 |
 Is
YOUR wireless network secure? In
other words, have you prepared your wireless
network for surfing the
internet without interference or interception of your wireless signal from thieves and hackers?
If you bought a router, connected
it, and started surfing; by default your network is NOT
secure. OR, if you don’t have a router and you are
using a broadband modem from your internet service
provider that transmits a wireless signal (WiFi),
chances are you aren’t secure unless someone installed
your internet modem and setup the security
“features.”
Nowadays,
it is more important to be protected on the internet
than ever before. Would you
believe that a hacker or snooper can now download FREE
software that will enable them to scan and find your
network, possibly “crack” your key (encryption) and
access your files and or steal important
information?
This article
will help prevent your network from being
compromised. If you don’t understand
anything listed below, feel free to email us for
assistance, and we will gladly help…free of
charge! Keep reading……
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1.) Change the
default network name, and password on your router.
(The default network/user
name is usually: “admin”)
2.) ALWAYS
use encryption, to secure your network. WPA
is preferred.
(WEP=
Wireless Encryption Protocol / WPA= WiFi
Protected Access ).
3.) Change your
password (key) every 30 days at least. “Strong”
passwords with a mix of alpha/numeric and symbols when
possible – 14 characters or more, are
recommended.
An example of a strong password
is: “1mypasswordx90544z” or how
about: “tektime1$@%%p0rt.” These passwords
are harder to guess using password
cracking software. (Do not create “easy to
remember” passwords. Such as passwords that are
made up of your name, your kids’ name(s), your birth
date, your street name; etc.)
4.) Turn off your wireless router
/ modem when you aren’t (home)
accessing your network.
5.) Turn off “SSID
Broadcast” on your router (Service Set
Identifier).
This basically prevents
your network from being displayed as a network to
connect to, when someone is “scanning” the area for
wireless networks to connect to. This doesn’t
prevent your network from being
hacked, once identified. It is important to use all
steps suggested to prevent hacking/snooping
etc.
6.) Change your
networks “SSID” name.
The SSID name is usually
set as the brand name of your router (i.e: “Linksys”,
“Belkin”, “D-Link” ). Although this doesn’t secure your
network, it does prevent hackers & snoopers from
quickly determining which router brand you are
using.
7.) Use your
router’s firewall in conjunction with a software
firewall such as “Zone Alarm”, to ensure that internet
traffic, and “network snoopers”, can’t access and
compromise your network.
8.)
Reduce the
range of your wireless signal.
Let’s say your wireless
has a “high range”… it can broadcast a signal for 200
feet. Your computer is in your bedroom and your
router is in your bedroom as well. You can
actually decrease the
range of your signal in
this case, so that people outside of your home, or down
your street, cannot log onto your network. You can
switch to 802.11 g, from 802.11 n, or 802.11 b.
You can also change the channel of your wireless signal,
to a channel that subsequently shortens the range of
your router’s signal.
I hope you
find this article handy in securing your network and
preventing your precious data and files from being
compromised !!
HAPPY
COMPUTING!
Jarvis Edwards -
TekTime
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