What Are The Best Anti-theft Products For Laptops Looking to invest.

[Sarah81 0]

Hey everyone.I just got this Compaq notebook at the beginning of the semester (August). I did all of the usual software security things (antivirus, firewall, spyware remover, etc.) and still do it of course. I leave the laptop in my on-campus apt. when I go to classes because I don't feel like taking it along. It's only a few pounds, so it's not a weight issue: I don't want to do something stupid like forget my backpack when I leave a classroom and come back twenty minutes later to nothing. Anyway ... the laptop stays at my desk unless I take it home for the weekend or on breaks, so I'm thinking: "Hey, an anti-theft device might not be a bad investment." I'm the only one who has access to this apt. except for the university's employees (maintenance, housing office) and pest control but, since I don't know most of these people, I'm not going to blindly assume that they're all completely honest. Or that they won't accidentally forget to re-lock my door if they visit while I'm gone.Anyway ... long story short: what are the best anti-theft product that you've used or are using? One bit of helpful information is that I own this desk, which is pretty solid (actual wood), so I can attach the laptop to it without any problems if that's what it takes.

Edited November 4, 2005 by microscopic^earthling (see edit history)

[YudzzY 0]

anti theft arent of great use! technologies are fast in defying those, so you couldnt hold long to that! i'd rather say you attach a string to it and tie it to your neck.. always with you then! heh thats what i think is easiest ;-)

[miCRoSCoPiC^eaRthLinG 0]

Get chastity pants for ur laptop and rope that with steel cables to your windows/doors

And if you're willing to go a little further - design a case for it with live wires wound all round

Joking apart I don't think there are any serious any-theft devices as such, except for these two. A combination of both would provide you with good security measures, but each independently is worthless.
1. http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

This comes into action after your laptop's been stolen - it sends out a singal to this company's control center everytime its connected to the net or the phone. They rent it out at $49/Year

2. http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/
Has options of completely disabling your laptop and setting off audible alarm upon unauthorised motion detection.

But none would really stop your laptop from being stolen - I guess the only more or less secure way is the good ol' "under lock and key inside your cupboard" method.

[Sarah81 0]

But none would really stop your laptop from being stolen - I guess the only more or less secure way is the good ol' "under lock and key inside your cupboard" method.

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Blah. I'll just make sure the serial number's registered with the campus police. Sounds like that's about all I can do, other than keeping my really big, sharp kitchen knives on hand if I catch some jerk messing with my notebook. hehe.

 

Thanks everyone.

[Retaining 0]

Here is a page of locks and cables and other security devices for laptops. I think I've also seen a combination cable/alarm device somewhere that goes off if it is moved, and there are also some interesting options, like fingerprint scanners or USB security keys.

[kam1405241509 0]

It may be possible to free up some space in that small laptop (by removing extra internal CDD/HDDs/batts you don't need when it's off) ... then embed/hide some phone/GPS chips in it so you can track it like they do for stolen cars .. no biggie. If you want more details/howtos ask away.

[Sarah81 0]

Here is a page of locks and cables and other security devices for laptops.  I think I've also seen a combination cable/alarm device somewhere that goes off if it is moved, and there are also some interesting options, like fingerprint scanners or USB security keys.

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I forgot to mention that this notebook has the security slot that the products on the page you gave me seem to require. It seems like the basic concept of these things should work well ... it's sort of like locking my bike to the rack when I'm not using it, or so it seems to me.

 

Too bad I'm not allowed to have firearms in my apartment. Then I'd just rig my laptop with a shotgun so that anyone who tried to mess with it got a face full of rubber pellets (like the cops around here use as anti-riot ammo).

 

Which would be cool until I got sued.

[ruben1405241511 0]

lol that really is the cliché texas way ^^I don't exactly know how these security cable/slot things work, but the slot on my Apple iBook seems as if it was just an attachment to the case... Pretty easy to break if you ask me, you could even take the LapTop without any mark of the breaking I guess. I don't have confidential data on it, so I don't care, but wouldn't something that is connected to the hard drive or something be better?Otherwise I would say, be sure to have a good insurance and having the creative data backed up..Do you think, that there are any good solutions to protect your computer from being used when stolen? I mean a password probably doesn't prove to be a good protection, does it?Anyway maybe you've heard of it: Trust and be trusted! If someone from the staff steals it, that's sad but if you can't trust them, then you are really screwed ^^ I mean what kind of situation is that, when you are afraid of leaving stuff in your apartment? That's paranoid at least if you are not unjustifiably rich

[jipman 0]

Buy a nice good solid suitcase and put your laptop in it, then chain it to something solid and not likely moveable. That'd do it for most of the times.

[twitch 0]

Lol, I asked my uncle about the best security device for this situation, and survey says:

Put a note on the top saying:

Touch this and your kneecaps will be mine

I think that is a little extreme, but perhaps it would work.

I don't think there is a 100% safe method, you just need to do whatever is simple but effective, like jipman said.

[Sarah81 0]

Anyway maybe you've heard of it: Trust and be trusted! If someone from the staff steals it, that's sad but if you can't trust them, then you are really screwed ^^ I mean what kind of situation is that, when you are afraid of leaving stuff in your apartment? That's paranoid at least if you are not unjustifiably rich

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I wouldn't say that I'm being paranoid so much as considering the possibilities. I'm essentially broke, so if *anything* goes wrong (theft, accident that's my fault, major data crash, or even just the monitor dying on me), I'm basically up the proverbial creek without my life jacket. My question about anti-theft devices wasn't even asked with any urgency. I don't remember if I wrote this in the original post, but it's something that I'm thinking about for later ... not something that I'm absolutely and totally convinced I need to do right this minute. I'm not, you know, freaking out over here over thoughts of what could happen to my stuff while I'm in classes or whatever.

 

As for "trust and be trusted" - not around here, man. *sighs* I love this school, but we have a fairly annoying theft problem. There are even times (several per semester) when people will go to the school's parking lots in the middle of the day, break car windows, and rip off everything of value in the vehicles. It sucks, but there's not much you can do about it other than not leaving valuable-looking stuff where people can see it when they walk past.

 

And as for the employees ... I'm not best friends with every single person who has access to my apartment (there are well over two dozen people who can come and go whenever they want), so I can't vouch for every single employee's goodness and morality. It's only paranoia if there's no reason behind it. *grins*