Wireless Internet Gateway Problems

If you’re like me and use a notebook frequently at home, you probably have it set up with wireless networking. Or, you might have run an Ethernet cable from a cable/dsl router.

Security Tip
If you’re using cable or DSL, or even connected via Ethernet at a university, you can use a router to protect your computer from access by others. The router gets the IP address from your Internet service provider. Then, it creates a local area network to which your computer belongs. The result: you can get to the Internet, responses can get back to you (because the router keeps track of your requests and responses to it, but computers on the “other side of the router” can not initiate connections to your computer — the IP address they see is the router’s!

My notebook is normally wired to my home network. If I want to take it to another room or outside, I’ll turn on the radio in it. Then, I’ll unplug the Ethernet cable and carry the notebook wherever I wanted to go.

Unfortunately, although we can actually make multiple connections to the network from one computer (usually one for the wired connection and one for the wireless), the computer still remembers which should be its “gateway” for talking to the network and the Internet.

When I do the sequence of steps I mentioned, my computer remembers that the local network and the Internet are accessed via my wired connection — even though I just unhooked the cable.

Continue reading Wireless Internet Gateway Problems

Terry’s Computer Tips newsletters July 27th

This week’s email and on-line newsletters are now available:
*   free weekly Terry”s Computer Tips email newsletter
*   weekly on-line Terry”s Computer Tips newsletter

This week’s online newsletter includes:

*   Microsoft SyncToy versus Karen’s Replicator
Two free programs to copy or back up your data files…

*   Help! I Can’t Connect to the Internet
Sometimes updates from Microsoft break computer communications. This reader asked for help in solving that problem recently…

*   My Security Software Recommendations
My recommendations for anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, and anti-spam software…

*   After 4 Months, My Verdict on the iPhone
You’ve read the hype about the iPhone. Now, I’m writing about my real world experiences with it and what I think…

     Sponsored Advertisement

WinClear Windows History Cleaner
Easy cleaning of temporary files, web browser history, cache, cookies, etc.
See what WinClear Can Find on Your PC…

Read my WinClear Review

Router Security — Wired & Wireless Routers

Reader Scott Adler wrote recently to tell me about an interesting article on cable/DSL router security. I found it interesting that the mainstream computer media, in this case it was an article at CNET News.com, that was warning people to change the default password on their cable and DSL routers.

For a long time, my security recommendations for wired and wireless routers include the recommendation that you change the password on the router from the default to one of your choice..

What’s the default password for a router? It’s the password that you have to enter to edit the router settings. Many users use their router’s default password to set up the router initially. Then, they forget all about changing the password — or they worry that they won’t remember it so they decide not to change it.

Why is it important to change the router’s password? You should change the password because it’s one more door that can be locked to protect your computer and your Internet computing.

Continue reading Router Security — Wired & Wireless Routers

New Articles at Terry’s Computer Tips

New Articles at Terry’s Computer Tips

New articles posted at Terry’s Computer Tips:

Terry’s Computer Tips newsletters March 16th

This week’s email and on-line newsletters are now available:
*   free weekly Terry”s Computer Tips email newsletter
*   weekly on-line Terry”s Computer Tips newsletter

This week’s online articles include:

*   Broadband Problems and Questions
Sometimes we have strange problems with our broadband connections…

*   Updates Last Week
I watch a few operating systems and programs for updates — mainly because these are the ones that I use or in which I am interested. What updates or versions were new last week?

*   CPU Running at 100 Percent
The computer is non-responsive because a program keeps taking all the computer’s CPU time…

   Sponsored Advertisement

Web Hosting at HostGator - 20% OFF Initial Order
Shared hosting packages from $4.95 to $14.95 per month.
45-day money-back guarantee — HostGator is MY CHOICE!

Get 20% Off your initial purchase period at HostGator
with coupon code on the linked page (expires April 1, 2008)

Good on Reseller and Dedicated Servers, too

Free NetZero Dialup!
Up to 10 Hours Per Month   Great for Backup for Cable Modem Users!
terryscomputertips.com/NetZeroFree

Next Page »