Bluetooth is relatively pervasive these days, and the next iteration (3.0) has just been announced. You probably use Bluetooth without thinking about it, anymore. I have connectivity in my car, with my mouse and keyboard, and certainly with random accessories for my iPhone. Now, I’m wondering…

chrispirillo: Bluetooth 3.0 Is apparently on the horizon. Question: what Bluetooth device do you use most often (if any)?

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:49:31 +0000 2009

ghozali: blueant with my BB pearl

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:50:33 +0000 2009

musosdan: none? never bloody works!

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:51:00 +0000 2009

NH97: handsfree headset for cell

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:51:17 +0000 2009

pogochamp113: taking pics off my sony ericsson w580i to my macbook pro. Don't use bluetooth much, but maybe 3.0 will make me use it more!!!

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:51:21 +0000 2009

GeorgeHopkin: Hands free for phone was used several times a day until switch to iPhone. Now more than happy to use wired ear bud things.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:51:22 +0000 2009

cityspur: wireless keyboard and mouse, never been a fan of the headset uses (security)

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:51:38 +0000 2009

EditorColin: I rarely use bluetooth. Really never found a good use for it

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:51:40 +0000 2009

websessed: Headset

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:51:48 +0000 2009

britpopfury: Plantronics 925 :)

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:51:51 +0000 2009

funaki: motorola s9 with BB bold.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:52:20 +0000 2009

kevincastillo: Bluetooth mouse and keyboard. Nothing else, my bluetooth headset collects dust.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:52:22 +0000 2009

jreed1920: definitely bluetooth headset gets the most use

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:52:22 +0000 2009

applemicrosoft1: Bluetooth wireless mighty mouse!

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:52:28 +0000 2009

AwesomeRobot: No bluetooth here – but I'm looking forward to Bluetooth stereo headphones on iPhone OS 3.0

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:52:32 +0000 2009

chrisnoble_nz: Only device I have is a Nokia phone and I never use the bluetooth on it. More interested in USB 3.0 personally.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:52:43 +0000 2009

jplusa: my mighty mouse and apple keyboard

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:52:49 +0000 2009

mdonald8: my blue tooth headphone and ear all the time.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:52:51 +0000 2009

jonnyblackler: my PS3 headset. Other than that I don't use bluetooth.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:52:53 +0000 2009

susanbeebe: – Plantronics BlueTooth phone headsets – use for iPhone and Skype calls daily!!

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:53:08 +0000 2009

BigRedPimp: Does the Wiimote count? :)

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:53:18 +0000 2009

McTw1st: Cellphone transfering music and pictures back and forth

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:53:31 +0000 2009

procax0: cell phone: bluetoothing songs and stuff to friends

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:53:43 +0000 2009

ShannonRenee: bluetooth device = Zivio rox

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:53:53 +0000 2009

AllenBrewer: Bluetooth with iPhone and motorcycle helmet headset

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:54:06 +0000 2009

chris1p: As I have an iPhone, just for the phonecalls, but os3.0 will make BT headphones possible so i'm sure that will be it for me.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:54:06 +0000 2009

pauley: I use a Bluetooth mouse at home. When I switch to Mac soon, I won't need a USB port for my mouse.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:54:08 +0000 2009

charlesjbarry: My car is the Bluetooth device I use most. It has built in hands free for my iPhone and once I load on 3.0 I'll stream to it.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:54:11 +0000 2009

FerasH: Samsung BT headset that i got from @key714

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:54:11 +0000 2009

leebennett: Def. my Jawbone 2nd generation. I *would* use it to share files to other phones if Apple would let me!

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:54:38 +0000 2009

TrafficMike: Love my bluetooth mouse and keyboard for my mac mini, but the mouse really sucks the life out of the batteries.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:54:51 +0000 2009

ShannonRenee: btw, your app that easily converts tweets into blog post…what is it?

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:55:07 +0000 2009

carl20: My cellphone, besides that, not much actually

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:55:08 +0000 2009

WebKarnage: Bluetooth Logitech mouse

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:55:23 +0000 2009

sandro: Does that mean we will soon be getting bluetooth teeth?

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:55:44 +0000 2009

Bwana: PS3 controller, keypad, and remote. Also my truck is equipped with bluetooth so I use it for hands free calling on my iPhone

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:55:53 +0000 2009

VxJasonxV: Bluetooth Keyboard. /Rarely/, but it does get use. Could never find a Bluetooth Headset I liked.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:55:55 +0000 2009

wwejason: It's a tie between Motorola S9 stereo headset and cheapo portable stereo speakers from Meijer. :) Can't live without A2DP!!!

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:55:58 +0000 2009

thetarrman: i see you shaving, and yes, i have nothing better to do.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:56:06 +0000 2009

mclaughj: My iPhone

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:56:14 +0000 2009

ActivityGrrrl: @chrispirillo: I have the newer Jawbone and I like it but rarely use it. I either have little occasion or I forget to take it or charge it.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:56:50 +0000 2009

timstarockz: headset

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:56:58 +0000 2009

Boodlezoid: Logitech mouse, but it's not working right now, much annoying!

