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Please let me know if it is possible to network without a cable connection. I have my PC in my hostel room so do the other students. But the problem is that due to the local network, they seem to know all the files that I am working on. Please tell me how I can restrict the network to my computer alone?

Prasanna K. Barik

Yes, it is possible to network without a cable connection. There are many technologies involved in accomplishing this such as Infra Red and Bluetooth, which now come with even mobile phones and concepts like "Wireless access point." In your case, I presume none of these facilities is available on your PC, so what are the other possibilities? Well, there are Spy ware and key logger programs, which once installed either manually or automatically through e-mails or by installing unwanted/unknown applications, will record all your actions and transfer them over the network to the destination which usually is the sender of the spy ware. The transfer of the recorded actions can be over a LAN or through the Internet; if you don't have a LAN but use the phone to dialup for the Internet, the spy ware will collect all the details and will wait till you log on to the Internet. Once you have dialled up, it will transfer the captured information over to the sender either directly to an Internet `Web space' or to an e-mail box.

If the sender has physical access to your PC, he can access your PC when you are away and have the logged information copied on to a floppy or any storage device and then later view your actions on his PC.

To get rid of these spy wares you can install "anti spy ware". You can get a list of such free programs from: http://www.snapfiles.com/freeware/security/fwantispy.html,

Download any one of these tools and install it on your PC.

If all of the above possibilities are not viable in your case, then there is one more thing you need to check on which might help. Please see that your PC is not near a window because your neighbour in the next building can see the spelling mistake you make in your word document and will call up to say, "Hey you have got your spelling wrong." How is this possible? Technology. This is what today's digital cameras are offering, digital zoom at amazing quality, so beware!

Solution by G. Rajah

Please e-mail us at eworld@thehindu.co.in if you have queries on computer usage or if you find an interesting way of using a computer.

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