laptop security with no desk legs???

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>My D is in a "retro" dorm...basically a super old dorm. The desks are built in to the wall and attached on the side walls with no desk legs.</p>

<p>She doesn't know her roommate so just to be safe at least for the first semester she wanted to be able to lock up her laptop (just in case roommate is the type to leave the door open, etc) when she leaves the room without it.</p>

<p>All of the laptop locks seem to require either something like a desk leg, or a cable anchor mounted to the desk to use.</p>

<p>Has anyone used the stick-on anchors successfully or have any other suggestions for securing her laptop?</p>

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<p>Those cable locks are pretty long. Maybe you could attach it to the bed frame if it’s nearby. </p>

<p>DS has a cable but never uses it. Usually his laptop is with him or in a place he feels is reasonably safe. Even if it’s stolen, the laptop’s insured, he has a file back-up service, and there are a ton of other computers available all over campus if he needs to use one.</p>

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<p>sorry - should have explained…</p>

<p>We had the bed-leg idea too - but it’s completely on the opposite side of the room - would actually have to step over the cable when walking in and out of the room. </p>

<p>She knows she could always move the laptop to her bed and lock it up when she’s out (or to a foot locker or something - but didn’t want to make it “obvious” that she may not “trust” her roommate to be responsible :-)</p>

<p>She already got the “use dropbox or something” lecture from us. With a high deductible, insurance isn’t really insurance for a laptop.</p>

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<p>Look at tracking software for laptops, too—</p>

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<p>I agree with zapfino that software will work great and if the laptop is stolen you will be able to get it back.</p>

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<p>Thanks much!</p>

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<p>kerrbo, why such a high deductible? with NSSI or CSI the deductible is usually $25.00. There is an entire thread about dorm insurance over in the parents forum you might want to check out.</p>

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<p>I’d recommend LoJack. I bought a security cable but never could figure out how to use it.</p>

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<p>There are such things as laptop alarms that you hook up to the lock port and will make really loud noise if someone tries to move it.</p>

<p>I really… don’t get why you’d want that though lol</p>

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<p>Try not to obsess about the possibility of her laptop being stolen from her dorm room.
When she leaves the room, all she has to do is hide her laptop someplace where it is not visible. </p>

<p>From what I’ve been told, most laptops are stolen when students bring them to the library and leave them unattended while they step away for a moment.</p>

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<p>Which is why you only setup what you need on the table and then take it with you when you need to use the bathroom. Even if your stomach is totally bailing out on you, you should have enough time to throw things in your bag and run. XD</p>

<p>That and most phones these days have facebook apps on them so they don’t need to pull it out in the library anyway :P</p>

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<p>Not true. At some universities, I’m told that you have to carry your laptop with you everywhere, or it will be stolen.</p>

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<p>Chances are, the laptop is worth more than your wallet. If you wouldn’t leave your wallet unattended, why would you leave your laptop unattended?</p>