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:57:23 +0000 2009

B00G1T: bluetooth remote for ps3 and rumble joystick

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:57:55 +0000 2009

alfredmanson: none have tons but they are just such a waste of time and no range – can't wait for wifi to step into that space and take over

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:58:08 +0000 2009

cnlevo: Apple Wireless kb, Jawbone 2, IS300 equipped built into GPS, Landline BT Headset by Plantronics. Just a few of the daily uses.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:58:41 +0000 2009

fogfish: I stopped. I have an almost new headset sitting in the charger.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:58:49 +0000 2009

McTw1st: cool gadget for you chris http://www2.worldlingo.com/SG57TOc3OQEJDECsl95aCGXCYQKF3ZqC3/translate

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:59:21 +0000 2009

bluefuel318: My Bluetooth headphones for sure. If I could wear them all day I would.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:59:38 +0000 2009

macdaddydwj: iPhone… Duh; other than that, PS3

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:59:45 +0000 2009

WhatithinkShow: none LOL… maybe my bluetooth 2.0 motorola s9 headphones. Even those are kinda MEH. Who needs bluetooth, go WIFI !!!

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 18:59:58 +0000 2009

key714: BT headset. can't live with out it.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:00:34 +0000 2009

lizmoney: i use bluetooth to send files from my phone to my macbook all.the.time. pics, ringtones, music, all kinds of stuff.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:01:09 +0000 2009

jroth860: Apple wireless aluminium keyboard

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:01:20 +0000 2009

chanskat: The only bluetooth accessories I use are my Jawbone headset and my car.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:01:30 +0000 2009

mahqdotnet: Headset for phone/games.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:01:44 +0000 2009

Eurekaville: I tried a BT cell earpiece for a bit, but it was just uncomfortable. I'm waitin for 1 that doesn't make me look like a cyborg

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:01:51 +0000 2009

LukeBrownUK: Bluetooth for linking my new LG Viewty with my PC for file transfers since it didn't come with a damn USB cable…

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:02:04 +0000 2009

jmccullough108: Use the Apple Bluetooth religiously.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:02:40 +0000 2009

SystemWorks: is BT really that popular? or did it fall to the waste side like infrared ports.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:02:40 +0000 2009

thaoly: the one built in my Prius. I think cars should have Bluetooth as a standard.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:03:19 +0000 2009

RelateMedia: Bluetooth headsets mostly. One of our team members has a Bluetooth speakerphone.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:04:11 +0000 2009

scruz: A Samsung WEP-200 with my iPhone in the car.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:04:56 +0000 2009

JordanPatterson: I use no bluetooth devices. I guess im just old fashioned…

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:06:01 +0000 2009

cvriavas: Use bluetooth mostly for device/MAC syncing.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:06:23 +0000 2009

darthmyers: not a fan of bluetooth, except for the hands free option in the Tundra.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:11:14 +0000 2009

tetfsu: Jawbone (2nd gen version)

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:13:54 +0000 2009

TariAkpodiete: Plantronics 855 stereo headset pimped out on my Acer Aspire One via small USB BT dongle, use for #skype #music #movies

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:16:58 +0000 2009

cyper2002: pretty much only use the blueant supertooth light in the car. Hate wearing bluetooth headsets.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:17:52 +0000 2009

thecrazyjogger: file transfer. PC to Phone normally

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:17:54 +0000 2009

AbblePC: I use Motorola bluetooth headsets in a variety of models, HS810, 850 and HT820 with DC800, Mighty Mouse & Apple BT keyboard

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:21:52 +0000 2009

TheMacJedi: My most used bluetooth device is my Apple Wireless Mighty Mouse. Followed by my JAWBONE earpiece.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:26:42 +0000 2009

LukeBro: Bluetooth headset for phone.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:26:46 +0000 2009

AngieColson: I use a Bluetooth headset for my phone & also my mouse. Considering a keyboard. Would love a printer… but the price…

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:27:58 +0000 2009

Bondi007: Bluetooth file transfer protocol

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:46:39 +0000 2009

brandname1975: My #1 BT device is my Mighty Mouse :-)

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:46:48 +0000 2009

aaronstep: I hook wiimote up to mac for wireless controller. I also use apple wireless keyboard.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 19:52:26 +0000 2009

ericrbecker: i dont use bluetooth :(

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 20:01:27 +0000 2009

myndmelt: wii remote :)

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 20:11:48 +0000 2009

rrrebo: My Jawbone, hands down. Pun intended. ;)

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 20:16:39 +0000 2009

technosaint: At the moment the most use I get is a tie between an audio receiver/tramsmitter, Jawbone, and Activesync/tethering.

