I honestly could not tell you how much business restaurants and stores in my area have gotten from me because of their free Wi-Fi. Within the area I regularly travel, I know most of the Wi-Fi hotspots, and they make very convenient places to stop in during an hour or two break.
When travelling, free Wi-Fi can be a lifesaver, especially if you have to send a large file or multiple emails. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a map of all the Free Wi-Fi hotspots near you? Well, now there is one!
The Free Wi-Fi Finder app from Ninth Decimal can direct you to hotspots near you. It can also scan for wireless networks that are within range of your device.
To download the Free WiFi Finder for your phone, follow these links:
Free WiFi Finder - iTunes
WiFi Finder - Google Play
Or you can access the web version at www.wififreespot.com.
Showing posts with label Wi-Fi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wi-Fi. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Friday, September 12, 2014
Speed Up Your Wi-Fi
Everyone wants the fastest internet speed possible at a price we can afford. However, if your Wi-Fi is slow, the problem may not be your ISP. There are many things that you can do to improve your Wi-Fi speeds that don't include contacting your ISP to increase your speed (which will also increase your price, of course!) Here are four free things you can do that might improve your Wi-Fi speeds:
1) Move the Router - Many people do not know that the maximum speed decreases as you move away from the router. To make sure you have the best speeds, move the router as close as possible to where people will be using Wi-Fi. If you want coverage throughout your house, try to move it somewhere in the center. If most of the Wi-Fi access is done on one side, you might want to move it closer to that end of the house.
Hiding the router away in one corner gives some of your best coverage to your yard and even to the neighbor's house. Obviously, you will not want an unsightly mess of cables right in the middle of your living room, but moving your router closer may improve your speed.
If you must put the router in a corner or at one end of your house, you can use a curved sheet of aluminum foil or an aluminium can behind the router to reflect the signal back into your house.
2) Change the Channel - Your router can be programmed to work on eleven different channels. If most of your neighbors are using one particular channel, that channel can slow from all the transmissions. Access your router's control panel (for exact instructions, check the printed or online documentation for your router) and try changing the channel. The best channels to use will be 1, 6, and 11.
A word of warning: I had one customer whose printer required channel 1 for some reason, but his router was programmed to select the clearest channel. If you suddenly find that a device won't connect after changing the channel, you may be stuck with the channel you are on.
3) Update Firmware - All devices contain small chips with software to operate the device. This software is called firmware. Manufacturers will sometimes release firmware updates for your device to protect against security holes, correct errors, and add new features. Unfortunately, unlike Windows, your devices are rarely programmed to check for firmware updates.
Both your router and your device's Wi-Fi card have firmware that might benefit from an upgrade. To check for new firmware, go to the manufacturer's website.
4) Check for Thieves - Earlier this week, I wrote a tip about how to check for people that might be using your Wi-Fi network. If you did not get this tip, you can check it out here.
However, even authorized devices may be using your bandwidth without your knowledge. Right now, WiFi Guard lists five devices connected to my router, even though I am only using my computer (and at the time I am writing this, I am the only one awake). Shutting off Wi-Fi on your phone, tablet, or streaming device might free up more bandwidth for your computer.
1) Move the Router - Many people do not know that the maximum speed decreases as you move away from the router. To make sure you have the best speeds, move the router as close as possible to where people will be using Wi-Fi. If you want coverage throughout your house, try to move it somewhere in the center. If most of the Wi-Fi access is done on one side, you might want to move it closer to that end of the house.
Hiding the router away in one corner gives some of your best coverage to your yard and even to the neighbor's house. Obviously, you will not want an unsightly mess of cables right in the middle of your living room, but moving your router closer may improve your speed.
If you must put the router in a corner or at one end of your house, you can use a curved sheet of aluminum foil or an aluminium can behind the router to reflect the signal back into your house.
2) Change the Channel - Your router can be programmed to work on eleven different channels. If most of your neighbors are using one particular channel, that channel can slow from all the transmissions. Access your router's control panel (for exact instructions, check the printed or online documentation for your router) and try changing the channel. The best channels to use will be 1, 6, and 11.
A word of warning: I had one customer whose printer required channel 1 for some reason, but his router was programmed to select the clearest channel. If you suddenly find that a device won't connect after changing the channel, you may be stuck with the channel you are on.
