Hotspots - Answers
Q1. A hotspot is a place where you can get Internet access using wifi. Just as described in the section on setting up a home network, you connect to a wireless router, which has been set up by someone or a company who has paid an Internet Service Provider (ISP) for access to the Internet.
Q2. An 'open' network is one where you don't need to enter a password. You just select the 'unsecured' network from the list of available ones on your device.
Q3. Open networks are potentially hazardous to use because any data you send over an unsecured network is easily available for anyone with the right software to grab.
Q4. It is illegal to access someone's wifi network without their permission.
Q5. A firewall stops unauthorised people getting access to a particular network or computer.
Q6. 'File sharing' is the process where different computers can access each other's files and folders.
Q7. To get access to a wifi network in a cafe, you need to know the name of the network and the password.
Q8. You should not do banking over any public hotspot because any data you send over an unsecured network is easily available for anyone with the right software to grab.
Q9. Tethering is when you set up your phone or other device to act like a portable wifi hotspot. Others can then use this hotspot to gain Internet access.
Q10. Typically, you have to find a box to tick in your phone's settings that tells the phone to turn tethering on. You have to give your temporary hotspot a name and sometimes a password or passcode, although this is also sometimes automatically generated for you. Anyone within range of your phone can then see the name of your hotspot in their list of available wireless networks. As long as they have the password or passcode, they can get access to the Internet using your phone!
Extension work
a) Find out how to check whether file sharing is switched off on a laptop or other device. It's different for different devices but in Windows, you open Network and Sharing Center in the Control Panel. Then you select 'Change private advance sharing settings. Then find the selection for File and Printer sharing and switch them off. Useful information about the security of public hotspots can be found with a quick search in Google.
b) Firewalls are available for most devices. It's just a case of finding the pre-installed ones in the settings or looking for Firewalls in the App Store for the device. Students need to know how to use the Internet to search for the settings information for any particular device, and how to search an App Store for a piece of software e.g. a Firewall. An additional useful exercise would be to use the Internet to seek out reviews of Firewalls.