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 20:34:58 +0000 2009

wsylvester: Bluetooth to the macbook pro from the sprint cell phone when the AT&T connection card is out of service or the jawbone

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 20:53:15 +0000 2009

jacktx42: No Bluetooth use here, though I'm contemplating using on my G1 with headset, and maybe a printer one day

about a day ago

Thu Apr 09 20:58:54 +0000 2009

netwizard2003: I have a bluetooth headset that I never use (actually I have 3)

about 23 hours ago

Thu Apr 09 21:31:00 +0000 2009

haxor911: supposedly some devices already have “Bluetooth 3.0″ just need to be firmware updated.

about 22 hours ago

Thu Apr 09 22:24:28 +0000 2009

ti_kaei: BT GPS device is my everyday companion for GPS tracking and photo tagging.

about 22 hours ago

Thu Apr 09 22:37:08 +0000 2009

TheHenry: I use the Apple wireless keyboard and Mighty Mouse on Bluetooth.

about 22 hours ago

Thu Apr 09 23:03:03 +0000 2009

nomand: can't wait for iPhone 3.0 so that I can play some ad hoc multiplayer games. never used Bluetooth really, only to sync my phone

about 21 hours ago

Thu Apr 09 23:15:09 +0000 2009

eidann: Bluetooth headset, mouse, keyboard.

about 21 hours ago

Thu Apr 09 23:26:47 +0000 2009

MikeKukielka: I use the Ford Sync Bluetooth connection more than any other.

about 20 hours ago

Fri Apr 10 00:08:56 +0000 2009

• Microsoft Desktop Keyboard Review
• How to Secure your Wireless Home Network
• Wireless Security: Why WEP is Bad
• Can a Bluetooth Headset Connect to More than One Device?
• What’s Your Favorite Keyboard?
• Wireless Internet is Everywhere
• Wireless Camera
• How to Secure Your Wireless Network
• Wireless Routers Review
• How to Create Free Ring Tones for your Phone

This is Kenny Mozzillo’s submission for the HP Magic Giveaway. Feel free to leave comments for this article as you see fit – your feedback is certainly welcomed! If you’d like to submit your own how-to, what-is, or top-five list, you can send it to me. Views and opinions of this writer are not necessarily my own:

Most people have a wireless home network these days. In the past few years, the cost of setting up a wireless home network has dropped. Setting up a wireless home network is much easier than it is to string networking wire through your walls and connect wall plates. In most cases, setting up a wireless home network is cheaper and easier than installing a wired network. Here’s a top five list on how to secure you wireless home network so that all of your hard-earned money used to pay for Internet access is not stolen by your neighbors.

• Position you router in the middle of your home. This reduces the amount of signal that leaks outside the house and (therefore) makes it harder for neighbors to pick it up. Most people don’t take this tip into consideration when they set up a wireless home network – it’s the easiest way to help enhance the security of your wireless home network. Security through obscurity.
• Turn on the wireless encryption! This sounds like a “duh,” but you would be surprised at how many people have an unsecured wireless network at home (or work). I’ve talked with many people who said that they didn’t turn on the encryption on their home network because they doubted that anyone would bother them. This would be the equivalent of leaving your house unlocked when you go somewhere because you didn’t think anyone would break in. It is very simple to enable encryption on all wireless access points. The best encryption mode is WPA2. WEP and WPA both have been cracked before, and it isn’t that difficult for someone to break the encryption key in a few minutes. Be sure to choose a password that no one can guess – never use things such as your pet’s name, your address, or your birthday as a password.
• Enable Wireless MAC Address Filtering. This is another feature that most people forget to enable. This allows a set amount of devices to get on the network (if their MAC address is placed on the list). Setting up this feature is fairly simple to do – even for the average person. If you need help, check your manual – and if you threw away your manual, I bet the manufacturer put a PDF of the manual on their Web site.
• Use home network monitoring software. This will allow you to scan the local network for mysterious devices that are connected to it. If you have a home network that has five devices connected to it, and the IP address scanner finds eight devices, you should look into what is connected that shouldn’t be connected to your network. Most home networking tools are free and can be easily found on any platform.
• Turn off the Access Point. When you are not home for an extended period of time, turn off your access point. This will ensure that when you are on vacation you will not have to worry about someone getting into your shared files on a PC.

If you keep these five points in mind when you are running a wireless home network, you shouldn’t have to worry about your neighbor and other people getting into your wireless network. If you have anything else to add, please be sure to comment on this blog post.

• Wireless Security: Why WEP is Bad
• Wireless Internet is Everywhere
• Wireless Routers Review
• Should Wi-Fi be Free?
• Clearwire Coupon
• The Go-To Guy
• What’s Your Favorite Bluetooth Device?
• WiFi on Airlines: Great Idea, Bad Users
• Want a Free VPN for Public WiFi Hotspots?
• Will iPhones Fly with Free WiFi?

