05-13-2006, 06:15 PM
A couple things to be aware of:
1. It's an open wifi network. This means people can read what you send and receive. I've seen people parked outside the local starbucks doing a little more than surfing the web. Keep in mind things like your POP email password are sent in plain text. So use a secure mail service.
2. Make sure you join the official network. How you make sure of this, I'm not sure. But for a long time I've known that creating a false network there just to grab information is a major vulnerability. Recently I was at an airport that had a t-mobile hotspot. When I got on the plain, I still saw the same hotspot. Well, it wasn't a hotspot, but someone's laptop setup to try and get people to connect to it. With Windows, it will force you to connect to the strongest signal.
IMHO, you're probably better off getting a cell phone plan that allows you to access the net through their network. If you use Verizon it will likely be as fast as a hotspot (in some areas.) Sprint would be a little slower but still decent. Cingular would be even slower but possibly still work well.
I pay an extra $10/mo for unlimited data, but I'm grandfathered in as now they usually require a second line for that connectivity. That's still about the same price as the t-mobile hotspots. It's secure and you have more flexibility.
1. It's an open wifi network. This means people can read what you send and receive. I've seen people parked outside the local starbucks doing a little more than surfing the web. Keep in mind things like your POP email password are sent in plain text. So use a secure mail service.
2. Make sure you join the official network. How you make sure of this, I'm not sure. But for a long time I've known that creating a false network there just to grab information is a major vulnerability. Recently I was at an airport that had a t-mobile hotspot. When I got on the plain, I still saw the same hotspot. Well, it wasn't a hotspot, but someone's laptop setup to try and get people to connect to it. With Windows, it will force you to connect to the strongest signal.
IMHO, you're probably better off getting a cell phone plan that allows you to access the net through their network. If you use Verizon it will likely be as fast as a hotspot (in some areas.) Sprint would be a little slower but still decent. Cingular would be even slower but possibly still work well.
I pay an extra $10/mo for unlimited data, but I'm grandfathered in as now they usually require a second line for that connectivity. That's still about the same price as the t-mobile hotspots. It's secure and you have more flexibility.