How to see other computer(s) in a free wifi spot, please?

How to see other computer(s) in a free wifi spot area?


The case:
We have here 2 laptops (Win8) side by side in free wifi spot . I know that in such spots, for safety purposes I have to set my laptop not to share and mine is set accordingly…

But how can I see the other laptop next to mine on my own screen?
It is my mom’s brand new laptop. It is not set for safe hot spot browsing by default
so, I should be able to see it…but how?

So, question is how to set my laptop to show my mom’s laptop sitting next to mine? I believe something must be set in control panels, perhaps?
A good how-to-do tip will be appreciated!

(I am not very strong in tech matters,sorry...)

Thank you all in advance !

You never will, due to how they are set up. Now if it is a private wifi Hotspot in a home.

broe23 said:

You never will, due to how they are set up. Now if it is a private wifi Hotspot in a home.

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Sorry broe23

Can not understand what you're trying to say in your reply...



Please, any real answer anyone?

(By the way the free wifi hotspot mentioned is in a city library...)

Public wifi is for Internet access only. It does not allow network access as you are attempting. This is for the security of all involved.

LMiller7 said:

Public wifi is for Internet access only. It does not allow network access as you are attempting. This is for the security of all involved.

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Thanks LMiller7

I understand all you say, but my concern is how I can me sure that a laptop is truly inaccessible if it is not possible to be checked by owner,in this case my mom-a completely non-tech person...

I can do the settings for public wifi as advised by Win 8 but how can know that they work- apparently there is nothing on my monitor to tell me whether my laptop is definitely safe from peeping into it when in free wifi spots...
I 'm not sure that clicking on non-sharing in Win 8 control is sufficient protection... there is no tool to verify this is so.

So how can and should I just trust Win 8 non-sharing settings when in free wifi spots?

Any advise on these issues, please?

If you are on an unencrypted wifi (no password) then you are not secure. Someone with the right tools can look at the wifi traffic itself and get passwords and session cookies for the sites you are using, then they can pose as you on those sites (google "firesheep"). The usual fix for this is to use a VPN service, which encrypts everything in your PC before it even hits the air.

SonyaP said:

So, question is how to set my laptop to show my mom’s laptop sitting next to mine? I believe something must be set in control panels, perhaps?

Click to expand...

However if you want to be able to see you moms laptop then you could install TeamViewer (or webex or logmein etc) on both your PC and hers. Then you can see it irrespective of what network you are both on. You sent an invite, she accepts and then you can see and/or control her PC.

mikeytg said:

If you are on an unencrypted wifi (no password) then you are not secure. Someone with the right tools can look at the wifi traffic itself and get passwords and session cookies for the sites you are using, then they can pose as you on those sites (google "firesheep"). The usual fix for this is to use a VPN service, which encrypts everything in your PC before it even hits the air.

Click to expand...

You would just have to spoof the A/P SSID and sit as a "Man in the Middle", collecting every piece of data going through that fake a/p.

broe23 said:

You never will, due to how they are set up. Now if it is a private wifi Hotspot in a home.

Click to expand...

Not quite correct. You can set up a VPN connection and see each other. You need to get some info the hard way though but it is possible but too drawn out to explain from work.

Can't you just change the settings in Network and Sharing Center, under whatever profile you have selected? Change your network discovery options on both computers