Fellow geek Andy Riordan emailed me in regards to a video we recorded a while ago on wireless (WiFi) access points. I haven’t used WEP for wireless security since WPA was available as an option. I refuse to run anything less than WPA on my home wireless network, although it was recently revealed that WPA has also been cracked. What’s so bad about WEP? Andy’s here to explain…

WEP does indeed stand for Wired Equivalent Privacy, which is a rather hopeful name considering that WEP can be cracked in less than 60 seconds now. How? Well, when you connect to a WEP network, the router sends you a randomly generated “hello” message. The connecting machine then encrypts the message using the WEP key and sends it back to the router. The router then decrypts it with the WEP key, and if it matches the original, unencrypted (”cleartext”) message, the machine is authorized.

This is bad. Why? Well, first we have to look at how the encryption and decryption is done. You may or may not be familiar with bitwise operators, but in this case we’re dealing with “exclusive or”, XOR. XOR, like other bitwise operators, operates on bits. If the 2 input bits are 0 and 0, it puts out 0. If they are 1 and 0, it puts out 1. If they are 0 and 1, it puts out 1. If they are 1 and 1, it puts out 0.

To encrypt the data for WEP, the data is XORed with the key (getting “cyphertext”). To decrypt, the cyphertext is XORed with the key, reversing the operation and returning the cleartext. When you think about it, that really can be shown visually (hope it doesn’t get mauled in the mail):

Cleartext   0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1
Key         1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1
—————————-
Cyphertext  1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0

Now, to decrypt:

Cyphertext  1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0
Key         1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1
—————————-
Cleartext   0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1

As you can see, we end up with the original message. (Cryptography is fun!)

However, this is where the problem is. Remember what we did to authenticate with WEP – we got sent a cleartext message, and then sent back the cyphertext results. What happens when we XOR the cleartext with the cyphertext?

Cyphertext  1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0
Cleartext   0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1
—————————-
???         1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1

That byte looks a lot like one we’ve seen before. I wonder what it could be…

Key         1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1

Well, darn. That’s our key. An attacker can get our key just by XORing two things exchanged when a connection is made. It can’t be all bad, though, since a connection has to be made before that can happen, right? How often do you disconnect a machine and reconnect it? A few times a day. They would have to be lucky to catch you doing it.

Except that there’s another vulnerability which makes booting everyone off the network and causing a reconnect easy. Thus, our friend the cracker needs only to force a disconnect of all clients, then watch for the handshake and XOR the two pieces of information exchanged between the router and one of the clients.

That’s why you use WPA now. WPA is pretty much competely safe, if you have a good password. Rule 1 (or perhaps it’s 0) of security is that you never use a short, easily guessable password. Using a short, easy to guess password opens you up to the dictionary attack, or as I like to call it, the Gandalf attack. Scream elvish words at the router long enough and the gates of Moria are bound to open to one of them. Make the “word” long enough (32 characters is good, and is about what I use since some devices have issues with 64) and it will be impossible to guess. Again, a lock is only as secure as its combination. In your case, for instance, I don’t recommend a password of “Pixie”.

Now, for the banking/email question. This brings us to the realm of diffie-hellman key exchange. Many a beginning cryptographer has lost his life to the tangle of bits and factored prime numbers that awaits us here, so suffice it to say this: If there is an SSL connection between you and your web site of choice, you are safe. All your traffic will be encrypted, and will not be decrypted until you get to the site. You’re safe, as long as you have an SSL connection to the site itself, regardless of whether it’s an open wifi hotspot. If you don’t have an SSL connection and they give you a WEP or WPA key, don’t think banking will be secure – if they gave the key to you, they gave it to others, too!

Now, there are caveats (aren’t there always with technology?). Notice I said “If there is an SSL connection between you and your web site of choice, you are safe.” I don’t want to have to send you HTML mail, so mentally underline the first part of that sentance. What’s to stop the hotspot from saying “Ah, he’s going to ‘MyBankSite’ – take out their certificate (the part that contains their “public key” – what you use to encrypt your data to send to them. Note that public and private key encryption are one-way operations – if you encrypt something with the public key, it cannot be easily decrypted with that same key. When I say “easily”, I mean it would take a supercomputer thousands of years.) and put in our own public key. That way, we can decrypt his traffic on our end, look at it, then encrypt it with his bank’s public key and send it on.” Well, in a word, nothing is stopping them. This is known as a man-in-the-middle attack.

Wait, nothing is stopping them? How am I safe, then? Well, nothing is STOPPING them, but their key won’t be signed by a signing authority. A signing authority basically verifies that a given key belongs to a given site, and then when someone asks whether a key belongs to ‘MyBankSite’ they check their database and see. The “someone” who asks is your browser. This is done automatically in modern browsers – if you have the SSL indicator in your browser somewhere on ‘MyBankSite’ (this varies by browser – it usually comes in the form of a lock in the statusbar), that means the browser has checked the site’s credentials out with a trusted authority (VeraSign, etc) and it has checked out. If you get a site that can’t be verified but has a certificate, you will be warned – as in the case of our scheming wifi friends. Thus, if you see a warning, run far, far away.

