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Wireless networks are great for most home connections. You can take your laptop and work with it anywhere in the house while maintaining access to the Internet. The price of wireless routers has come down to the point where there’s no price advantage to buying a standard wired router.

However with a wireless network comes the possibility of someone hijacking the connection for his or her own purposes. Most times it’s relatively innocent. The hijacker searches for a WIFI connection, connects, and just checks his mail, or surfs the net for a short time.

However, there’s also the possibility the hijacker has more unfriendly things in mind. They might use your connection to download stolen software, or very large files. The former can have lawyers knocking on your door, and the latter could end up creating a bandwidth over-use bill for you.

The proper way to safeguard against these possibilities is to use the encryption that comes with the wireless router. Unfortunately, most people are intimidated by technology, and if the wireless connection works, they don’t want to touch it. This is like having no locks on the doors of your house.

Routers will all come with simple instructions on how to apply the encryption to the wireless connection, and in most cases it takes no more time than a few mouse clicks. Just always ensure that the router and the computer are set to use the same protocol.

Recent studies indicate that as many as 75% of all wireless networks have no encryption or security being applied and this just encourages the WIFI hijackers to be bold and make use of any connection that they can find. You won’t know if someone is taking advantage of your internet connection until there’s a problem, at which point you’ll need to take corrective measures in a hurry.

If you’re interested in establishing a wireless connection, contact the staff at Dowco Computer Systems. We can provide you with the equipment and expertise necessary to set up your “secure” wireless network.