NO DONT! a microwave or a 2.4ghz wireless phone will cost you too much unecessary losses & headaches & cursing.... if you want a "wireless" solution.... consider powerline.... it uses your AC outlet to transfer data... i'm not sure about the security implications... you should look up on it.
It's true about the 2.4ghz phone. I use 5.8ghz wifi friendly phones. 2.4ghz phones aren't made as much today anyway. As far as microwave ovens go, I haven't had any problems. Just make sure the Wifi router is at least 25ft away. The powerline solution is a viable one. I haven't tried it myself.
i use wireless at home, downstairs is where i trade the router is upstairs, i would say on average it goes out 3-4 times a week.
I'm using wireless for a network of three computers. My router is located in my home office in the basement. Everything on XP Professional. I have cable with ping times during trading averaging around 20 - 35ms. The wireless phones in my house are wifi friendly 5.8ghz. I've heard rumors about the 2.4ghz and intentionally did not purchase such for my home. Microwave is about 30ft away from my router. However, my desktops stay in the basement (wireless) while I tend to trade most of the time from my laptops (wireless) anywhere in the house and sometimes outside on the patio during the summer. Yep, I'm WPA secured. I'm also doing wireless printing and it was a pain in the butt to setup. My wireless printing is also secured. My entire system is password protected (I'm not talking about the WPA) via a password generated by software security firm. I have one desktop ready to go as backup via DSL (not wireless) with UPS that's about a 30min drive away at my condo. I've have not tested my ping times for DSL but will do so next week for trading during the first two hours of trading after the Open to see what my numbers are in comparison to my cable numbers. I also flew up my brother from the states to ask him to try and hack into my system. He's a big time hacker and couldn't get in. He did tell me that my wireless system told him that there were four others (three were secured) in the area using wireless. However, the tools on his laptop revealed a fifth connection that was cloaked sort'uv speak and it wasn't his laptop. Yep, I recently got a paper shredder after hearing about a local financial planner having his network compromised by a hacker that had picked valuble info from stuff he had drown out in the garbage. I guess there was more than one trash guy picking up trash in the neighborhood. With al that said above, I do have some internet connection problems...directly related to my cable company a few times per month that will last all day on and off. My ping times are around 150 - 250ms or worst and I get some horrible fills during such types of trading...big time slippage. I've now learn on such trading days...the first time it happens...call it a day because it usually doesn't get better for the day. The internet is not 100% perfect. However, its much better than what it was between 2000 - 2003 when I was using the same cable company from my prior residence...no connections at all for several days straight. Also, I recently talked to the new owner of my prior home and he saids he has tons of cable related problems. I guess location is everything. Last of all, I highly recommend you do not allow anyone in your home to use the same computers you trade on nor anything connected to your wireless network. My spouse uses another computer and another printer on DSL in my home and I never use her computer unless I'm just surfing the internet or doing none trading stuff like gaming. I would rather drive to my condo and trade because the security setup is more advance. P.S. Subscribe to a magazine that deals with internet security. Mark
To lessen the risk of outsiders injecting software in your laptop start using non-Microsoft product whenever possible, so not IE but Firefox or Opera, not Outlook but Thunderbird etc etc.. There are a lot of alternatives that not only are better built but also more stable and pleasnt in daily use. Most hackers target the big herd that use pre-installed bloatware. Just stay away of that herd and you won't get sick. Ursa..
I use DSL, which in my area never goes down. The longest downtime in years I've ever had with it is a few hours when they were changing out transformers or something. Typically, about once a week, there's a few min when they reboot their system and that's a barely noticeable blip. I've heard about cable going down for hours at a time. I've also heard that the more people on the cable, the slower your access time. I love my DSL. As for security... I think people who trade have to be a little more proactive about their security. I use Zonelabs Security Suite, and I've never regretted it. It has a lot more manual settings for program access, but I've never had hardware problems, let alone software problems. Most people are forced to buy a new computer every 2 years or so, and while I have 4 systems networked, the one I'm most used to is 7 years old, and never required reformatting of even the software. It takes a bit to figure out how to set Zonelabs for maximum effect, and I manually set all program access, so I know exactly what programs on my system attempt to access the internet. The most valuable function however are the logs. You can detect any intrusion and find it's source in seconds. Zonelabs is the cheapest insurance I know of (tho you have to know how to use it). Heck, I got a log file with an outgoing connection to Elite Trader's IP which tried to change my Winword.exe file when I first signed on here. They did get the data, my computer allowed the access, though it was logged, and I'm guessing that they were trying to get my real name and address. That's a smart way to get it, since few people would lie on their Word registration. Damage is done, they know who I am, big deal. The important thing is, I know they got it, where the typical virus program wouldn't even detect that access. As for browsers... IE works fine. Yes, more people try to hack it, so there's more hacks... but how do you know that the other browsers aren't also hacked, but no one bothers to let you know? At least I know that MS is actively working on it, and IE is the browser every hacker tries to get into, so there is more information about security out there. This week, IE 7 came out, and it has a nice feature that verifies the address of the site you are on, which takes out phishing sites. It's a bit slower, but it appears to be a great feature so far. As for trading all over... I've recently read about a new trading account theft tactic where people obtain passwords for trading accounts because people go to public computers to trade, and the hackers just wait til they leave and go retrieve the password somehow from the public computer. Geez. Never enter a compromiseable password on a public computer of any kind!
Yes...most hackers do target the traditional software. However, the other stuff you mention have holes too (just not as many) and such (details) is commonly discussed in different internet security sources. Mark
Yes, there'll always be some risk, but even only the act of installing another browser or mailclient helps most ppl become aware of what they're doing and become more carefull. The pre-installed stuff has some incredibly stupid defaults on. I'm not a sysop but I maintain a few XP boxes for friends and family. My only condition is that they refrain from using IE and Outlook. Ursa..
I use a laptop on wireless and it works ok. Sometimes it drops the signal but usually finds it in a few secs. I have put it next to my desktop and on the DOM on strategy runner the wireless does not update the bids and asks as fast as the hardwired desktop. WHy don't you just move your modem downstairs to where your trading setup is and then you can run the upstairs computer off of a wireless router. I would rather trade on wired vs wireless but that is just me.
I'm so stupid for not thinking this. Profit/Lost, position sizing etc. is all that is in my head lately Thanks