Wireless network devices typically install a monitor application that will report on link speed and integrity. This is true for wireless laptops and also for desktop systems with wireless NICs (network interface cards). To check the security of your wireless connection, locate the monitor applet, you can usually find it as an icon in your System Tray. Open the monitor and view your link information. For example, the Linksys Wireless Network Monitor 4.5, which installs with a Wireless-G PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) adapter card, can report many details about the link, including the transfer rate and channel in use. You can also see whether security features are enabled or disabled.

There are some cases in which wireless security is very important. For example, you should implement wireless security if you are sending sensitive or personally identifiable information across the network or if you are readily within range of other wireless users and want to prevent them from using your wireless bandwidth.

[tags]Secure Wireless Connection[/tags]