[samspade42]

Friend has "ME" desktop connected direct to internet.

Brother is living with her and has new "VISTA" laptop connected to internet via her wireless router.

She does NOT want him to have access to her computer.
only the internet

[cwwozniak]

Hi samspade42, and welcome to TSG.

You seem to be giving some confusing information here

Originally Posted by samspade42

Friend has "ME" desktop connected direct to internet

So there isn't any kind of network switch, router, or broadband modem anywhere at your friend's location between their computer and the entire internet?

Originally Posted by samspade42

has new "VISTA" laptop connected to internet via her wireless router.

How is that router connecting to the Internet?

Can you please provide the brands and model numbers for all of the networking and broadband hardware involved? We also need to know how they are interconnected.

[samspade42]

Clear as a bell to me !!! )
Guess I had best rethink.

Friend has 'ME' desktop wired direct, thru a wireless router [Belkin G] ~ [so she can watch SKY ANGEL TV via the broadband internet...yes really !!]

Brother is staying with her temporarily; she bought him a 'VISTA' laptop for Christmas.

Although they both have broadband access to the internet, she does NOT want him to be able to access her computer via his wireless laptop. [she pays bills that way etc.]

I just found out her grandson [across the street] can access her internet connection with his ipod from his upstairs window....
No password nor any other security was set up when she bought the router 6 months ago !!
She just plugged it in and it worked !!

Probably more info than you wanted, but that's the gist of it.

sam

[cwwozniak]

The first step for your would be to set up wireless encryption on her router. WPA-PSK with a long and not easy to gues key is usually considered more secure than WEP. Her brother's laptop would then need its wireless connection configured with the key.

She should next make sure that file and printer sharing in not enabled on her ME computer. I am not familiar with Windows ME but all sharing may be disabled by default.

Those two steps should keep anyone from accidentally accessing files on her computers and would probably stop a a not so serious hacker.as well.

As an extra step, she should install and use some type of security software bundle on her computer that includes firewall software if she does not all ready have it and use it. Some ISPs offer such security bundles for free to their customers. The firewall could log and warn her of any blocked intrusion attempts on her computer.