WIFI Security
Techdirt: Local Reporters Just Can't Get Enough Of The WiFi Fear Mongering has some interesting comments by various readers.
Lots of different ideas about the relative security of a home wireless network.
Basic tips -
Change the default password on your router
Use encryption for your router
Use MAC addresses to allow access to your network
Disable the guest account on your PC
Password protect each user account on your home PC's
Use a firewall
Install antivirus software
Install spyware/keylog detection software
I'd be interested in an actual demonstration by someone who claims to be able to use packet sniffers or "man in the middle" techniques of some sort to obtain useful data from a network that had the above protections in place.
My guess is that the "war drivers" are not going to be able to make a living cruising around looking for unsecured home networks and then sorting through email, chat logs, browser caches...until they find some thing useful. It's easier to get a credit card number by phishing or from a gas station or cafe, if that's the goal.
The next time they air one of these scare stories I'd like to see a reward offered where so-called hackers get a reward of a thousand bucks, or whatever, by being able to penetrate a secure home network and obtain data they can convert into cash or goods.
For that matter I'd like to see someone show me how being able to access everything on a typical home user's computer could turn into a money-making endeavor. It just doesn't compute to me.