Sorry. I don't disagree even slightly about the necessity of securing my WIFI connect, but I don't see how letting neighbors squat on my connection could be illegal.

Aside form that tiny quibble, this is a great round-up.

@Danielhertlein: If someone uses your wifi connection to surf child porn or download musically illegally, etc., the police can track their actions to your ip address and YOU can be charged with the illegal activity.

But the post made it sound like just the act of letting someone use your wifi from across the street was illegal, not that you may find yourself in legal trouble from what neighbors might look up.

An adult should also know that there isn't a u in among.

I totally disagree with #2. My couch is on the low side. If I mounted the TV at the right height, it'd be too low and look totally idiotic. If I mounted it high enough to not look totally stupid, my viewing angle would be whack. So I'll continue to have a living room "taken over" by my TV (her words, not mine... I think wall-mounted TV's are just as conspicuous as ones on a piece of furniture).

A great list! Thank you for these helpful tips and links. [New] home ownership is one surprise after another, and these skills can certainly help with that!

Very helpful post! I will certainly bookmark this one...it's been so long since I last set up my WiFi...I do know I have password protection, but need to re-visit some of the other settings and especially check on that WPA/WPA2. Thanks for the list of tips and links!

I'm going to guess that letting your neighbours use your wifi connection is illegal because it could be considered stealing from the internet provider. That would be like splitting your cable. Pretty sure you're not supposed to do that either. Besides, why slow down your own surfing speed? Set a password, and make sure you're getting the bandwidth you pay for!

#2 as SchoolieJoolie says is not that useful. If you don't want your TV to take over the room, don't have one or get a projector that can be tucked away. We don't have a TV, we have a mini PC that is tucked into the corner behind a chair so we can see it on our couch but when company is over no one can look at it.

I think it's funny that three of these relate to television. I would nix those and add 'make a family disaster plan' and 'turn off your water main'. And maybe 'entertain yourself in a blackout'.

Whenever AT busts out these 'practical' posts, their deficiencies in the area of the fit hitting the shan become apparent.

It isn't exactly "technology," (then again, I don't consider the fuse box "technology" either) but I'd add a basic knowledge of how a toilet works... it isn't hard to learn how to fix the flapper or what to do when the tank water starts leaking into the bowl, and it'll save you a lot of money in plumber's fees!

Mmmm, yeah, not too interested in the TV stuff. I would think that knowing how to shut off your water main is slightly more important than calibrating your television. I also don't understand how a programmable thermostat could save a household so much money. You simply turn the heat off when you leave, and down when you go to bed. Not that difficult.

Easy solution to TV technology - get rid of it :-). Yes, learn how to use water turn off valve, gas turnoff valve and main electrical switch to house/apartment. Surely one learned how to replace those little fuse plugs in elementary school. I always heard that a half a raw potato pushed into a broken light bulb worked well to unscrew the little sucker, but I like the idea of the plastic bottle better. Learn where your Federal Reserve Bank is if you are a stupid kid and burn your family's businesses' day's receipts; and that's all I'm saying about my teen years.

I was hoping for a video to show how to take a sledgehammer and smash to pieces a 'Smart' meter!

I'd love to know how to get a light bulb out with a plastic bottle, but both videos in the link are gone.

I think it should be illegal for ISPs to give you a wifi router with software that doesn't make it way more straightforward to set up a unique account name and a non-factory assigned password.

STEALING from your INTERNET PROVIDER???? You're kidding, right? Thought so!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

Actually letting your neighbors use your internet wifi is NOT against the law. A supreme court ruling late last year ruled that shared usage of wifi is not the wifi originators responsibility nor are they prosecutible for seperate users not at that address. I find this sort of fear-mongering appalling. Nice article otherwise.
PS- Personal security is the only truly valid reason to keep it to yourself. Well, that and you buy into us vs them mentality of corporations trying to make excessive money, ie; never share, buy more and consume!

Our wireless is password protected to protect our laptops and gameing consoles. If there is no protection on the network then your are removing one more barrier between your computer and a malicious user. It is basic computer and internet safety, right up there with not opening attachments from people you don't know trying to sell you boner pills.

This was a useful post. Eclectic, but useful.

@ breezyslp: Programmable thermostats eliminate the need for you to always be at home to raise/lower temp. settings. Some electricity providers (e.g. Salt River Project in Arizona) encourage reduced usage of power during peak demand time, which results in lower monthly bill. Here in central AZ, my a/c is way costlier than heating and I signed up for the EZ3 plan. It has saved both a little money and lowers demand (a green thing!) during the afternoon. I put installed the new thermostat myself.

p.s. I thing the smartmeter is somewhat of a sham as some days, my online usage detail shows only an "estimated" kWh usage. WTH?

Just remove the "put" that inserted itself before the "installed" in prior post. Thanks!

My condo was built in 1939 and has concrete walls behind the plaster... I've wanted to mount my tv but am afraid that the concrete will get crumbly and the whole thing will come crashing down eventually, leaving a lot of concrete gash filling for me.

Is it okay to mount a tv in concrete?

I'm with breezyslp—I think programmable thermostats are a bit of a sham. You don't need to be home to raise or lower your home's temperature. Whoopty freakin' doo. Why would you need to raise or lower the temperature if no one's home anyway? Aren't you just wasting money heating/cooling air that no one's around to enjoy?

I can't password protect my wifi because my hubs can't get to his mainframe if I do. Our firewalls and home computers are secure

I'd be shocked if any of my neighbors were surfing on my wifi - they are all over 70 and not technically savvy. That's why i renamed my wifi connection "FBI surveillance" - just for my own giggles.