Help Needed - Technical

Right I've created a thread here cause I can't find a better place to post this question anyway right Im looking after a relatives house for a few week and i've brought my laptop round with me they don't have the Internet but I've searched for wireless conections nearby and I've found one that doesn't av a password but it says " because security is not enabled on this network, information sent over this network might be visible to others" does that mean they can see everything I do online? One more thing whoever deletes post for being in the wrong place or whatever how's About directing me to the correct thread instead cheers

(07-06-2010 21:15 )hitmeuptop Wrote:  Right I've created a thread here cause I can't find a better place to post this question anyway right Im looking after a relatives house for a few week and i've brought my laptop round with me they don't have the Internet but I've searched for wireless conections nearby and I've found one that doesn't av a password but it says " because security is not enabled on this network, information sent over this network might be visible to others" does that mean they can see everything I do online? One more thing whoever deletes post for being in the wrong place or whatever how's About directing me to the correct thread instead cheers

Even if a wireless access point is open, it's still relatively difficult to listen to traffic from an open access point and glean something useful from it.

I'd use an open access point, but I wouldn't check my bank and I'd use HTTPs where possible.

Though, the likelihood of somebody purposely listening for traffic between you and the access point is very very slim.

If they've left their wi-fi unencrypted, then I wouldn't worry too much about them knowing how to dig around and find everything that other computers on the network were doing (unless they're really tech savvy and believe in free wi-fi sharing, but chances are it's just someone who forgot to, or doesn't how to, secure the network). I would say though, don't go crazy with downloads. If they're with a provider who offers a cheap package for a small download limit, you downloading a whole bunch of stuff might tip them off that they need to secure their network, meaning that should you stay there again in future there'll be no free wi-fi anymore.

Cheers guys I'll guess I'll risk it, I'm pretty sure it's the next doors neighbours because they look like meat heads and they're modem Nickname is Tony Montana I did the math lol and they don't look the brightest ppl on earth. cheers again

They named their network "Tony Montana"? Seems awfully unimaginative. I named mine "Mow your lawn, Keith". Someone else in the vicinity has named theirs "HungLikeAHoover" (I think it's the chav with the modified Corsa) and there's another one called "Fuck You, its my lawn." Not sure who owns that one, though.

another question, if they are clever enough to figure out how to look into what im doing on my laptop can they access my personal stuff or are they just looking at exactly what im doing right then? or for example say im signed into my banks web page and there's a heading that says bank balance can they click on it or will it take me to do it in order for them to see? hope this makes sense.

(08-06-2010 18:49 )hitmeuptop Wrote:  another question, if they are clever enough to figure out how to look into what im doing on my laptop can they access my personal stuff or are they just looking at exactly what im doing right then? or for example say im signed into my banks web page and there's a heading that says bank balance can they click on it or will it take me to do it in order for them to see? hope this makes sense.

They won't be able to access the things that are on your laptop if you haven't modified any settings a great deal. They would have to know your username and password and the files would have to be shared.

If somebody were to go to the effort of eavesdropping in on your connection, they would receive packets of data that are being sent from your PC to the router. They won't be able to easily reconstruct a web page, like your banks page, but they probably would be able to get your account balance. Though HTTPs is probably used so they will only get encrypted information which they won't be able to decrypt.

They will only be able to get the information you send across the internet. So if you login to babeshows.co.uk using HTTP (URL bar says http:// and not https://) then they will be able to sniff your username and password.

Still, it is _very_ unlikely anybody would go to this hassle. This kind of stuff generally happens at hotels or business parks.

(07-06-2010 21:45 )hitmeuptop Wrote:  Cheers guys I'll guess I'll risk it, I'm pretty sure it's the next doors neighbours because they look like meat heads and they're modem Nickname is Tony Montana I did the math lol and they don't look the brightest ppl on earth. cheers again

As an extra bit of security (as well as using encryption), you should set your wifi network name not to be broadcast.
This is usually an option in the router.
Anyone scanning networks in the area will not see your network listed at all.

Does anyone know a good & easy to use picture editing site??? i don't want anything too savvy & technical, just something pretty basic where i can do stuff like merge two pics together, as i would like to knock up a picture/poster.
I'm sure everyone will say microsoft office or something like that, I haven't tried it yet just thought i'd ask you peeps first... Don't all shout at once now!!!

(22-08-2010 01:26 )mitchell Wrote:  Does anyone know a good & easy to use picture editing site??? i don't want anything too savvy & technical, just something pretty basic where i can do stuff like merge two pics together, as i would like to knock up a picture/poster.
I'm sure everyone will say microsoft office or something like that, I haven't tried it yet just thought i'd ask you peeps first... Don't all shout at once now!!!

Personally, I use PhotoSudio for all my Image processing, but I also use ACDee Pro for some image manipulation and batch work.

PhotoStudio should be available free on the Internet. But ACDee Pro you will have to buy a registration to enable all the features.