Anything that goes through your home's router will be automatically tied to your internet account. It stands to reason, then, that you would want to make sure no unauthorized person can access your network. If someone unauthorized uses your network for illegal activities, it will be traced back to you. While you may eventually be able to clear your name with the authorities, you will have a lot of headaches before that happens. Because it can often be accessed from outside your house, Wi-Fi is an easy point of attack for unauthorized users. Therefore, it is important that you properly secure your Wi-Fi. Here are six things you can do to keep your Wi-Fi safe from intruders:
1) Do You Even Need It? - If all of your devices have a wired connection, you don't even need Wi-Fi. Even if your router is Wi-Fi capable, it would be best just to turn it off in the router's control panel. If it is something you only use occasionally (maybe when you have visitors), you can disable it for now and enable it around the time your visitors arrive.
2) Location - Your Wi-Fi access point will broadcast evenly in all directions (excluding interference by walls, cabinets, other devices, etc.). If you place the access point near an exterior wall, half of your signal is being broadcast outside the house. Not only is this a waste of your signal strength, but it also gives someone the ability to sit outside your house and still use your Wi-Fi. The ideal position is to place your access point centrally on the highest floor of your house. If you must place it along the edge, consider using aluminum to reflect the signal away from the outside and back into your house.
3) Set a Password - Setting a password should be a basic security measure, but the number of unsecured access points is shocking. A password provides two types of protection. First, it keeps unauthorized users off of your network. Second, it keeps someone from being able to see everything being sent in and out of your router. If you don't have a password, anyone can read the data you are sending over your Wi-Fi, including passwords and credit cards.
4) Guard Your Password - Since your Wi-Fi only has one password (unless you are using the enterprise version), everyone must share it. However, loose lips can sink your Wi-Fi ship! Not everyone who enters your house needs your Wi-Fi password. Do not give out your password to those you don't know, even if they are in your home (such as an appliance repairman). Even with friends, be careful how many people have your password. The more people that know your password, the more vulnerable your network.
5) Change the Administrator Password - The administrator password is a password that is used to access your router's control panel and make changes to its configuration. (This is separate from the password that is used to access the network.) If someone manages to connect to your network, they can look up the default password for your router online and then make changes that weaken your security.
6) Location, Part 2 - Location can send your Wi-Fi signal where you don't want it to go, but it can also make your Wi-Fi access more vulnerable for another reason. If you put your access point in an easy to reach location, someone could push the reset button and then begin using it for their own purposes. Obviously, there are not too many places that would make it this vulnerable, but one obvious place would be the garage. If your garage door is open and unoccupied, an access point in your garage would be an easy target.
7) Disable Wireless Administration - If a person gains access to your network, they can then go into your router's settings and make all types of security changes. However, almost all routers come with the ability to disable administration of the network over wireless. This requires that someone have physical access to the router using a wired connection in order to make changes. The only reason to keep this enabled is if you do not have any way to connect with a wired connection. (For example, you only have an iPad and two smartphones.) In this case, you will want to keep wireless administration enabled so you can make changes.
8) Update the Firmware - The firmware is a small amount of software that is stored on a device to manage its operation. If a security hole is found in your device's firmware (such as the "Heartbleed" bug that was discovered in 2014), device manufacturers will issue firmware updates. However, most devices do not update firmware automatically, so you will need to download the latest firmware and install it yourself. Fortunately, most manufacturers have made this an easy process. Usually, it is as simple as accessing the router's control panel and pointing it to the location of the update that you downloaded to your computer.
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