If you do a lot of traveling, chances are you've logged on to a Wi-Fi hotspot at some time or another. Many airport terminals, hotels, and cafés are now offering wireless access for the convenience of travelers like you. While these are official networks set up by legitimate businesses, your information may not be as safe as you think.

Surf Smart
If you are going to surf the internet while waiting on your flight or over a cup of coffee, you may want to keep a few things in mind. Most public networks are not as secure as they could be. Even though these networks are run by legitimate businesses, it is not their information at risk. They are not liable for any of your information and thus some don't take the extra time to secure their networks properly. Transmitting information like; credit card numbers, passwords to bank accounts, or any other sensitive data should be avoided.

Disconnect
When you're done checking your email and have decided to start working on an offline document, shut off your wireless connection. The longer you sit on a public wireless connection the more opportunities you're giving someone else to snoop around your system. If you have an external Wi-Fi card you can simply remove it. Alternatively if you have an internal card right-click the connection and click Disable.

Keep Your Files Protected
If you have sensitive personal or financial information on your computer, consider encrypting it. Operating systems like Windows XP Professional include tools to help you in the process of encrypting your important files. Encrypting will make sure that not just anybody can view your private information.

Always Use a Firewall
The great thing about Windows XP (Service Pack 2 and higher) and Windows Vista is that they come with firewalls already built in so you have to put very little effort in this department. You may want to do a little tweaking to better protect yourself on public wireless networks, but the option is there and readily available.

Don't Use Outlook
Or Thunderbird for that matter. You may be tempted to just turn on one of these handy programs and hit your Send/Receive button. Any of these type of email systems may not be as secure as you think. Most of the time email providers don't require you to use encrypted connections to send and receive mail. This means your emails are simply text files floating through the wireless realm that are easily viewed by someone sniffing your traffic.

The best way to check your email on a public Wi-Fi connection is to go through the webmail interface. Using the secure connection (the address in the address bar will start with https:// instead of just http://) through your webmail you can safely check and reply to your new messages. Double check that it is a secure connection (check for the padlock icon on the bottom bar of your browser) and you can breathe a little easier regarding the privacy of your emails.

Don't Keep Your Cookies
No, we aren't talking about the chocolate chip variety. If you think about it, would you really keep your favorite sweet around for months on end? Cookies are what collect data about our online habits. While it's very convenient to have your username and password already filled in when you go to check; your email, favorite forum, or internet banking site you aren't the only one who can make use of this stored information. So delete your cookies before getting on a public wireless connection. This may be a little inconvenient later when you have to remember those usernames and passwords, but it's better than dealing with a stolen identity.

While it is tempting to sit down at your local coffee shop and pay the bills, or look at emails containing client information while waiting at the airport, you are exposing yourself. This is high risk behavior for your information and is vulnerable to people who really don't need to know. With these simple tips you can better protect your identity and information while still enjoying the freedom of public wireless networks while you travel.