In studies at locations where public wireless access points are available, the findings have been a bit surprising. For example, at the Boston World Trade Center during a conference, a vendor configured software to watch the wireless networks and found that over 80 percent of the traffic they monitored was not encrypted. The message was clear, and so were the passwords being used by conference attendees to access their corporate email systems using unencrypted POP connections. Passive monitors would have had a field day at this conference. We recommend using secure protocols such as SSL when connecting on wireless public networks, and avoiding unsecured connections to email and other sensitive services.

Just as important, the use of an encryption key on your traveling virtual office wireless network is essential. While not truly safe in any location, presumably there is less risk of malicious eavesdropping at your home than while traveling to remote accomodations. Leaving your network traffic out in the open is an invitation to hackers to exploit your information leak without leaving the comfort and safety of their homes.

All major brand wireless routers allow the user to define a key on the router and on their wireless cards to encrypt their data, please use this feature. One that we have field tested is the U.S. Robotics 8022 - which combines wireless with a DSL router and a shared printer port, ideal for the traveling office.