Be practical, not panicked. Much of the hacker hysteria is theoretical. As wireless networking settles into the routine of everyday computing, maybe the advice-givers will rely a bit less on trying to terrify the novices, and a bit more on specifics. . . .
I'm one of the world's most rabid fans of wireless networking -- known variously as Wi-Fi, 802.11 or AirPort. (Would somebody PLEASE come up with a consistent, user-friendly term for it?) It's just so glorious to be standing in an airport, hotel lobby or city street, open your laptop, and discover that you can go online at cable-modem speeds without hooking up a single cable.

I'll admit, though, that I'm confused by the urgency of the oft-repeated concern about wireless security. On the Web, dozens of articles meticulously detail how to make your wireless network secure. But you'd be hard-pressed to find one that spells out what, exactly, the security risk is.

Some articles imply that passing evildoers can peer into your files, delete important folders and release viruses. For example, according to an Extreme Tech article, leaving your security password turned off "is an invitation for someone to pay you a visit anytime."

But I don't get it. Even somebody physically connected to my network doesn't have access to my files! How would they have any more access if they were parked in a car outside with a wireless laptop?

So I decided to get to the bottom of this. Now, one risk is certainly real: If you haven't set up a password for your base station, then anyone with a wireless computer (within 150 feet or so) can surf the Web for free, piggybacking on your signal.

The link for this article located at NYTimes is no longer available.