I am buying a refurb. G3 ibook. Should I have them put in airport? I have heard it opens you up to possible access to your passwords etc. I do have a wireless router which I assume would transmit the signal from the airport. Also, if you have airport installed, do you still have the option to use hardwire or is the airport the only option for internet access once it is there?
Anytime you are on a network to the outside world (i.e. the internet) you have the possibility of unauthorized access to your data which could include passwords among other things.
Yes, you can use other means of connecting to the internet (ethernet or modem for example) with airport installed.
There's no problem with AirPort security at home as long as you do 3 things. Turn on password protection (WPA,
not WEP) at your wireless router, turn off all types of Sharing in your Sharing preferences, and turn on your firewall in Sharing preferences. If you do those three things, you'll be safer than most Windows users and most hackers won't have a way to get your info.
Use caution when you use your laptop away from home. If you are at a school or public wireless network, others could monitor your transmissions. When on someone else's network, it's best to use only secure connections that people can't eavesdrop on. Secure connections are web addresses starting with https (instead of http), or secure POP or IMAP mail. Regular e-mail may not be secure; your password can be read. Secure webmail (address starting with https) is secure, no one else can read that.
The way the Mac works with networking is that all your network ports are always active unless you turn some of them off. The Mac will simply connect through the first available connection. It is possible to maintain a wireless and wired connection at the same time, if you had a need for that. If you'd like to be connected only through your wired port, you can turn off AirPort at any time from your menu bar.
Given all that, I think you should put in the AirPort. It is becoming essential, and if you don't have it when you need it, you'll wish you did. The freedom and flexibility is worth it.
