Drive up and down any neighborhood with a Laptop and wireless network card and chances are very good there is an unprotected wireless network looking forward to one to connect. Imagine the hacker or your neighbor who has been using your connection and perhaps capturing all data being transmitted on the Network. Your Email, Bank and CHARGE CARD account information vulnerable and out in the open for anybody to steal.
If this appears like your house wireless network, it’s time you put security set up and lock out unwanted guest. Beyond the oblivious security measures, changing and disabling SSID broadcast, turning off your wireless router you should definitely is use, these 5 tips will secure a home wireless network in layers, and present the boot to even probably the most seasoned professional.
Tip #1 – Do not use DHCP – Using DHCP is quite convenient, specifically for intruders. DHCP automatically hands out IP addresses to any who successfully connects to your Network. When disabled, every computer or device should be manually assigned an Ip. All computers, printers and devices on your network should be manually configured with static IP addresses. The threat of just handing out access is eliminated and you also gain more control over who is able to hook up to the network.
Also consider changing the router local Ip to something other than 192.168.1.1 that a lot of wireless routers are configured automagically. Use an address of 10.0.0.x for the router and for assigning IP addresses to devices on your own network. Changes to the defaults set by the router manufacture will help keep intruders guessing and keep them off the network.
Tip #2 – Change The Router Default Password – While this may seems like the most logical task when establishing a wireless router, lots of people ignore changing the password. You may be surprised how many people think simply using encryption on their wireless network will prevent someone from gaining usage of your router.
With router vendors using well known default passwords such as for example admin for Linksys, Dlink and Netgear, encryption will not stop intruder access to the administration interface and gaining access to a lot more than just your Network.
Best practice is to change your password using a complex password. If your name is Joseph, it is simple to mix alpha, numeric, and special characters to produce a password you will never forget such as J0s3ph!r0ut3r*
Tip #3 – Implement The Strongest TYPE OF Encryption – This can potentially be the weak spot of your Network, since wireless signals transmit over the airways. A hacker doesn’t need to get in touch to the Network to steal data. Use the highest encryption available. such as for example WPA-Personal or WPA2 with a long pass phrase blended with alpha,
numeric and special characters. Ignore connect laptop to printer via wifi who advises you to at least use WEP, that is a very weak form of encryption.
WEP (wireless encryption protocol) is among the earliest type of encryption and easy and simple to break. You may be at an increased risk by not upgrading to an improved wireless router, that provides newer encryption technology. In the event that you run a house business, or use online banking, there is no excuse to protect oneself by creating a small investment for security.
Tip #4 Enable MAC Filtering: A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique identifier, similar to fingerprints for folks. MAC’s are assigned during the manufacturing of a network device, for instance a network card or Wireless adapter. Enabling MAC Filter allows you to control which wireless-equipped Computers may or may not communicate with the Router based on their MAC addresses rather than allow any Computers that have not been put into the list.