ItsGeekToMe.co

Q: I’ve read and enjoyed your columns for years-and learned a bit along the way, too. I now have a question of my own. So, here goes-drum roll. I have a Toshiba Satellite laptop, with Win 8 (hate it, btw) and IE 10. I recently switched to Chrome as the default browser and am in the process of trying to learn how to sync my accounts between my laptop and my Android Galaxy Tablet, 10.1. Think I’ve managed (sorta?) to do this. I am planning a trip soon and will, of course, have a different WiFi, although I am taking my computer-or the tablet. My questions: 1) will my info still be secure since it is connected to my Google acct. 2) in order to remain secure, should I disconnect my sync option for the period of time I will be away? Know this is probably a “baby” question, but I am not exactly computer literate; I HAVE searched everywhere I thought would help, but no answer. I really have no pressing need to see my question in the paper-you are my last go-to for help-I’m too embarrassed to ask my granddaughter.

– Kathryn C.
Mary Esther, Florida

A:  First, thank-you for being a loyal reader, Kathryn.  I probably learn just as much researching and answering some of these questions as my readers do.  (What? Yes, I often have to do research.  You didn’t think I know all this off the top of my head, did you?)  Second, I don’t publish questions to satisfy anyone’s need or desire to see their name in the paper, so here it is, because that’s what a newspaper columnist does.  Third, I’m not sure how to ask this, but, um…hmm.  So, I’m your last choice to go to for help, huh?  Um, thanks?  I’m sure you must have meant that in a different way than it sounded.  At least you came to me before being embarrassed by your granddaughter.  Golly, I sure hope she doesn’t read this and recognize you (“Last choice” me, will you? Mwah-ha-ha-haaaa…)
A-HEM!  Let’s get on to answering that question of yours, shall we?

It’s a little unclear in your question whether you are going to be connecting-up your gear on the road via public WiFi (say, at a hotel) or at the home of someone you’re planning to visit. Also, if I read correctly, it sounds like you might be asking if you can sync your pad computer to a computer that you’ve left running at home.  These are some very important distinctions that need to be made, since it’s not a matter of your “info” being connected to your Google account, but rather how your hardware is connected to the Internet.

Unless you are running high-end, business class Virtual Private Network (VPN) software – which I can assure you, you’re not – there is really no such thing as a “safe” connection via a public network. You should expect that any web traffic you generate can be monitored and/or intercepted, and that your system is vulnerable any time while it is connected to a public network.  In one of the worst-case examples I’ve heard of, I read reports that at last summer’s Olympics, malware was lurking in the public WiFi pool that had been set up exclusively for the press to cover the games.  Reporters’ laptops were becoming infected quite literally within seconds of connecting up to the network.  That’s more the exception than the rule, but the longer your gear is connected, the more vulnerable you are.  I’m not saying don’t use public WiFi at all, but use it sparingly, and disconnect when you’re not actively using it.

As far as syncing your device goes, if you’re hoping to sync with a computer back home, then I’m afraid you’re out of luck once you leave your home network behind. It is somewhat difficult to get into a home network from the outside, and rightly so.  If it were otherwise, your pad computer could be syncing with just about anyone’s computer.  There are firewalls, and IP sub-networks, and all sorts of constructs designed to make that kind of access difficult.  Now, if I’m mistaken, and you’re simply talking about syncing with the cloud (i.e. your Google account) then sure, that will work.  All you have to worry about are the hazards of connecting up via public WiFi that I talked about above.  Just consider: Are you really going to be gone so long that you can’t wait until you get home to sync?

Final word: Next time you have a technology question come to me FIRST (that goes for the rest of you Geek-wannabes out there too). Now go spend some time with your granddaughter.  You should be more embarrassed to ask questions to me than to her!