Worried about laptop theft on the road? There are some services out there that can help get your computer back—or maybe even prevent the theft in the first place. You’ve heard of LoJacking your car. But what about LoJack for laptops?

A company called Computrace sells downloadable software for PCs and Macs.

The way it works is if your laptop is stolen, the next time it connects to the Internet, a central monitoring system can trace its location based on the IP address.

Then they work with the local authorities to retrieve your laptop.

The biggest drawback is that it’s pricey, starting at $40 a year.

And while its success rate is good, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get your laptop back quickly—if at all.

A cheaper option is Phone Home for PC and Mac, which costs a one-time fee of $30.

Anytime the computer gets online, an email is sent to a central monitoring office.

If your laptop is stolen, the company can tell the police where the next email is coming from.

Or you can prevent the crime in the first place—by installing an alarm system on your laptop.

There are downloadable programs so if someone unplugs or shuts down your laptop while it’s activated, the alarm will sound.

Okay, it’ll be about as effective as a car alarm, but at least it’ll get your attention and maybe throw off the would-be thief.

Get more tips with our article Protecting Your Data, Laptop and Life.

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