Introduction
Wireless networking is extremely popular. More and more people are finding the conveniences of wireless networking to be an integral part of how they conduct business. Many of these newcomers to wireless networks hurry to get their wireless connection up and running as soon as possible without thinking methodically about the steps that ought to be taken in order to make your wireless network a security enabled network. Security features can be time consuming to initially set-up. However, avoiding the risk and inconvenience of the numerous security problems that can result from a hasty wireless connection set-up is worth the effort.
Instructions
Making your wireless network a security enabled network is really a matter of understanding the features that your wireless network provides and then being able to protect yourself from the potential abuse that a hacker may be able to do in connection with your wireless features. Below are some suggestions for how you too can make your wireless network a security enabled network by making some changes to your wireless network settings and router.
How to make your wireless network a security enabled network
1, Change default passwords — Often times the most common mistake that new wireless network customers make is that they fail to change the default administrator passwords and usernames once they have set up their wireless connection. Make sure that you change these passwords so that there is no way that someone other than you as the rightful owner of your wireless account could easily guess your username and password based on the common settings that the administrator uses. Default SSID passwords (network access point and routers) will also need to be changed from their generic administrative configurations.
2. Choose the strongest form of encryption that works with your wireless network — Encryption is a process of scrambling messages that are sent over wireless networks so that prying eyes are unable to de-code the messages that you are sending. Compatible encryption settings will usually be either a WPA or WEP setting. You will need to find and select the encryption network that is shared by your network.
3. Mind your router positioning — Most home wireless network routers are unable to send signals that reach beyond the walls of your home. But there are some that are able to reach through various homes and even streets when all the variables are aligned. In order to avoid potential access by outside parties to your network, position your router in an access point as centrally as possible.
4. Do not allow your computer to be automatically connected with other open wireless networks — Most computers have a setting that allows you to become connected with other wireless networks. Although this setting is not necessarily going to be automatically enabled, you want to make sure that a connection has not happened without your knowledge.
5. Firewalls on computers and routers — You are probably familiar with a firewall and how they protect your computer. What you may not know is that sometimes these firewalls can become disabled and that you should be running personal firewall software on each computer that is connected to an in-home wireless router.
Other tips and warnings
The above mentioned methods for making your wireless security network a security enabled network are by no means all inclusive. You can always take more precautionary measures such as enabling MAC filtering, or even disconnecting yourself from your wireless network if you are not going to be using your computer for a long period of time (such as for when you go on a trip). Even acting on a few of these suggestions will be helpful in increasing your wireless network security at home.