How to Secure your Home (Wireless) Network

 

Two things are vital to keeping your network safe: proper settings and prudence. 

The first step is easy; you just need to adjust the settings on your router once. While the second step requires more effort. Whenever you are online, you will need to be prudent about your activities.

Most of us setting up wireless home networks rush through it to get their Internet connectivity working as quickly as possible. I totally understand, but it is also quite risky as numerous security problems can result.

Today's Wi-Fi networking products do not always help the situation as configuring their security features can be time-consuming and non-intuitive.

There are some router and network settings tips that will help keep your home network safe, but note that with most recent routers you will need to access the Web interface to change the settings. 

Below are the simple tips:

1) Encrypt your Wi-Fi network

Allow your Wi-Fi network be identified by its SSID (a string of characters), a password so that (ideally) only those users you know and trust can connect to your network. This password should be hard to guess, but easy to remember. The password should be at least eight characters long and should include both numbers and letters. 

Note: Depending on the router, this password may be referred to in the Web interface as either the encryption key, the pass-key, the pre-shared key, or the passphrase. The exact Settings menu where you determine your password will vary as well.

You may also need to consider which industry security standards your router supports. The three current standards from strongest to weakest are WPA2, WPA, and WEP respectively. Though WPA2 is more secure, at present WPA is compatible with more client devices.

2) Regularly change important default settings

A router comes with many default settings. Since they are set by the vendor, they are easily accessible or the same with all other types. Using the default settings may help make the setup process easier, but it also makes your router more susceptible to unauthorized access.

The two settings that you should change to keep your router safe are its default IP address and default log-in password. That is each piece of Wi-Fi router possesses a unique identifier called the physical address or MAC address. Access points and routers keep track of the MAC addresses of all devices that connect to them. Many such products offer the owner an option to key in the MAC addresses of their home equipment, that restricts the network to only allow connections from those devices.

This is important because they are the two pieces of information that let you access your router's Web interface and manage all of its settings. Note, hackers and their software programs can fake MAC addresses easily, but changing this regularly makes you more secured.

3) Turn off remote access-related features

Most routers are accessible over the Internet, so even when you are not at home you can remotely manage and use FTP (specifically for routers that come with a USB port to host an external hard drive for network storage).

Do not turn these features on unless you know what you are doing. And when you do, make sure to use proper restrictions. For example, use HTTPS for the remote management, or change the port to something that is not conventional. You should turn off the UPnP feature. It lets a UPnP-compatible device change certain router settings without logging in to the Web interface, and it could be exploited by hackers.

4) Update the router's firmware

Typically, firmware updates from the manufacturer help improve a router's performance and security. Depending on the router, updating the firmware can take a few easy clicks, or you may have to first download the firmware and install it manually. Either way, though, the process should take just a few minutes. Remember, do not do anything until the upgrade process is complete. Otherwise, the router might become permanently nonfunctional (aka, you might brick it.). Note that some firmware might reset the router's settings to the factory default. So it is good to back up the router's settings before upgrading or making any major changes.

5) Do Not Auto-Connect to Open Wi-Fi Networks 

Connecting to an open Wi-Fi network such as a free wireless hotspot or your neighbor's router exposes your computer to security risks. Although not normally enabled, most computers have a setting available allowing these connections to happen automatically without notifying you (the user). This setting should not be enabled except in temporary situations.  

6) Enable Firewalls On Each Computer and the Router 
Modern network routers contain built-in firewall capability, but the option also exists to disable them. Ensure that your router's firewall is turned on. For extra protection, consider installing and running personal firewall software on each computer connected to the router.

 

7) Position the Router or Access Point Safely 
Wi-Fi signals normally reach to the exterior of a home. A small amount of signal leakage outdoors is not a problem, but the further this signal reaches, the easier it is for others to detect and exploit. Wi-Fi signals often reach through neighboring homes and into streets, for example. When installing a wireless home network, the position of the access point or router determines its reach. Try to position these devices near the center of the home rather than near windows to minimize leakage.

8) Log out properly
This step may sound trivial, but I can tell you is the ultimate in wireless security measures. Shutting down your network will most certainly prevent outside hackers from breaking in. Also, make sure that you log out of the router's Web interface when you are finished making changes. Some interfaces have a log-out button, but with others you will need to close the browser totally. Keeping a log-in screen open all the time could allow an attacker to access your router settings if your computer has already been compromised.

Lastly,

if you own a wireless router but are only using it wired (Ethernet) connections, you can also sometimes turn off Wi-Fi on a broadband router without powering down the entire network.