3) Update Firmware - All devices contain small chips with software to operate the device. This software is called firmware. Manufacturers will sometimes release firmware updates for your device to protect against security holes, correct errors, and add new features. Unfortunately, unlike Windows, your devices are rarely programmed to check for firmware updates.
Both your router and your device's Wi-Fi card have firmware that might benefit from an upgrade. To check for new firmware, go to the manufacturer's website.
4) Check for Thieves - Earlier this week, I wrote a tip about how to check for people that might be using your Wi-Fi network. If you did not get this tip, you can check it out here.
However, even authorized devices may be using your bandwidth without your knowledge. Right now, WiFi Guard lists five devices connected to my router, even though I am only using my computer (and at the time I am writing this, I am the only one awake). Shutting off Wi-Fi on your phone, tablet, or streaming device might free up more bandwidth for your computer.
Monday, September 8, 2014
Catch Wi-Fi Thieves
Securing your wireless network is important. Your network uses your internet connection, which means that any activity will be traced back to you. If you don't secure your network, someone sitting in their car could implicate you for trafficking drugs or child porn. (Yes, it has happened.) If you don't know how to secure your network, you can read the tip I wrote on this back in July here.
However, what do you do if you think that someone is on your network (even if it is secured). You can try logging into the router's home page, but my router's home page gives me very little information about the devices that are connected. In order to determine which device is which, I have to disconnect each device and refresh the page to see what disappeared. Plus, if you forget about a device (like I forgot about the Roku player when I tried doing this), you may think there is an intruder on your network.
Fortunately, there is an easier way. SoftPerfect's WiFi Guard will scan your network and give you additional information about connected devices. Looking at my network, I can clearly see my computer, my network printer, my MagicJack phone, and my Roku. There is one other device that is not recognized, but I believe that it is probably a smartphone or tablet.
WiFi Guard will put a green or red light next to each connected device to show whether or not it recognizes it. When I scanned the first time, only my computer and the router were listed as green. If you recognize the device and want it to stop flagging it, simply double-click the device and check "I know this computer or device".
If you want to get even more advanced, you can set the program to email you when an unrecognized device connects to your network. This is the perfect way to monitor your network when you're not around.
This program is NOT a substitute for a secure network. Even if you quickly recognize and block an intruder, they still have had time to use your network for whatever nefarious purpose they might have. However, it is good for keeping track of your connected devices and determining if someone is accessing your network without your permission.
This program is free for Windows and Linux users, but it costs $9.99 for Mac users. You can download SoftPerfect's WiFi Guard using one of these links:
SoftPerfect WiFi Guard - Windows/Linux
SoftPerfect WiFi Guard - Mac
However, what do you do if you think that someone is on your network (even if it is secured). You can try logging into the router's home page, but my router's home page gives me very little information about the devices that are connected. In order to determine which device is which, I have to disconnect each device and refresh the page to see what disappeared. Plus, if you forget about a device (like I forgot about the Roku player when I tried doing this), you may think there is an intruder on your network.
Fortunately, there is an easier way. SoftPerfect's WiFi Guard will scan your network and give you additional information about connected devices. Looking at my network, I can clearly see my computer, my network printer, my MagicJack phone, and my Roku. There is one other device that is not recognized, but I believe that it is probably a smartphone or tablet.
WiFi Guard will put a green or red light next to each connected device to show whether or not it recognizes it. When I scanned the first time, only my computer and the router were listed as green. If you recognize the device and want it to stop flagging it, simply double-click the device and check "I know this computer or device".
If you want to get even more advanced, you can set the program to email you when an unrecognized device connects to your network. This is the perfect way to monitor your network when you're not around.
This program is NOT a substitute for a secure network. Even if you quickly recognize and block an intruder, they still have had time to use your network for whatever nefarious purpose they might have. However, it is good for keeping track of your connected devices and determining if someone is accessing your network without your permission.
This program is free for Windows and Linux users, but it costs $9.99 for Mac users. You can download SoftPerfect's WiFi Guard using one of these links:
SoftPerfect WiFi Guard - Windows/Linux
SoftPerfect WiFi Guard - Mac
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Three Steps to Secure Your Home Network
Wireless networks are wonderful. We can take our laptop, tablet, or phone and sit anywhere in the house while we surf the web. However, having wireless access in your home also means that someone sitting in their car across the street can use your internet unless you take steps to block that person out. And while you might just think that you are being generous by allowing others to use your bandwidth, any activities (including illegal ones) performed by a person on the network will be connected back to you. You may be able to clear yourself eventually, but you will end up with many hassles and legal bills before that happens.
