We’ve got good news for those of you who bring your laptops or tablet computers to the Verona Pool: The town has turned the free Wi-Fi service at the pool back on. (The equipment isn’t at the pool year-round and there were some snags with getting it re-started, the town says.)
Just like last year, the day’s password for the system will be posted on the bulletin board that shows the water temperature. And just like last year, you should think about some basic Internet safety precautions if you are using your electronics at the pool.
Don’t bring your best laptop to the pool and definitely don’t bring the one loaded with all your sensitive work or personal documents. Don’t plan on doing your banking, stock trading, or eBay shopping while poolside: Though locked down, the pool’s network is still public and a determined hacker can still cause problems. Make sure that the computer you bring is equipped with the latest in malware, spyware and antivirus programs and that they are all up to date. Back up everything on your computer before you head out.
Set up a Guest account on your computer and use it, not the main Admin password, to log in when you are at the pool. If you are hacked at the pool, the hacker will only be able to get the files that the Guest account has access to. Since you are not behind the firewall of your home network, turn on the firewall on the laptop you bring and, from the Control Panel, disable file-sharing. And when you’re not on the Internet, turn the network off (look for the blue radio antenna button on your laptop). That will lock down your computer and preserve its battery.
