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6 ways to use public Wi-Fi hot spots safely

Use public Wi-Fi hot spots securely

Places like Starbucks, neighborhood cafes, Barnes&Noble, and universities are all jumping on the "free Wi-Fi" bandwagon--hey, it's trendy. As a result, more of us are connecting to these networks without realizing the security risks.

But did you read the fine print? Wi-Fi hot spots are unsecured networks that hackers like to take advantage of. Everything--including your data, account information and passwords, Google searches, and finances--can become available to the hacker who wants it badly enough.

So before you pay your bills or write your genius business plan at the local cafe, get to know these six useful practices:

1. Be aware that you're never secure. Wi-Fi hot spots are always unsecured connections, so you and potential hackers are hanging out in the same network bubble. It's not difficult for one to tap into your activity and sniff out your personal information. So, even if a hot spot requires a password or guides you through a log-in screen, you're still at risk.
2. Harness built-in security tools. Mac OS X and Windows have built-in security features that you should take advantage of. Enable your firewall (through security settings) and check off "Block all incoming traffic." This setting will keep most of the bad guys out. Disabling file sharing (shown in the video above) is also an important security measure.
3. Protect your passwords. Hackers can retrieve saved passwords from your Registry or install keyloggers, which make your keyboard activity available to them (including passwords you type in). Install something like LastPass, a browser add-on that stores your passwords in the cloud--you'll never have to type a thing and passwords won't be saved on your computer.
4. Look for the padlock. Web sites that use HTTPS encrypt your activity, so anything you do on that site is confidential. Look for a padlock in the address bar, or simply check the URL for "https://..." Not all Web sites do this, but you can download HTTPS Everywhere, an add-on that will force an encrypted connection on many popular sites.
5. Check the network name. In an attempt to lure you in, hackers might set up fake networks like "FREE Public Wi-Fi", or "Starbucks FREE." Check with the venue's employees to confirm the name of their network.
6. Use common sense. You should treat all open networks as a security risk. Don't do any banking, online shopping, or other activities that would expose your private information. If you wouldn't be willing to share it with the public, it can wait until you get home.
Do you have best practices for using Wi-Fi hot spots?

How to optimize your Wi-Fi network with Wifi Analyzer

Wireless routers have quickly become an essential appliance in the modern home. Here's how to use the Android app, Wifi Analyzer, to optimize your WiFi network.

Wireless channel

Wireless networks use specific channels within the wireless spectrum. An overcrowded wireless channel results in decreased bandwidth and/or connectivity issues for your network. Use Wifi Analyzer to see what channels are in use and to identify the best channel to set on your router.

Step 1:
The first time Wifi Analyzer is launched, it goes straight into the Channel graph view. To switch to Channel rating view, press the Menu Key on your Android device and select View.

(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)

Step 2:
From the list of views, select Channel rating.

(Credit: Screenshot by Ed Rhee)

Step 3:
To select your access point (your wireless network), press the location on the screen where it says, "Please tap here to set an AP."

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Step 4:
After selecting your access point, you'll see a list of channels, rated by stars. At the top of the screen, you'll see your AP listed as well as the channel that your network is currently using. Wifi Analyzer will recommend other channels if it determines that they're less crowded. Keep in mind that not all routers use 14 channels. Some routers only go up to 11. Also, some routers autoscan channels to pick the best one. If your router can't autoscan or doesn't do it well, you can set the channel manually.

Signal Meter

You can use Wifi Analyzer's Signal meter view to find out if you've positioned your wireless router in the best possible location. Using the signal meter, you can walk around your home or office to see if the signal reaches in those areas, and make adjustments as necessary.

AP List

The AP list view is useful for quickly glancing at the details of your network and neighboring wireless networks. The security detail is handy when you need to set up a new device on your network, but can't remember which security method you implemented. You can also use the AP list to verify that your network is still secured. You can even configure this view to display the cipher type (TKIP or AES).

The next time your wireless network acts up, you can pull out your Android phone and begin troubleshooting.

How to make your own Ethernet cable

Sure, you can buy Ethernet cables from the store, but where's the fun in that? If you want to make custom cable lengths or crossover cables, or repair a broken connector, why not do it yourself? Here's how.

Before you get started, make sure you have the necessary tools, and decide whether you're going to use Cat 5e or Cat 6 network cables.

What you'll need:

• Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) patch cable
• Modular connector (8P8C plug, aka RJ45)
• Crimping tool
• Cable tester (optional, but recommended)

(Credit: Ed Rhee)

There are four pairs of wires in an Ethernet cable, and an Ethernet connector (8P8C) has eight pin slots. Each pin is identified by a number, starting from left to right, with the clip facing awayfrom you.

(Credit: Aaron Kaase)

The two standards for wiring Ethernet cables are T568A and T568B. T568B is the most common and is what we'll be using for our straight Ethernet cable. The tables below show the proper orientation of the colored wires to the pins.

T568A Standard

Pin 1	White/Green
Pin 2	Green
Pin 3	White/Orange
Pin 4	Blue
Pin 5	White/Blue
Pin 6	Orange
Pin 7	White/Brown
Pin 8	Brown

T568B Standard

Pin 1	White/Orange
Pin 2	Orange
Pin 3	White/Green
Pin 4	Blue
Pin 5	White/Blue
Pin 6	Green
Pin 7	White/Brown
Pin 8	Brown

Step 1: Strip the cable jacket about 1.5 inch down from the end.

(Credit: Ed Rhee)

Step 2: Spread the four pairs of twisted wire apart. For Cat 5e, you can use the pull string to strip the jacket farther down if you need to, then cut the pull string. Cat 6 cables have a spine that will also need to be cut.

(Credit: Ed Rhee)

Step 3: Untwist the wire pairs and neatly align them in the T568B orientation. Be sure not to untwist them any farther down the cable than where the jacket begins; we want to leave as much of the cable twisted as possible.

(Credit: Ed Rhee)

Step 4: Cut the wires as straight as possible, about 0.5 inch above the end of the jacket.

Step 5: Carefully insert the wires all the way into the modular connector, making sure that each wire passes through the appropriate guides inside the connector.

(Credit: Ed Rhee)

Step 6: Push the connector inside the crimping tool and squeeze the crimper all the way down.

(Credit: Ed Rhee)

Step 7: Repeat steps 1-6 for the other end of the cable.

Step 8: To make sure you've successfully terminated each end of the cable, use a cable tester to test each pin.

(Credit: Ed Rhee)

When you're all done, the connectors should look like this:

(Credit: Ed Rhee)

That's it. For crossover cables, simply make one end of the cable a T568A and the other end a T568B. Now you can make Ethernet cables of any length, fix broken connectors, or make yourself a crossover cable. Happy crimping!

Aamir