Free wifi

hylax

Have discovered free BT wifi for my tablet. I assume it is courtesy of a coffee shop nearby. As I have a download limit it seems a bit of a bonus. What is the downside if any? Should I steer clear of banking and similar? If this is in order how do I get to use it with my desktop PC?

nickcc

As BT WiFi with Fon is not secure you would be best not using it for anything that needs to be secure. If you have BT WiFi just register for Fon which then allows others to use your home hub and then you will be able to use your Fon password to use free BT WiFi Fon.

hylax

If others used my home hub would my 10GB monthly allowance last out?

katykerbs9

Id avoid online banking but anything like socialising,forums, facebook then fill your boots!

hylax

What a bonus!

kwikbreaks

hylax wrote: »

If others used my home hub would my 10GB monthly allowance last out?

I'm pretty sure that usage of your FON hotspot doesn't come out of your allowance but the BT T&C should make that clear enough. I'm not 100% sure but I think moving from 10GB on BT to unlimited is only about an extra £5.

System

I'd like to know what this BT Fon is, someone told me that it is possible to connect to the net when out of wifi range by searching for BT Fon and clicking on to it, surely that's wrong isn't it?

culpepper

Bt Fon only works if you are with BT yourself I believe.
Certainly we could use it when we were but not since we left.
The allowing of Fon on your own BT hub wont take anything from your download limit as it is supposed to be for others to use when they can see your signal.
You can use theirs when you see their signal and will need a log on code to do so.
They will send you the code IIRC.

securityguy

katykerbs9 wrote: »

Id avoid online banking

There's no reason to worry about doing online banking via insecure WiFi so long as you check that the padlock (green bar, whatever) is correctly present. If you don't check that, then you have thing to worry about even if you're using the most secure WiFi imaginable.

but anything like socialising,forums, facebook

Actually, I would be rather more worried about email than about banking. The chances of a successful attack on your banking that wouldn't work equally well at home are low, given reasonable precautions. But not all email providers support encryption, not everyone has it turned on, not everyone checks and if someone can read your email, they can use it to reset your passwords on almost every other account you have. Not good.

hylax

Thanks for all the responses. I have learned a lot.

nickcc

My BT fibre optic broadband (infinity) has just gone down so have signed onto BT Fon instead. Bit slower but works ok just use your BT broadband password and usual ID (@btinternet.com)