Whew. Well, that certainly only scratched the surface, but it should help some. Glad I didn’t type that on my phone.

• How to Secure your Wireless Home Network
• Wireless Internet is Everywhere
• How to Secure Your Wireless Network
• Wireless Routers Review
• Should Wi-Fi be Free?
• Clearwire Coupon
• Safeguard Your Security and Privacy
• The Go-To Guy
• One Step for Privacy and Security
• How to Save Money with Online Backup Service Discounts

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For a long time, I was using the Microsoft Internet Pro keyboard. The reason I loved it so much is that it had two USB ports in the back. Microsoft stopped producing it, so I’ve been looking for a replacement for it.

My friend Moonglaive recommended this new keyboard. The Enermax Aurora Aluminum Keyboard looks pretty cool, eh? I thougt the keys themselves were aluminum. It turns out they’re plastic with some kind of silverish spray over them. The right Shift, and half the letters have paint worn off of them. The shell of the keyboard is metal, yes. It works very well, and has a couple of USB ports in the back. It also has audio pass-through, which is nice. It was a good keyboard all in all.

The next keyboard I tried out was the Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000. It works really well, and has a touchpad built in. This is the set I was using with my Windows machine, and it works really well for me.

Now, of course, I’m using a Mac as my primary system. So what keyboard am I using? The thin Wireless keyboard from Apple is great. It’s super thin, and I haven’t even had to change batteries! It’s bluetooth enabled, which is really nice. The Apple Wireless Keyboard has been completely redesigned, inside and out. It features an elegant, ultra-thin anodized aluminum enclosure with low-profile keys that provide crisp, responsive feel. It also has function keys for one-touch access to a variety of Mac features such as screen brightness, volume, eject, play/pause, fast-forward and rewind, Expose, and Dashboard. Its compact design fits on your lap or on even the most crowded desk. And its Bluetooth wireless technology lets you use it just about anywhere within 30 feet of your Mac.

The keyboard automatically powers down when you’re not using it and turns on instantly as soon as you start typing. This intelligent power management means you’ll get up to nine months of battery life based on average usage patterns. It also has an on/off switch for when you’re away from your computer for a long time.

• Learn To Play Electronic Keyboards.
• Piano Information Services Online.

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• Microsoft Desktop Keyboard Review
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• Giddyup Geek Let’s Go!
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• How Community Works: Past, Present, and Future
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• Who uses Internet Explorer, Anyway?
• Five Ways Vista is better than OS X?
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During a discussion about Broadband and people near Seattle having trouble with Comcast, Rikai from our chat room brought up an interesting question. “What are your thoughts on the rumors of the 700Mhz spectrum potentially being used for Hi-Speed Wireless connections?”

I’m sure you’ve all heard the news lately about how Starbucks is now offering free WiFi to their customers. I’m not going to comment on their coffee… but who would turn down some free Internet service? Make sure you use https:// when doing things from open Wi-Fi like checking your email. This makes you much more secure.

Wireless Internet is just everywhere. You can’t walk more than 20 feet in an urban area without finding an open connection. The problem with a lot of Tel-Co’s is that they want you to experience their version of a wireless Internet. That’s crazy. It’s the Internet, right? For now… we don’t have much choice other than to stick with just one provider. Some people don’t have access to faster Broadband… yet. Internet is essential these days. One of these days… mark my words… the world of the Internet is going to be blown wide open, as far as choices.

Just imagine if Wireless Internet truly was available everywhere, much like Television. Throw up a TV antenna… you have tv. Throw up an Internet antenna… you get the picture. Someday, it will happen.

• DishTVforPC.com.
• PCTV4Me.
• Voices.com - The Online Marketplace For Voice Actors.
• 30-Second Headache Relief Secret!!!
• Acting For Real - Breakthrough To The Life You Love.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

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• Should Wi-Fi be Free?
• How to Secure your Wireless Home Network
• Wireless Security: Why WEP is Bad
• Wireless Routers Review
• Clearwire Coupon
• Free WiFi in Silicon Valley?
• Don’t Believe Everything You Read
• The Go-To Guy
• What’s Your Favorite Bluetooth Device?
• WiFi on Airlines: Great Idea, Bad Users

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Many of you have asked what I like to watch on tv. Right now, I’m watching oranges, using a wireless camera. The oranges are on the other side of my house, and the camera is tethered to a nine volt battery. The receiver is plugged into the wall, near my tv. Half of the receiver is plugged into the tv, and the other half into the wall.

