I love my wireless home network. I can work anywhere I want in the house or outside on the deck. Wireless (Wi-Fi) networks give you the freedom to work where you want and share printers and other devices, however, they can also give that same freedom to your neighbor. Your wireless router's signal doesn't stop at your walls or your property line, it extends for several hundred feet in all directions. All the time.

Pure Networks recently conducted a survey of home and small business computer users and asked the following question: "Do you consider using the private Wi-Fi Internet connection of a nearby neighbor or business stealing?" Almost 50% responded that they did not think it was stealing to use someone else's wireless connection to the Internet. So, it's a free-for-all out there. Will your neighbor's kid be printing his school report on your connected printer? Probably not, but he could if your wireless network isn't locked down with common security measures.

To help you check your Wi-Fi network's security, Pure Networks is offering a free wireless network security scan tool. It lets you quickly check for wireless network security issues and other computer and Internet security problems. The tool scans your network, lists any wireless security problems it finds, and provides information about how to fix wireless router and computer security problems.

It gives your network a "score card" showing results for your computer, other devices and computers on your network, wireless security settings, and Internet threats. For each category, it shows any issues it finds and offers ways to fix them. It's a quick and easy way to see how your network security measures up, and how to fix any vulnerabilities it may have.

Here's a list of things the free wireless network security scan can detect:

• If there are unknown computers or devices on your network.
• If the default password or network name is used on your router. This is a common security problem and takes only a few minutes to change.
• If your wireless router's firmware is up to date. Running the latest firmware helps keep your router more secure.
• If you're using wireless data encryption to protect the information being sent around your wireless network. This is perhaps one of the most important security features you can use on a wireless network. See the article on the Network Magic website for help with setting up wireless data encryption.
• Whether ports on your router have been changed or opened. Open ports can allow hackers onto your wireless network.
• If your computers are using firewall and anti-virus software.

Try the free wireless network security scan tool and see how secure your wireless network is. It only takes a few minutes to run and can give you valuable information about making your home or small business network safe from intruders.