Wireless Broadband

You can setup WEP(Wired Equivalent Privacy)
or WPA
This will require any one who needs to connect to your Wireless Access point / router to know the WEP key. So they will not be able to connect.

Don't broadcast you SSID, you could limit access by MAC addresses and as previously stated, implement WEP or WPA.
If you do these three things, it will keep out everyone except for the really determined individuals, which you can't stop anyway if they really want in.

Two main things to do is not to broadcast your SSID (although it can still be found out with the right utility) and to use WPA. PLEASE, PLEASE don't use WEP or MAC Address filtering unless it is the only options you have (then they are better than nothing at all). It takes less than 90 minutes to crack your WEP protection even if it's 128 bit. Likewise, it take less than five minutes to crack your MAC address filtering with a packet sniffer.

Your best line of defense is WPA - use it if it's available. It's fairly simple to set up and use.

Hope that helps!!

If you are using an 802.11 system, then the solutions listed above will work - protect both the SSID and use any one of the encryption protocols. If you make up your own key, make it a good one or use the automatic key generation facilty of the system.

Note, not broadcasting your SSID does not actually protect you from being detected or monitored... you are simply forcing anyone who is interested in your system to actually monitor the raw network traffic.

If you have a real security concern (over and above ordinary home & office use), you probably should NOT be using wireless without talking to an expert.

If you are actually using a wireless broacband system, security will be provided by the wireless ISP and should be a question that you address with them.

If you are using an 802.11 system, then the solutions listed above will work - protect both the SSID and use any one of the encryption protocols. If you make up your own key, make it a good one or use the automatic key generation facilty of the system.

Note, not broadcasting your SSID does not actually protect you from being detected or monitored... you are simply forcing anyone who is interested in your system to actually monitor the raw network traffic.

If you have a real security concern (over and above ordinary home & office use), you probably should NOT be using wireless without talking to an expert.

If you are actually using a wireless broacband system, security will be provided by the wireless ISP and should be a question that you address with them.

The solutions provided above are all good and should be implemented as a matter of due dilliegence to reduce the risk of hacking or intrusion. In addition, if you have a real concern about intrusion going undetected you can also perform network monitoring on your network for mac address or suspicious activity using most of the commonly available network "sniffer" type software. There are also some good intrusion detection components as part of some of the available firewall packages as well which can be used to monitor for any possible hacks or intrusions.

Ok! Here's the skinny.

There are two solutions for wireless on a laptop.

#1.
Short range wireless. 802.11 A, B, and G. This wireless can only be used around a wireless bubble that is connected to a internet access via dsl, cable, or dialup.

This connection uses the WEP or WAP security.

Good guide here. http://tinyurl.com/7gpgs

Homes, cafe's, Starbucks, ext. Range won't be over 100' from these.

#2
This one is Broadband Internet access via a full time link over cellular. You use a pcmcia broadband access card. You haave a dedicates cell number that is internet access only. The speeds are excellent.

Security is via the cell and antivirus on your laptop.

This is the one I use.
http://tinyurl.com/3e2fh

Lee