Consumers fearful of wireless broadband

People are not installing wireless broadband because of some common misconceptions, according to one internet service provider (ISP).

Broadband Choices says this ignorance affected nine in 10 people who responded to a poll it ran.

Just under half of the 395 people who took part felt the technology was too complex for them to understand. Worries included fears about the perceived difficulties with installing a modem or setting up a wireless network.

Just under a third claimed to be worried about security, for example having their connections hacked and leaving personal information such as bank details at risk.

Michael Phillips, a representative for Broadband Choices, said: “People shouldn’t be scared of Wifi. Wireless routers are easy to set up. If you get one direct from your ISP, which most of us will, it will arrive preconfigured with all the right settings.

“There is also no more risk of bank details going astray with wireless than with a fixed service. People must assume that because it’s ‘wireless’ that data just floats off into the ether, which simply isn’t the case.

"They just need to set up the right security, which is easy to do and most routers now have inbuilt encryption, which is far harder to hack into than the older services,” he added.

However, Craig Reid, product specialist at Buffalo, said there was some basis for consumer concerns.

“The wireless security market including ISPs and manufacturers face a double-edged sword when it comes to the public wireless issues,” he told Computeractive.

“If they do not encrypt the wireless router before sending it out, then consumers worry about the security risks or often leave it open as they are unsure about how to switch it on. But routers that come shipped with enabled security features are sometimes hard to turn off making the initial installation process hard.”

Reid said a lack of education and the confusing jargon used within the wireless industry put consumers off and led to confusion. He added that people also must take responsibility for their wireless connections as "the blame goes on whoever the connection is signed up to".