All of this is possible, because of what came in the little box you see me holding. It’s only about $100.00. The signal, when close to the receiver, is really pretty good! It’s a little more secure than if you were broadcasting with a 900MHz connection. I’m not sure what I’m going to use this for yet, though.

The issue I have with it so far, is that I can’t seem to change the channel on the camera. Also, the wireless camera literally kills any kind of internet connectivity I may have in my home office. The focus can be adjusted, which is nice. It also has a little stand that it comes with, as well. You probably couldn’t use this as a full-on security camera. Whoa, wait! We could put it inside a teddy bear, and use it as a nanny cam! Or maybe… I could scare Ponzi!

Since I’m a geek, I think this is cool as heck. Some people may disagree, and that’s ok.

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One community member wrote: “After years of mistrust about wireless networks and creative use of Ethernet cabling I have now adopted a wireless network in my home for a laptop to access anywhere in the house. I have over the past week, done a lot of research and have some tips the community might want to consider in relation to the setup and/or use of wireless networks.”

Here are actually TWO Top 5 lists for helping make your wireless network more secure!

• Am I secured? If you haven’t set up security passwords yourself then it’s not likely that you will be secured. To find out, simply go to ‘My Network Places’ on your PC and scan for your wireless network. In the list that appears, there should be a picture of a padlock next to the name of your network. If there is no padlock, then you need some security.
• Use WPA. Most new routers now offer WiFi Protected Access (WPA) passwords as well as Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). WPA offers increased security, and if your computer and other hardware is compatible, you should always use WPA as it is far harder to hack into than previous encryption methods.
• Added security. You should also always have comprehensive anti-virus software such as Norton or McAfee installed on your computer to protect you from viruses that can open your PC up to hackers. Make sure that these are always kept up to date by regularly checking for updates on the provider’s website. You should also use a firewall – many routers have one built-in but you should run one on your PC too.
• Isolate your wireless signal. Wireless isolation works to make your signal invisible to anyone searching for WiFi in your area. Wireless Broadband UK is built-in to some routers but must be physically enabled by the user – so check your router’s manual for Wireless Broadband tips on how to do this.
• Use an access list. If you’re still worried, you can create an access list. All computers have their own Media Access Control (MAC) address – a way of identifying each individual computer – and you can tell your router which MAC addresses it can allow access to; blocking all others. This means that anyone wanting to use your wireless signal would not only have to have your password but would have to be on the access list too.

• Encrypt it! The first and most important consideration if you are thinking of running a wireless network is to make sure that you have not left the network totally unsecured, I say totally unsecured as no network is ever 100% secure and this is especially the case with wireless networks as they allow easier access for potential unsavory characters to get in. An unencrypted wireless connection can allow anyone within the range of your wireless signal to immediately connect to it and start using your Internet connection for personal and/or criminal purposes and also access any files you may have shared on the hard drives of the machines connected on the network.
  
  There are many guides available on securing your wireless network available on the Internet and your router’s manual should also provide a guide in doing so. A lot of the terminology and setup options may at first seem very technical to you but the couple of hours of research/setup is valuable time to spend where your privacy is concerned.
• Be aware what you share, Most people using a wireless network or any network for that matter usually want to share files between computers on the network. Make sure you do not share any files in these shared areas which are in any way confidential or important enough that you would not want anyone to potentially see them. For example you might want to share some mp3s on a computer to listen to on another computer in your house which is fine, however sharing say a document with your bank details etc on is a definite no no.
  

  If totally unsecured, anyone within range of your wireless network can access any of these files without you noticing. Securing your wireless network will 99.9% of the time stop this intrusion but as mentioned no wireless network is 100% secure so just avoid sharing important files.

• Be aware of public hot spots. There are many wireless hot spots in coffee shops or in general, wireless is everywhere! and where there is an abundance of something there are usually some individuals lurking about ready to exploit it. If you are thinking of or do use these wireless hot spots there are some things to remember. Turn off your shared files, even if they are only mp3s, it is still wise to make sure they cannot access your hard drive.
  

  Make sure any sites where you enter login details are secure. This can normally be determined with ‘https’ in the URI in the address bar or the padlock symbol in the bottom right of your browser window. This is because computers sharing the same network as you can (with the right software) see exactly what you are sending or receiving over that network unless that information is encrypted. This also means that it is possible for someone to snoop in on what websites you are visiting or the email you are sending (be aware that most secure sites merely secure the login details you enter, after that everything is visible on the network) so it is advisable to be a bit conservative on what you do on the Internet in these places. It is certainly a wise idea to wait until you get home to check your bank balance online or make an online purchase.

• Keep your computer up to date and behind a firewall. Making sure you have your computer’s operating system up to date, a virus program installed and a firewall initiated on your machine should be something you have implemented anyway. However with the increased security risk a wireless network can expose you to, these things are totally essential in keeping you safe and secure. It is also the case I have found that users will often keep their main desktop computer up to date but neglect a laptop that they do not use as often. These laptops are likely the candidate machine that the user will be using to access a wireless network.
• Turn it off. Simple yet most effective tip. If you are a moderate user simply turn your router/wifi off when you are not using it or schedule the wireless connection to only be off at times you know you will not be using it. If it is off then your wireless network is 100% safe.

