eMachines M6809 eMachines Wireless Supplement - Page 28

learning more about wireless networking connecting to hot spots A hot spot is a high-speed wireless Internet access point available in public locations such as airports, airline clubs, libraries, book shops, and coffee houses. While you are away from your home office, hot spots let you send and receive emails, surf websites, or access your company's network. If you want to access your company's network through a hot spot, contact your network administrator for setup information. You will probably be routed through a VPN connection for maximum security. You usually need to sign up to get access through hot spot connections. During the sign-up process, the vendor will provide you with the necessary connection information. To access any new network, the steps are simple: just obtain information about the network (such as the SSID, password key, and security settings to use) and enter that information in the Windows XP Wireless Network Connection windows. See Chapter 3, "connecting to your new wireless network" for sample instructions. How safe is your notebook when using a hot spot? ❂ because hot spots typically do not enable any security measures, the data that you are sending and receiving may be vulnerable. ❂ if any of the files on your notebook are marked for sharing, other users on the network may be able to access them. 31