A wireless
network can make using your computer more relaxing by
letting you take it anywhere in your house from your couch,
your bedroom, or even your backyard. With a wireless
network, you don't have to go out of your way to use the
Internet, because it's everywhere in your home.
Networking
your computers will enable you to:
- Share
your internet connection throughout the house
- Share
files between computers
- Share
one printer between many PCs
- Play
music and movies stored on one PC on another
-
Connect your games consoles to the internet and each
other

Leaving
your wireless network unprotected could be an open door for
nosy neighbours or worse mobile malicious attackers
searching for wireless networks to break into, a practice
known as wardriving.
It's not
uncommon for a home user with a wireless-enabled computer to
pick up a wireless network signal, often inadvertently, from
a next-door neighbour's access point.
What is "wardriving"?
This term means to cruise down streets with a wireless
computer or other radio-enabled device attempting to locate,
identify, and infiltrate wireless networks. A wardriver who
accesses your network could anonymously hijack your Internet
connection, steal personal information stored on your
network, intercept file transfers, or even use your computer
as a "zombie" to send out spam or malicious software that
could be traced back to you.