• Win-Spy Monitoring Software.

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We’re using a GoToMeeting to get together and share desktops again tonight. GoToMeeting is an easy and affordable way to host online meetings. Be sure and take advantage of our special savings! The current presenter is surfing sites relating to WiFi, since I am going to read you Sutty5’s tips for boosting wifi signal.

Hi, Chris i thought i should share out 5 tips on how to boost your Wi-Fi Signal. As i Was doing all these last week and i gotta tell you i got a great result.

• Position your wireless router (or wireless access point) in a central location. When possible, place your wireless router in a central location in your home. If your wireless router is against an outside wall of your home, the signal will be weak on the other side of your home. Don’t worry if you can’t move your wireless router, because there are many other ways to improve your connection.
• Replace your router’s antenna. The antennas supplied with your router are designed to be omni-directional, meaning they broadcast in all directions around the router. If your router is near an outside wall, half of the wireless signals will be sent outside your home, and much of your router’s power will be wasted. Most routers don’t allow you to increase the power output, but you can make better use of the power. Upgrade to a hi-gain antenna that focuses the wireless signals only one direction. You can aim the signal in the direction you need it most.
• Replace your computer’s wireless network adapter. Wireless network signals must be sent both to and from your computer. Sometimes, your router can broadcast strongly enough to reach your computer, but your computer can’t send signals back to your router. To improve this, replace your laptop’s PC card-based wireless network adapter with a USB Network Adapter that uses an external antenna. In particular, consider the Hawking Hi-Gain Wireless USB network adapter, which adds an external, hi-gain antenna to your computer and can significantly improve your range. Laptops with built-in wireless typically have excellent antennas and don’t need to have their network adapters upgraded.
• Add a wireless repeater. Wireless repeaters extend your wireless network range without requiring you to add any wiring. Just place the wireless repeater halfway between your wireless access point and your computer, and you’ll get an instant boost to your wireless signal strength. Check out the wireless repeaters from ViewSonic, D-Link, Linksys, and Buffalo Technology.
• Pick equipment from a single vendor. While a Linksys router will work with a D-Link network adapter, you often get better performance if you pick a router and network adapter from the same vendor. Some vendors offer a performance boost of up to twice the performance when you choose their hardware: Linksys has the SpeedBooster technology, and D-Link has the 108G enhancement.

Robert sends us some more wifi tips

Yo Chris!

I’m emailing you from the country that brought you kiwi fruit, gum boots, LOTR and female goverment voting! Yes, NEW ZEALAND!

I thought of some more tips while watching you last video…

• Use a cable when possible! If you have a desk top across the house don’t waste money on expensive wireless boosting products just because it is easier. Get a 100ft cable and run it under your house. This of course isn’t as practical if you are using a laptop.
• Keep metal objects out of the way. Metal is good at reflecting wireless signals so try to position PCs, CRT screens and the like out of the way of the signal.
• Centralized Location. If you want your router to be in a central location but don’t want your router to be in the middle of the house because there is a lounge or something where a router would look out of place, put it or a wireless access point in the attic or under the floor. Or maybe you can find a cunning object like a bookcase to hide it behind. This would involve running cables to your modem so might take some effort.
• Use some tinfoil and paper to make a $1 booster. It really works! Bend the paper with tin foil stuck on around a semi-circle shaped piece of paper and stick a hole through the semi circular piece and slide it over your antenna.
• Try and have your router in a high place, maybe up on a shelf or as suggested before in the attic. To show the importance of this I would like you to count the number of objects on the floor in the room you are in, and then count the objects on the ceiling. It is far less cluttered and there are fewer objects obstructing the signal!

Enjoy!

Robert

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With my old phones, I used to upload files to use as ring tones. With my iPhone, I can’t do that. You can only use ring tones you buy through iTunes. For all you people out there with phones that DO support other tones, you can make your own custom ring tones for free.

If you want to create your own ring tone, head on over to ToneMine.com. It’s quite easy and fun to create your custom music. Use a drag and drop, choose your soundtrack type, sound effects, etc. Once you’re done, you can go back and edit them to change them up to get them exactly how you want them.

You can play with the mixer, listen to ringtones, and send friends emails to ringtones without registering. By opening a free ToneMine account, you can also save your personal ringtone mixes, send them to your phone, post them to any web page, and download them to your computer. Click here to open your free account.

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When Starbucks introduced for-pay Wi-Fi in 2002, it seemed like a great deal. But five years later, the model appears old and stale and ready for a complete overhaul.

