Point:
The access point is where the wireless network links to the wired
system. If you enable an access point to allow only certain connections
you will not connect to public Wi-Fi hotspots unintentionally and also
will prevent unauthorized users from connecting to your notebook or PC.
VPN:
It is recommended that business professionals connect to their office
VPN before accessing or sending information over a public hotspot. The
encryption offered by the VPN will prevent others from reading any data
you transmit.
Passwords and File Sharing: To prevent unauthorized
access to your own system you should disable file and printer sharing,
otherwise your system is venerable to hackers and malicious users. Also,
making your folders private and password protecting your files will also
make it harder for malicious users to access your files.
System: Be sure your anti-virus is enabled and that it
and your operating system are up-to-date.
Unintentional Connections: When in public areas you
should turn off your wireless so you do not unknowingly connect to a
free public hotspot.
Vangie 'Aurora' Beal
Writer, www.Webopedia.com
Last Updated June 22, 2007
Wi-FiHotSpotList.com
A directory of public hot spots for finding Wi-Fi wireless Internet access
network nodes. To find HotSpots near a location, enter a complete or partial
address. By default, all locations within 1 mile are shown. Click on "Browse by
Region" to see all HotSpots in a city. Click on a HotSpot name for a map within
the U.S. and Europe.
PracticallyNetworked: So You Want to Be a Hotspot
With the explosive growth of hotspots, I'm surprised a question like
this hasn't come up before. Like you, I'm not overly familiar with all
of the details involved in setting up a hotspot. However, I agree that
just adding an access point to the company network is a bad idea. Even
if the club members themselves have no malicious intent, it still
represents a security risk. Plus, to have to troubleshoot and support
every wireless device that comes through the door would be a nightmare.
Wi-Fi Planet: Wi-Fi Hotspot Security: The Issues
The major concern of users at Wi-Fi hotspots, beyond not being able to
connect, is security. These types of wireless networks are inherently
"unsecure." This is because encryption methods such as WEP and WPA,
which are usually used to protect private wireless networks, aren't
implemented due to the complexities of supporting users.
Wi-Fi
Planet
802.11 news, commentary and information.
Webopedia's "Did You Know... The Differences Between WEP and
WPA"
When using a wireless access point or router it is important to remember
that if you can send information from one device and receive it at
another, anyone else within range might also be able to receive it. When
protecting data send via wireless, security and protection is offered
through encryption schemes that come with your wireless hardware you can
enable.
Open Networks Today
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discussions, and news feed links.
Wi-Fi
Alliance
A resource page for Wi-Fi technology.
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