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Wireless Internet connection, popularly known as Wi-Fi, has become a rage across the globe. The lure of faster and better Internet access from anywhere, anytime is a very powerful and exciting proposition, to say the least. The present day laptops usually have an in-built wireless internet adapter which can receive the radio frequencies transmitted by any nearby Wi-Fi router, provided the laptop is in the designated range. Today many people are freely using Wi-Fi internet connections at airports, schools, restaurants and other places. In fact, many stores, restaurants, coffee shops and clubs offer free Wi-Fi internet access to attract potential customers. Now, if you have got wireless internet at home, you should be careful because this powerful facility is vulnerable to abuse if its not taken care of. If your connection is not secured, it can be accessed by any stranger without your knowledge. Anyone with a wireless internet enabled laptop can search for free Wi-Fi connections in the vicinity. They can even check whether the connection is secured or unsecured. A secured network would ask for a password whereas and unsecured network would not. There are devices available in the market which can tell you whether there is a network available nearby and also whether it is secured or not. Though these devices are designed to help people who travel frequently and need internet access on-the-go, the potential that it holds for abuse is scary. If someone has access to your wireless internet connection, you may have to pay for their usage. If your connection is unsecured, anyone nearby who has a wireless adapter fitted into their laptop can get access to your connection. Besides, if the person who accessed your connection used it for any illegal or unethical purposes, it will be traced back to you because you are the rightful owner. Needless to say, that makes it extremely dangerous. On the other hand, many people who travel frequently prefer using a free Wi-Fi connection. If a hacker is on the same network, they can monitor everything that the unsuspecting user is doing online and if they succeed in installing spyware, they can even steal personal information of the users. Such a situation can leave you vulnerable to identity theft and huge financial loss. Even Facebook has acknowledged this threat and they are offering the users the option to use a secure connection. This secure connection can help in preventing your profile from being hacked into especially if you are using the wireless network to access your Facebook account from public terminals, coffee shops or conferences. Network security experts opine that you avail of the services of a familiar wireless internet provider and if you have to pay for it, do not hesitate. As mentioned earlier, paying for a secured access can mean preventing huge financial loss later on. Also, they emphasize that it is important to change passwords often and use separate passwords for separate accounts. Considering the extreme potential for abuse, you should be taking precautions to secure your wireless internet connection right away. It is better in the long run that you follow what the experts say and pay for a secured wireless internet connection if necessary. As they say, "Prevention is better than cure" - simple precautionary steps would go a long way in securing your peace of mind.
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