According to my friend Mike Elgan at ComputerWorld.com, Starbucks will begin providing their customers with free Wi-Fi within the next year. This is an excellent development. I believe we shouldn’t have to pay for wireless access points, and I bet you don’t, either.

As you know, Wi-Fi is widely available. It’s no longer some new-fangled fad… and paying for it has become rather antiquated. The problem is, free doesn’t always mean secure. Thankfully, there are programs such as Hamachi to keep you safe. Hamachi is a free program that allows you to create your own Virtual Private Network, or VPN.

Any time I am out and about, I rely on jiwire.com to point me towards any hot spots in the area. Simply input your country, state and city, and the site will give you a list of all locations (including addresses and phone numbers) who have Wi-Fi available for you.

iStumbler for Mac OSX is an amazing tool. iStumbler is the leading wireless discovery tool for Mac OS X, providing plug-ins for finding AirPort networks, Bluetooth devices, and Bonjour services with your Mac.

If you want to hear all about my experience being tazered and almost going to jail over Wi-Fi… you’ll just have to watch this video.

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Community member TuxedoJericho wrote me an Email to explain to people how to use your wireless headset while playing Xbox on your computer.

You must first purchase the Microsoft Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows. You can purchase this at most retail stores, including GameStop and Wal-Mart for $19.99. This will allow you to use your wireless Xbox 360 components with your PC. This means wireless controllers, headsets, steering wheels and the like. After you purchase the device, install the CD that comes with it first, and then hook it up through an open USB 2.0 port on your PC. After this, tap the white sync button on the receiver, and then hit the sync button on the wireless device. After it syncs up, you are free to use that device with your computer!

In my opinion, the Xbox360 wireless controller is about as close to perfect as a gaming controller can get. Its design is just nice. Again, all you need is that Wireless Gaming Receiver, and you’re good to go.

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – I’ve been anxiously waiting for Microsoft to release their newest wireless keyboard and mouse. It’s been quite awhile since they’ve released a keyboard with USB ports in it, and believe me… you can never have too many of those.

The new Wireless Entertainment Desktop keyboard and mouse came today. I’ve been using this same mouse for about a year now, and I love it! I’ve been using the keyboard for a little under an hour now. It’s definitely slim and lightweight, and the backlit keys are awesome. But, there are some issues I’ve come across. I’m a touch typist, and this keyboard definitely wasn’t designed for touch typers.

• The Windows key has been moved. It now resides underneath the space bar. For someone like me who uses the Windows key for a variety of shortcuts, this spells disaster. I have to teach myself how to find these from fast touch again.
• There is a track (touch) pad on the right side of the keyboard. However, the button for “left click” is on the left side of the keyboard.
• With this new design, some of the keys… such as Function keys and ESC key… are no longer actually keys. They are these little nubs. Now, if you sit with your keyboard at a desk or workstation like I do, this is frustrating. You have to kind of feel your way around in order to find the right one. I’ve accidentally hit the ~ key many times without thinking in the past hour, thinking I was hitting the ESC key.

In my opinion, this keyboard was designed to be used by someone sitting away from their monitor, maybe even across a room. It wasn’t really designed to be used right at your desktop.

On a funny side note, take a close look at the logo on the mouse. The letter Ris missing from the word Microsoft. So, this mouse was made by a company named Mic osoft. Interesting…

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – Vince wants to know what’s better: wired or wireless peripherals. In come cases wired, but in some cases wireless. This all depends on your personal preference and how much you’re willing to spend on your peripherals.

For some people aesthetics is paramount, and having a bunch of wires cluttering up the desk is a big no-no (as is the case for Ponzi). Of course, going wireless means dealing with batteries: the cheaper wireless devices will require you to supply your own batteries, while the more expensive devices will come with a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery pack.

If you’re a gamer and you need absolutely perfect performance out of your peripherals, you’ll probably either go with a wired solution, or you’ll spend a large amount of money on a wireless solution.

On the other hand, you could go with a third solution: both wired and wireless, as Chris has. His wired aluminum keyboard gives him an excellent response time and allows two USB devices to be plugged into the keyboard, while his wireless mouse hives him the freedom to move the mouse around without any major cord tangles.

What do you use: wired or wireless?

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I just became a Clearwire subscriber the other day. They’re running a pretty good membership special right now, but that’s not the reason I signed up for an account. I’m using Clearwire at home for a few reasons:

• Broadband backup – when Comcast goes down, I can still be up. Downtime sucks.
• Bittorrent nirvana – I can transfer large files without saturating my primary network.
• Better backwards compatiblity – I’m running a wireless router on the Clearwire modem at a lower security level (WEP) for devices that aren’t 802.11g compatible.

Plus, the modem will work anywhere there’s a Clearwire signal present – although I’m keeping my fingers crossed that a PCMCIA or SDIO solution will avail itself at some point. No matter, there’s a $15 Visa reward for every Clearwire referral. If you’re in Seattle, I’ll just connect you directly with the guy who set me up.

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