I'm thinking of getting a laptop soon. One of the things I would use it for is web-browsing from WiFi hotspots, including ClubHombre. How safe is this. I know there are programs that can help you keep your passwords safe, but can others eavesdrop at all and see what websites you visit? Does security/privacy vary from provider to provider? I would be using T-Mobile. Thanks for any info.

T-Mobile admits readily its network is not secure. They could secure it with WAP encryption, but that would make connecting more difficult and then don't do that.

So anyone can intercept and spy on you in most Wi-FI hotspots. If security is a concern, do not use Wi-Fi hotspots.

There's two "security" issues with setting up a wireless network.

First, and of the greatest concern to most folks, is access control. That is, controlling who can send and receive packets via your wifi transceiver. This is the most heavily studied, for obvious reasons.

Second, and much less interesting, is being able to "snoop" wireless packets going to and from someone else. In general, this is a trivial operation (packet sniffing being a subset of network access, see above) but it's much less interesting.

If this is a real concern for you, you might consider an encrypting router/firewall. You could probably build one using Linux, but I don't know what your options would be on the laptop side.

Realistically, though, if this is a *real* concern for you (meaning, for example, that you are a celebrity and having reporters outside your house see what you are surfing would really hurt you) then don't get a wireless connection of any kind.

Dem Techno Gnomes