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How to protect your Wi-Fi network
Did you know that your neighbor, or (more often) a passerby may have access to your precious computer data right now? According to Data Alliance, the highest risks come from individuals who use wardriving, installing freely available hacking software on regular laptops, and then patrolling around people's homes, with the goal of connecting to their Wi-Fi networks.
© Vincent McFarland. All rights reserved.
So, what can you do to protect your wireless network? It's easy to stay protected if you change the Wi-Fi password on a regular basis. You will need to log into your router to do that, of course. It takes a few minutes to do it, but by changing your password regularly, you will manage to fend off most freeloaders.
Just think at a phrase that only you will know, such as "I like fried onion rings", and then replace the "i" letters with "1", the "e" letters with 3, "o" with "0", and so on. For this example, the resulting password (without spaces) would look like this: "1l1k3fr13d0n10nr1ngs" and trust me; it will be very difficult to break it.
Since you're already logged into the router admin panel, it's important to check if all the settings are okay. You want to make sure that the router is using the WPA2 security protocol, and that WPS is disabled. While you are there, don't forget to install the new firmware updates, which may fix some security issues as well.
Of course, if you don't need wireless signal all day long, you can safely turn off the Wi-Fi section of the router and continue to have wired-based Internet access. In fact, modern routers come with companion apps that can set up custom Wi-Fi on/off schedules for you.
As you see, it is easy to protect your Wi-Fi network from prying eyes. Apply these tips and I guarantee that you will make the bad guys' job almost impossible.
Just think at a phrase that only you will know, such as "I like fried onion rings", and then replace the "i" letters with "1", the "e" letters with 3, "o" with "0", and so on. For this example, the resulting password (without spaces) would look like this: "1l1k3fr13d0n10nr1ngs" and trust me; it will be very difficult to break it.
Since you're already logged into the router admin panel, it's important to check if all the settings are okay. You want to make sure that the router is using the WPA2 security protocol, and that WPS is disabled. While you are there, don't forget to install the new firmware updates, which may fix some security issues as well.
Of course, if you don't need wireless signal all day long, you can safely turn off the Wi-Fi section of the router and continue to have wired-based Internet access. In fact, modern routers come with companion apps that can set up custom Wi-Fi on/off schedules for you.
As you see, it is easy to protect your Wi-Fi network from prying eyes. Apply these tips and I guarantee that you will make the bad guys' job almost impossible.