Fortunately, it is simple to secure your home's wireless network to block out intruders.
1) Add a password - This is the most basic security step you can take. When someone tries to connect to your network, they will be forced to enter the password you set up.
To set up your password, you will need to access your router's control panel. To access this panel, you will need to go to a web browser window and enter your router's network address. (The network address will be listed in your router's documentation, or you can look up the address for your router online. It will begin with 192.168.) Next, you will need to enter the user name and password. These have a default setting, so if you have not changed them, look up the defaults in the documentation or online, as well. Then, you will need to navigate to where you can change the password. The exact procedure will differ based on your router, but for my router, I click on "Wireless" and then "Security". For the best security, you will want to use WPA2 security unless you have a device that cannot connect with WPA2. On my router, this is changed under "Authentication Type". Underneath that option is a place for the "Passphrase". This is obviously where you will enter the password that you want.
While this step will keep most people off your network, a determined person will still be able to get around your security if all you do is add a password. To stop these people, you need to do more:
2) Change your SSID - The SSID is a name that identifies your wireless network. By default, it will usually contain the brand name of the router. Remember how we could access the control panel earlier by looking up the router's address online? If your router's brand is listed in your network name, anyone on your network could look up that address and access your control panel. Even if the model number is not in the description, most manufacturers use the same one or two addresses for all their routers. Once on your network, it would not take long to be inside your control panel.
To change your SSID, you will once again go to the control panel and search for an "SSID" option to change. On my router, I can access that by simply clicking on "Wireless". Once there, think of a creative name for your network. You can use your last name, your address, or even change it to "FBI Surveillance Van". (Yes, I know of at least two people who have done that!) This is not a password, so there is no need to be concerned about coming up with a complicated name. The critical factor is that your router's brand name is gone!
If you want to be extra conscious about security, you can disable SSID broadcasting. This will cause your network to appear as something like "Unidentified Network" or "Unnamed Network". Then, in order to connect, you will have to enter the network name along with the password you set earlier. While this provides a little extra security, it also adds the inconvenience of having to remember and enter the network name along with the password.
3) Change your Access Password - Remember how we had to enter a user name and password to access the router control panel. Because so many routers use the same default address, it would not take long to guess the address of most routers. Once the person has done this, they will almost always have access to the model number of your router (it is usually displayed on the login page). If your user name and password to access the control panel is still the default, they can look it up just as easily as you can! Once inside your control panel, they can make all kinds of changes to your network, including blocking you from accessing your own router.
To stop this, change your router's access password. (Some may also allow you to change the user name, but others may not.) This may take a little time to find in your control panel, but it is worth it. You can also attempt to look up directions in your documentation or online. Make sure you write this password down! You will most likely use it infrequently, so you want to have it written down where you can find it when you need it.
Fortunately, it is simple to secure your home's wireless network to block out intruders.
1) Add a password - This is the most basic security step you can take. When someone tries to connect to your network, they will be forced to enter the password you set up.
To set up your password, you will need to access your router's control panel. To access this panel, you will need to go to a web browser window and enter your router's network address. (The network address will be listed in your router's documentation, or you can look up the address for your router online. It will begin with 192.168.) Next, you will need to enter the user name and password. These have a default setting, so if you have not changed them, look up the defaults in the documentation or online, as well. Then, you will need to navigate to where you can change the password. The exact procedure will differ based on your router, but for my router, I click on "Wireless" and then "Security". For the best security, you will want to use WPA2 security unless you have a device that cannot connect with WPA2. On my router, this is changed under "Authentication Type". Underneath that option is a place for the "Passphrase". This is obviously where you will enter the password that you want.
While this step will keep most people off your network, a determined person will still be able to get around your security if all you do is add a password. To stop these people, you need to do more:
2) Change your SSID - The SSID is a name that identifies your wireless network. By default, it will usually contain the brand name of the router. Remember how we could access the control panel earlier by looking up the router's address online? If your router's brand is listed in your network name, anyone on your network could look up that address and access your control panel. Even if the model number is not in the description, most manufacturers use the same one or two addresses for all their routers. Once on your network, it would not take long to be inside your control panel.
