Secure laptop "on the road" in Wireless Security http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r23090926 en Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:52:01 EDT Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:52:01 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23244380 marti : Thanks for all of the comments! :)]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23244380 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:52:33 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23239811 amysheehan :
said by marti See Profile :

I was hoping that someone had an answer about a wireless card from AT&T or such to make the computer more secure. (Instead of using whatever network is available when you are out of the house or on travel.)
I have never been a public hotspot enthusiast.

I use my ATT card ALOT and also tether my blackberry if necessary for internet access. My firewall prompts me of the new connection and sets to public network security automatically.

Only experience with hotel wifi ended up with my one and only almost disaster in Kerrville Texas years ago where someone went and hacked into all the non secured-open wifi spots they found - I called the front desk who transferred me to the manager who I informed about the security hole in the wifi.

Just my 2 centavos :)
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Proud Member of ASAP
DSLR Phishtracker]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23239811 Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:30:12 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23165900 PeteC2 : If you use normal, common-sense precautions, such as a properly-configured software firewall, with no file-sharing, etc. there should be few/no problems. I travel and use hotel wifi often, and have never been hacked...not once.

Certainly, public wifi is more prone to hacker activity than using a Verizon/Sprint/AT&T card, but frankly, a properly protected computer should be safe enough under normal usage.

Most folks that I see with infected computers, be they desktops at home, or notebooks on the road, almost invariably have not taken even basic common-sense security precautions.
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Deeds, not words]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23165900 Sun, 11 Oct 2009 09:26:36 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23156128 SurfinGenie : When I use my ATT card on the road I use my software firewall just as I would wired or wireless at home.
:)
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Surf safely !!!]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23156128 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:45:17 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23106960 SoonerAl :
said by nwrickert See Profile :

said by SoonerAl See Profile :

If your running Windows 7 or Vista also make sure that Network Location Awareness is set to Public.
I think it will actually prompt you for that at each WiFi site. It seems to recognize a network by the MAC address of the router. I am going by the fact that it prompted me when I switched to a different router, even with the same router IP address.
Both Windows 7 and Vista will prompt you for each new network, wired or wireless, that you connect to. I just wanted to make sure the OP knew to select Public. I'm afraid some users are still a bit confused about the selection or just don't read the prompt correctly and may select Private by mistake.
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"When all else fails, read the instructions..."
MS-MVP Windows Desktop Experience]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23106960 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:02:07 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23106523 SLD : Banks should be OK, as long as they use SSL.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23106523 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:59:13 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23105994 nwrickert :
said by SoonerAl See Profile :

If your running Windows 7 or Vista also make sure that Network Location Awareness is set to Public.
I think it will actually prompt you for that at each WiFi site. It seems to recognize a network by the MAC address of the router. I am going by the fact that it prompted me when I switched to a different router, even with the same router IP address.
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AT&T dsl; Speedstream 5100b modem; Zyxel NBG334W router; openSuSE 11.0; firefox 3.0.14]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23105994 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:39:38 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23105525 SoonerAl : If your running Windows 7 or Vista also make sure that Network Location Awareness is set to Public. That automatically configures the Windows Firewall, File sharing, Network Discovery, etc so outside users can not access the laptop. With XP configure the Windows Firewall for No exceptions.

»technet.microsoft.com/en-us/libr···110.aspx
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"When all else fails, read the instructions..."
MS-MVP Windows Desktop Experience]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23105525 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:52:05 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23104939 marti :
said by nwrickert See Profile :

Suggestions on locking down "on the road" security for laptops?
The primary step should be to login only to a limited user account. Use the admin account for administrative things, but only when on a trusted network.

For banking, etc: be a bit more cautious than usual. If there are any certificate warnings, then skip the bank connection till you are on a more secure network.
Thanks. That was was a suggestion I was looking for.
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Team Discovery]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23104939 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:51:21 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23104926 nwrickert :
Suggestions on locking down "on the road" security for laptops?
The primary step should be to login only to a limited user account. Use the admin account for administrative things, but only when on a trusted network.

For banking, etc: be a bit more cautious than usual. If there are any certificate warnings, then skip the bank connection till you are on a more secure network.
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AT&T dsl; Speedstream 5100b modem; Zyxel NBG334W router; openSuSE 11.0; firefox 3.0.14]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23104926 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:46:49 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23104866 marti :
said by TearAbite See Profile :

I'm no expert, but i think in general, using a private connection like AT&T is far more secure than using an untrusted WiFi connection..
That was my thought, as I am certainly not a laptop "on the road" expert.
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Team Discovery]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23104866 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:25:14 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23104805 TearAbite : I'm no expert, but i think in general, using a private connection like AT&T is far more secure than using an untrusted WiFi connection..]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23104805 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:07:51 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23104756 marti : I was hoping that someone had an answer about a wireless card from AT&T or such to make the computer more secure. (Instead of using whatever network is available when you are out of the house or on travel.)
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Team Discovery]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23104756 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:51:38 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23097723 Anav : »[App Update] Sandboxie Latest Version 3.39.24 Beta

Also this one has promise....
»www.gentlesecurity.com/features.html]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23097723 Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:37:33 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23091076 jefe : I'm interested in the security pundits here opinions too marti.

I've always been more cautious when using public wifi, and less so when connected to a public wired connection, hotels and such.

A friend of mine's thinking is his Verizon wireless card is more secure than a hotel's wired network, even when using a software firewall, an a/v application, etc.

What makes him nervous is when he's in a hotel, on a wired connection, he can see other computers also on that network. I've never seen that situation. He's using a Macbook Pro. I'm using a WinXP Dell laptop.

Standing by to see how the thinking here goes.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23091076 Sun, 27 Sep 2009 14:58:00 EDT Re: Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23090995 TearAbite : I always use a secure OS - I think that is the key (and i'm betting their OS is not all that secure).. I also encrypt the HDD (simple function built into my OS) in case it gets stolen.

beyond that, i try to practice safe-computing (careful with open WiFi, etc).. no matter WHAT you do to their computer and no matter what OS you use, if you can't change their behavior, nothing else really matters.]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23090995 Sun, 27 Sep 2009 14:39:58 EDT Secure laptop "on the road" http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23090926 marti : My friends have a mess and probably at least one infected computer. I am going to try to lock down their network and add more security programs to the computers.

However, this does not help when they are not at home. They always take a laptop when they are out of the house, whether business or pleasure. I know they don't understand computer security (or they would not be in this mess) so I want to lock down the laptops.

I know they get into any network available when they are not at home. Would a wireless card, such as the the ones you get from AT&T make the laptop(s) more secure? I know that I should never access my banks on an unsecure network, but I know they don't follow that rule.

Suggestions on locking down "on the road" security for laptops?
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Team Discovery]]> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,23090926 Sun, 27 Sep 2009 14:15:50 EDT