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3. Get Online > Stay Secure: WiFi Network Safety Tips
The word “wireless” brings with it a sense of freedom: no wires, no cords, no strings attached. But with all that freedom comes the potential for danger, because your personal information isn’t humming along inside a sheathed Ethernet cable from Point A to Point B—it’s flying around in the air.
Most of the time, this isn’t a problem. That is, unless someone evil who knows how to snatch data out of the ether is lurking nearby. Then you could be at risk of identity theft or other ills if, say, you buy a pair of shoes with a credit card and the malcontent electronically nets your numbers.
To make things as safe as possible, keep these tips in mind as you ride the airwaves:
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Password-protect your home network. Yes, it’s an extra step when you set up your wireless network, and it may make the connection a tiny bit slower overall. But it keeps intruders and squatters off your network where, at best, they hog your bandwidth, and, at worst, they infiltrate all your connected computers and steal personal information.
