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Old Jun 27, 2014, 09:49 AM
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BeaFlower BeaFlower is offline
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In some places, like the hotels, I have found WiFi areas where you can have free internet access. But is it safe for privacy to come at PC using them? Maybe in my country it's different than in USA, but I try to ask

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  #2  
Old Jun 27, 2014, 10:17 AM
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Perna Perna is offline
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It is always important to have good personal/computer security and pay attention to the type and scope of free WiFi. Using free WiFi in an airport, for example, is probably not a good idea. My computer, phone, and camera all have the ability to provide their own hotspot and I use one of those now, instead of free WiFi if I am not sure of how "friendly" where I am is. Too, my husband has a couple of computers, one of which is for travelling and doesn't have anything sensitive on it. I have coded my passwords and "hidden" the file and only I know the key to the code, even if the file were found. Other than that, I do not have anything on my computer that would bother me were the computer stolen or compromised.

I think it is always safe to come to PC since we do not use our names and it is very public/searchable by Google, etc. anyway, no matter where one is coming on from. A lot of people without computers have come here from public library computers, work, etc. I don't think PC and what computer/WiFi one uses matters. However, if someone with access to your computer and computer's history wants to know where you go, that might be different. Even then, though, unless they can guess your nickname or your posts are frequent/have extremely identifiable stories (such as mine :-) I think it would be difficult for someone to "spy" on one.
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  #3  
Old Jun 27, 2014, 10:24 AM
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BeaFlower BeaFlower is offline
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Thanks! What are 'hotspots'?
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Old Jun 27, 2014, 10:33 AM
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Perna Perna is offline
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One can create one's own WiFi :-) which can usually cover up to 5 other pieces of equipment/computers. But it is coming from one's own equipment so you control who has access. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotspot_(Wi-Fi) It is what the places you are talking about are providing (hotels), only they provide to more people, their customers :-) Perhaps you have seen a little message on the door of restaurants, fast food places, bookstores, etc. that they provide "free WiFi"? We literally have them everywhere in the US.

Generally, the larger and more public a site is, the less secure it is. That's why airport free sites are a bad idea to use.
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  #5  
Old Jun 27, 2014, 02:59 PM
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I use a proxy if I use their service.
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WiFi and privacy
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Thanks for this!
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  #6  
Old Jun 27, 2014, 04:35 PM
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BeaFlower BeaFlower is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Perna View Post
One can create one's own WiFi :-) which can usually cover up to 5 other pieces of equipment/computers. But it is coming from one's own equipment so you control who has access. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotspot_(Wi-Fi) It is what the places you are talking about are providing (hotels), only they provide to more people, their customers :-) Perhaps you have seen a little message on the door of restaurants, fast food places, bookstores, etc. that they provide "free WiFi"? We literally have them everywhere in the US.

Generally, the larger and more public a site is, the less secure it is. That's why airport free sites are a bad idea to use.
Yes, I saw those messages
  #7  
Old Jun 27, 2014, 04:53 PM
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Perna Perna is offline
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JD's idea of using a proxy server is good too; https://www.hidemyass.com/how-it-works putting a buffer between your machine and wherever you log into. There's lists of "free" ones online but I've never used a proxy other than occasionally when I've been "asked" by a site if I wanted to. I just make sure I am as aware as possible of my surroundings/the businesses whose sites I use, what could happen, etc. Sure, bad guys can hack "anything" but the likelihood of their choosing me/my machine in a way that will affect me/I'll know, is not that great/likely given both who I am and the level of security I have in place for myself.
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  #8  
Old Jun 28, 2014, 05:49 AM
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BeaFlower BeaFlower is offline
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Thanks again to both! However, I wasn't thinking to use a public computer, just to use WiFi with my own computer or phone
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