[Ian Robinson]

My PC card wireless adapter for my ADSL is lucky to pick up the signal from the ADSL modem if I move the laptop to the other of the house.

There is no way I would share my account with anyone but my family (even if they had wireless adapters capable of picking up my modem's wireless transmitter and I gave them the option).... you would never know what other people are looking at , or what they are doing , and if you are the one who is paying for the link , you're the first one the cops will visit .... if they are pedofiles or terrorist supporters or scam artists it will be very hard to convince the law it wasn't you or you didn't know.

I turn off and unplug from the mains all my computers when they are not being used - I had a laptop fried by a lightning strike once and don't want to repeat the experience (took over 6 months of haggling to get a replacement laptop off GIO).

I also turn off my ADSL modem when it is not being used (I connect by wireless link to it with the laptop , the desktop is not connected to it at present (until I resolve the wireless adapter issue).... why waste power by staying connected.