You may have noticed small signs at your favorite coffee shop that say something like “WiFi Hotspot” or “Free WiFi” here. WiFi stands for Wireless Fidelity, which is a techie term that refers to a network you can use access the Internet with a lap top or other device that’s has the right equipment for a wireless connection.

Sandy Berger has written an excellent article about WiFi at AARP’s website.

More and more seniors are going wireless because it’s an excellent way to stay in touch with friends and family while you’re traveling.

Conventional wisdom says that, on the whole, wireless networks are pretty secure – at least secure enough for most users. There are, however, a couple of things you should do before you join the WiFi revolution:

• Change the ID on your laptop or other device – your laptop or other device come with a default ID. You need an ID you’ll remember but isn’t obvious.
• Make sure your laptop is equipped with both good antivirus software and a firewall. Zone Alarm is good, and it’s free.

Once you’ve got yourself set up, you can find wireless hot spots at WiFi Free Spot and WiFiHotSpotList.