A serious Wi-Fi vulnerability was revealed yesterday, affecting nearly every Wi-Fi network and device using WPA or WPA2 security encryption. The Wi-Fi exploit, first reported by Ars Technica, takes advantage of a particular security flaw in the WPA2 wireless security standard, allowing attackers to intercept personal data as well as insert malware into websites a user visited.

Attackers can potentially gain access to encrypted information like usernames, passwords, and credit card data. Luckily, companies are already patching the flaw in order to prevent this potential hack from happening, but you'll need to do a little work on your end and update your devices.

Wireless networks have been a great boon to businesses. Being able to connect to a network from almost anywhere using any device without being tethered by a cable has completely changed the way businesses operate. But when they don't work as expected they can be an epic pain in the butt to troubleshoot. That's where the NETSCOUT AirCheck G2 comes in handy. It can scan your wireless LAN and alert you to dead spots, rogue access points and sources of interference.

If you have a Windows computer with a wired internet connection, you may want to share that with other devices. You can do this with a little command line trickery to turn your desktop into a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be taking an in-depth look at the essential software and hardware that every IT business needs. Today: networks.

Do you have dodgy Wi-Fi in your house? If you're living in a large apartment or multi-level house, chances are that you could do with a Wi-Fi range extender or at least some smarter router placement. Telstra can help you out with that -- alongside the announcement of its fledgling nationwide Wi-Fi network, it has a new app that maps your house's Wi-Fi network range.

More devices in your living room have Ethernet ports than ever before, but you can't plug them into the network if your router's in the other room. When your Wi-Fi access point is in the home office but your TiVo, Xbox, and media centre are screaming for network love under your TV in the living room, you want a wireless bridge (also known as an Ethernet converter). A wireless bridge catches your home network's Wi-Fi signal and provides ports where you can plug in wired devices near it. Let's take a look at how to wire up your living room using a wireless bridge.

Like a famed race horse or a classic book, you don't just throw away a laptop because it's banged up a little. Even if it seems outdated and underpowered, most any laptop is still small, quiet, and relatively low on power consumption, making it a seriously valuable spare to keep handy—even without a working screen. With some free software, a little know-how and some creative thinking about your home network, nearly any old laptop can find its second wind, and today I'll run through some of the best ways to get it there.Photo by daveynin.

Windows only: By default Windows hides WEP and WPA keys stored on your PC to connect to various Wi-Fi networks, but freeware utility WirelessKeyView lists them for you. When you've forgotten that Wi-Fi network key, run WirelessKeyView to see all the networks your Windows PC has ever connected to using its default Wireless Zero Configuration mechanism. (This utility doesn't reveal keys stored by third-party network connection software.) Delete keys from old networks that you no longer need, and easily copy keys to the clipboard to send or save. WirelessKeyView is a free download for Windows XP and Vista. Thanks, Vijay! WirelessKeyView

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the state government's plan to offer free wi-fi for the Sydney CBD has been delayed.

The state government had promised free wi-fi by 2009 for the CBD, North Sydney, Parramatta, Penrith, Liverpool, Newcastle, Wollongong and Gosford. They're now saying the complexity of the project and the number of tenders is slowing things down.

Maybe they just need to get Adelaide-based ISP Internode on the case - they've been offering free municipal Wi-Fi in Adelaide and other regional areas for a fair while.

Recently we told you our Top 10 Wi-Fi Boosts, Tweaks and Apps. Reader Krusher_00 commented with a handy localisation tip for using NetStumbler for detecting networks:

"Make sure you've got the correct channel selected. In Australia the standard is to use either channel 1, 6 or 11 as these are the only 3 channels that don't interfere with each other.

If you see your neighbours have points on 1, 3 and 5 for example then your wireless is going to be affected if you decide to use channel six.

You can however have points on the same channel, this just decreases the maximum throughput that can be achieved (more noticeable if they're using their wireless all the time)."

Thanks for the tip, Krusher. :)