Five Rules Of Social Networking On A Wireless Internet Connection

It used to be that socializing took place in the real-life. But now, so many people have turned towards social networking sites to stay in touch, to be involved in one another's lives, and to generally figure out what's worth doing when the weekend rolls around. And a lot of this is great, especially given the changes in web access that have come with speedier 4G networks and more personalized mobile devices. But there's something else, too. The fact of the matter is that people who assume they are safe online because of the sense of comfort that comes with knowing online friends or accessing a connection from anywhere are sometimes leaving themselves vulnerable to problems online.

This becomes particularly true when perpetually sending and receiving information across a connection that might not be secure, like a router in a hot spot that is powering the wireless internet connection for tons of people. Or it might just be about knowing what is appropriate to be doing in a public place, and what might be better reserved for surfing the web from home. Either way, here are five of the cardinal social rules of social networking from public.

#1 - It might not be the best time to get sucked into the net. If it's about having something to do for an hour while enjoying lunch, then don't allow the constantly-updating feed of information to turn into something that is going to take attention away from other important online tasks. It doesn't help productivity that much, and can sometimes lead to irritated glances from other people who just want to sit down and have a sandwich.

#2 - It's important to keep buying coffee or snacks if using free Wi-Fi. People forget that there are manners that come along with having free access to the net, and it's really important to understand the fact that those who are serving and waiting on customers who don't buy things are not making as much as they could be if the tables were being turned more regularly.

#3 - Uploading a camera worth of photos is sort of rude to other customers using the same wireless internet connection. This happens with people using connections in public places to get online, but the trouble is that the router cannot handle doing that much work for a single person. This means everything slows down for all customers!

#4 - Don't leave the sounds turned on for chat programs. No matter what, this is the number one rule of public wireless internet use; no one wants to hear chat dings or other noises when trying to work. It's also worthwhile, for the sake of being polite, to always be sure to keep headphones plugged in. This does not mean, however, that it's a good idea to have video chat conversations, as they are also disruptive for others.

#5 - Try to avoid the dating sites. It's just a little awkward, and what if that potential special someone is right there at the counter and doesn't come over because he or she notices the pouring over profiles happening?