Fire the Phone Company: A Handy Guide to Voice Over IP

Finally, let's look at a few things you should consider when traveling to make your journey a safe one. Just because you are on vacation doesn't mean that the hackers are as well. You can take a few common-sense steps to make sure you can use your equipment safely while on the road.

Note

Virtual private networks and encryption are advanced security technologies; operating them correctly requires additional knowledge and configuration. If you do not have these resources set up already, consult a good book on Internet security for advice about setup and operation.

Don't forget security

If you read the newspaper, watch television, or listen to the radio, you have read/seen/heard reports about Internet viruses, worms, spam, phishing, and so on. You need to take the same precautions on the road against these threats that you would take at home.

Wireless Security

For all intents and purposes, a wireless network is like an old party-line telephone; everyone who has access to the network can hear what everyone else is saying. If you are planning to use your systems for sensitive communications, consider this fact, and take appropriate measures to ensure that your communications are protected. These measures may include using encrypted softphones (like the kind provided by Skype) or virtual private networks that connect you to a trusted network before you initiate your call.

Internet Security

As a minimum, install a good personal firewall and antivirus program on your notebook computer to protect your system whenever you are connected to the Internet.

Beyond that, I cannot possibly do this important topic justice in these pages. If security is important to you, please pick up a book that deals with Internet security to learn how to make your systems secure. There are several good choices some written by me and some written by other Peachpit authors. Check your local bookstore for one that speaks to your level of interest and skill with this topic.

Register your 911 service

Your VoIP provider's 911 service is fixed to the location you provided when you last configured 911. During your travels, if you plan to be in one location for any length of time, register your new location with your provider's 911 service. You can usually do this on the provider's Web site, and the process takes only a few minutes.