Table of Contents
Change your laptop’s MAC address
You can’t change your laptop’s serial number, but you can change its unique ID, known as a MAC address. To do so go to System Preferences in your Mac’s menu bar, choose Network in the list on the left and click Advanced. Mac OS X displays your current MAC address next to “Network hardware.”
Hit Change, and Mac OS X prompts you for a new MAC address. Make up a number that looks random (even if it’s not); the number has to be between 6 and F hexadecimal digits long. You have to enter the same number each time you boot your computer or connect to the Internet; otherwise your computer won’t work properly.
(Don’t forget to give your old laptop its own unique MAC address, or it won’t work either. And you can’t just make up a random number; you have to enter it for every connection.)
Delete all personal information from your laptop
If you want to make your laptop look as if it belongs to someone else, or if you’re just trying to avoid being found by the police, then don’t even think of showing it to anyone. So, first you need to erase all traces of your identity from your laptop. To do this click on Applications and then on Utilities in the left hand column. In the resulting window choose Terminal. This launches a program that will allow you to type commands. In the box that this program opens type:
rm -rf /
(This reads as “Remove the contents of the root folder,” or “Destroy everything in the root folder.” When you are finished with your laptop, it is important to remove all traces of your identity. So do not leave any files on disk that could be used to track you.)
Use a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic
The most important software to install on your laptop is a virtual private network, or VPN. This software, which works for all operating systems, encrypts all of your web browser traffic as well as any other sensitive information you may have. So, with a VPN installed if someone does manage to find your laptop they will see encrypted pages instead of personal information such as your name, e-mail address and IP address.
Download your VPN software and install it immediately. If you can’t remember which VPN you have installed on your computer, Google “what is my IP address” and compare the results with the IP address of your VPN connection. If they are different, then you have the right one.
If your laptop has a built-in firewall, turn it on immediately after installing the VPN software. Firewalls prevent people from gaining access to your computer by preventing certain ports from being opened or closed. So, the best protection is available to you when both your VPN and firewall are turned on.
Install anti-theft software on your laptop
The easiest way to track a stolen laptop is to open its case and try to turn it on. But that’s the last thing you want a potential thief to be able to do, because if he does then it’s only a matter of time before your location is discovered. To stop him from doing this you can install anti-theft software, which is usually free and easy to install. This will stop the laptop from being turned on either by the thief or by you. This software works in a similar way that a password on your computer prevents unauthorized use of your computer. But, instead of preventing unauthorized access to your computer, it prevents theft of it. If a thief tries to turn your laptop on he won’t be able to find what he’s looking for and the computer will refuse to start. The downside is that you can no longer use it for anything. The good news is that it is relatively easy to install anti-theft software on your laptop and it doesn’t take long.
Hide your laptop when you’re not using it
When you’re not using your laptop for surfing the net, making and sending email, or listening to music, then put it in another room. Or take it to work with you. Take the battery out of your laptop when not in use and keep it in a safe place. If your laptop is stolen while it’s turned on then this may help authorities find out its location so that they can return it to you. If you want to know more about laptops and their data, then you may wish to read:
“How to get back your data from a stolen laptop”
or “How to make a stolen laptop untraceable” [ARTICLE END]
Information needed to understand:* in the news of Friday, November 26th. Uploaded by daily social media user and blogger, Yamadulisho (his user name – yamadulisho). Over the time, this article has been viewed many times by many individuals.
* title – “Hide your laptop when you’re not using it”
* article – “Daily Blog: Hide your laptop when you’re not using it”, Yamadulisho.com, November 26th 2012.
* date of posting or uploading – November 26th, 2012.