To change your SSID, you will once again go to the control panel and search for an "SSID" option to change. On my router, I can access that by simply clicking on "Wireless". Once there, think of a creative name for your network. You can use your last name, your address, or even change it to "FBI Surveillance Van". (Yes, I know of at least two people who have done that!) This is not a password, so there is no need to be concerned about coming up with a complicated name. The critical factor is that your router's brand name is gone!
If you want to be extra conscious about security, you can disable SSID broadcasting. This will cause your network to appear as something like "Unidentified Network" or "Unnamed Network". Then, in order to connect, you will have to enter the network name along with the password you set earlier. While this provides a little extra security, it also adds the inconvenience of having to remember and enter the network name along with the password.
3) Change your Access Password - Remember how we had to enter a user name and password to access the router control panel. Because so many routers use the same default address, it would not take long to guess the address of most routers. Once the person has done this, they will almost always have access to the model number of your router (it is usually displayed on the login page). If your user name and password to access the control panel is still the default, they can look it up just as easily as you can! Once inside your control panel, they can make all kinds of changes to your network, including blocking you from accessing your own router.
To stop this, change your router's access password. (Some may also allow you to change the user name, but others may not.) This may take a little time to find in your control panel, but it is worth it. You can also attempt to look up directions in your documentation or online. Make sure you write this password down! You will most likely use it infrequently, so you want to have it written down where you can find it when you need it.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Save Battery by Turning Off Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi connections are a wonderful thing! They allow us to sit on our couches with a laptop or tablet and still connect to the internet. They also allow us to conserve data when we are using our phone at home or somewhere with a free Wi-Fi connection. However, if you leave your Wi-Fi on all the time, you may be killing your battery life.
When your device's Wi-Fi is turned on, it is continually sending out requests to maintain a list of networks in range, even when you are already connected to a network. This means that, at any time, you can access that list and see what networks are available. From my basement (where I am writing this tip), I do get much wireless signal, but I can see almost instantly that I am in range of three networks: Captain (my network), Netgear N600, and G67B458D290C. If your device waited for you to ask it to connect, it would take at least a few seconds while my laptop sent out a request and waited for responses.
However, all those requests for networks will use up your battery. If you are in a place where you know you will not be able to charge your battery for some time, and you are not planning to use the internet (or have no Wi-Fi access), it would be a wise decision to shut off your Wi-Fi and save your battery. (Just remember to turn it back on when you get home, especially if you also have cellular data service on that device! You certainly do not want to pay for expensive data overage charges unnecessarily!)
This is not only true of Wi-Fi, but also Bluetooth, GPS, and any other connections your device may be capable of making. Each of these will use battery while it searches for connections. If you have a great battery, you may prefer the convenience of an automatic connection. However, if you always seem to be struggling to make it through the day without running out of battery, shutting off your Wi-Fi when you are not using it is a great way to make your battery last longer.
When your device's Wi-Fi is turned on, it is continually sending out requests to maintain a list of networks in range, even when you are already connected to a network. This means that, at any time, you can access that list and see what networks are available. From my basement (where I am writing this tip), I do get much wireless signal, but I can see almost instantly that I am in range of three networks: Captain (my network), Netgear N600, and G67B458D290C. If your device waited for you to ask it to connect, it would take at least a few seconds while my laptop sent out a request and waited for responses.
However, all those requests for networks will use up your battery. If you are in a place where you know you will not be able to charge your battery for some time, and you are not planning to use the internet (or have no Wi-Fi access), it would be a wise decision to shut off your Wi-Fi and save your battery. (Just remember to turn it back on when you get home, especially if you also have cellular data service on that device! You certainly do not want to pay for expensive data overage charges unnecessarily!)
This is not only true of Wi-Fi, but also Bluetooth, GPS, and any other connections your device may be capable of making. Each of these will use battery while it searches for connections. If you have a great battery, you may prefer the convenience of an automatic connection. However, if you always seem to be struggling to make it through the day without running out of battery, shutting off your Wi-Fi when you are not using it is a great way to make your battery last longer.
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