How to make Wireless Networking more safer

Hi,
Recently I loosed my data due to virus attack. The virus enter my when I was browsing in a hot spot. Now I am a traveler. And I use my wireless service to access frequently. I always leaved it turned on. I am using Windows XP in my laptop. I need some suggestion to use a more secure Wireless internet. I had trying using a third part firewall software to disallow incoming. But in that case I am not able to connect to a public hot spot. Any suggestion regarding this issue. I need some solution by which I can access a wireless network more safely. Thanks in advance.

There are several ways to protect your computer in order to disallow any one to hack in to your computer and access your files. First you will have to check that what services are available. The first one is WEP. Now WEP is not so efficient as it looks. It can be broken easily by one. The best way to protect a entire wireless router depends on the router. If the wpa and wpa2 is enabled then the router is more secure. The truth is that no wireless connection is completely secure and you can make it more safer. The best way I will suggest you is to encrypt your system with password polices. This makes a lot big difference. Second thing you can do is change your wireless network password continuously.

Here are some tips to protect your system on a wireless network. First turned off your SSID broadcast and then switch on WEP or WPA encryption. Then put a password to the network connection. Switch off the ad-hoc networking option and enable spi firewall. Adding password is easy and good solution. In most cases the SSID of the network is broadcast automatically. So it will be better if you turned this service off. Use MAC filtering service on your system.

Public hotpots does not use any encryption policy. So anyone can access the internet. This the most easy way spreading a infection to a large number of systems. By taking some simple precautions you can make your network more secure. First always try to connect to good and reputed hot spot. Just do not access any where. If you feel that the hot spot is not so secure then do not enter it. Keep your firewall all and add a exception under firewall option for the internet connection. Do not send any password or personal details anywhere on the browser. Always turned off the wi-fi if not used.