Is my connection secure? Need to configure anything?

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Before getting my Macbook I used an SBC 2Wire 1000HG to connect to the internet. My son set that up about 5 or 6 years ago. A lot has changed since then. He's on his own now and I'm using a Mac instead of Windows. I was wondering if I needed to configure anything and if my connection is secure.

There was a CD that came with the 2Wire 1000HG which worked on the windows computer but doesn't work on my Macbook. I have been able to connect to the internet just by connecting my Macbook with an ethernet cable. Do I need to do anything else?
 
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I think a wireless connection is the only thing you'll have to worry about with connecting securely. It's your choice if you wan to go wireless or not. Apple's "Airport" wireless routers are great and the work with Macs and PCs. They're very easy to set up with a mac too.
 
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The 2wire router doesn't really care what you are using, Mac, Windows or other. As long as you have some kind of security set up on your wireless, you're fine.
 
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Would having Apple Airport disabled be enough in regards to wireless security? I did debate over whether to use wireless or ethernet, but decided to go with ethernet.

I'll fully admit to being ignorant about internet connections, but by any chance my neighbors wouldn't be able to intercept or leach off of my connection, would they? I remember when setting up my Macbook I saw a list of internet connections, presumably my neighbors. I was just wondering if I could see theirs could they see mine and potentially connect to it and/or look at the data my computer sends out such as passwords.
 
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there's no way anyone else can connect to your internet connection unless it's through the ethernet cable, they can't connect to the internet through your computer. And just to clarify, Airport is the name of apple's wirless routers:

AirPort Extreme Base Station - Apple Store (U.S.)

AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes - Apple Store (U.S.)



EDIT: Just realized that your 2wire is a wireless router. You can check if it has security by searching for wireless connections in the menu bar icon (it should be the the third one to the left) and seeing if there's a network thats called "2Wire" or something. If there's a lock on the right, it has security.
 
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I swear I'm not an idiot, but if I click on that does it list network preferences? In the menu I got to from clicking that icon it lists Open Network Preferences, and when I click Open Network Preferences it lists options for Ethernet and Airport.
 
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Airport might not be on, so turn it on if it's not, (the first option after clicking on the icon) then see if it lists networks in the drop down menu.
 
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Ok, by enabling that I was able to see a list of several connections. All of them but one had a lock by it. This connection was called 9226, but I don't think that would be mine. 9226 seems like part of an address and that wouldn't be mine.
 
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Ok then either your 2wire isn't set up for wireless or it is and it's all secure! So that means you're good to go! Sorry it took so long to figure out, this internet stuff can get confusing!
 
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First off I want to thank you tenfold, iZach! :)

I turned on Apple Airport again just to get another look at the connections and it listed several 2wire connections, one of which ended in the last 3 digits that are on the bottom of my 2wire unit, and it happened to have a lock next to it. So hopefully that one is mine!

Now for one last question which will perhaps render me saying "I swear I'm not an idiot" in one of my last posts a lie. When I turned on Airport I did so once with the ethernet cable plugged in to my Macbook and 2wire, and another time without the two being plugged in together. I even had the 2wire turned off. Now my question is, by having enabled Airport and being able to see these connections and having had to enter my Macbook password to turn Airport on and off, there's no way that someone listed in the connections could have connected to my computer then or seen when I entered my password is there?

That probably sounds like a very dumb and paranoid question, but when it comes to the internet I'm sometimes afraid to even look at my computer and I'm afraid of messing something up.
 
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Nope! No one can connect to your wireless connection unless they have the password, and no one can connect to your ethernet hard line through your macbook's wireless capabilities. And these aren't stupid questions-better safe than sorry! Any other questions just ask! This forum is full of other people that love answering questions, no matter how dumb you may think they are. Enjoy your Mac!
 
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iZach, I just want to thank you again. You've been a big help and while I'll probably always be cautious when it comes to the internet, you have helped put me at ease and made me less afraid to use my Mac. Thank you again and have yourself a great weekend! :)
 
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Hello again. I know my connection was secure but since I wasn't using the wireless I just figured I'd disable it. I went to http://192.168.1.254/ to do so. I had to enter my password of course.

After I had disabled wireless I then realized that the page didn't have "the lock" on it like the page to your email or bank login would. Is this something to worry about? Is it likely someone else has my password now?
 

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