How to Secure my Wireless Network

Why should I secure my wireless network?

What’s better than pulling out your laptop in a public place and finding that open wireless network that we all know and love? While this is a great and convenient way to browse the internet, it’s not recommended when it comes to setting up your personal wireless network. Securing your wireless network is a vital step to protect your security when browsing the internet. Even if you live in the most remote of areas, it’s always a good practice to secure your wireless network. If you want to keep your network open for the purpose of letting your neighbor or friend connect, it’s a better idea to just provide him or her with the network password.

If you notice your internet speed is very slow and you have an open wireless network, the chances are someone else is connecting to that network and leaching your bandwidth.  If someone were to download any copyrighted material while connected to your network, you can be liable. This is a very common issue we go onsite for and can easily be avoided if your wireless network is secure.
There are several other reasons why securing your wireless network is extremely important but I’m going to put the details to rest and get to the how to section of this post!

Securing My Wireless Network

There are several ways to secure your wireless network. The first step is getting a secure wireless access router that works. We recommend Cisco-Linksys WRT54GL Wireless-G Broadband Router
The first is to create a network pass phrase and encrypt the traffic using Wireless Protected Access (WPA) or WPA2 encryption. It is recommended that you do not use WEP encryption as individuals who are tech savvy can easily bypass this. When setting up your network pass phrase, it’s a good idea to contain a random combination of letters and numbers so the pass phrase is not easily guessed. 12 characters + is recommended.
The first step to setting up your pass phrase is to insert the CD that came with your wireless access point or you can login directly to the access point by inputting the user name and password. The login / password depends on the manufacturer of the access point. You should change the default user name and password to prevent anyone from accessing it. Once in the router control panel, you can disable SSID broadcasting which will prevent anyone from seeing your wireless network.
The login method is a little more advanced so I would suggest using the cd that came with the access point. If you don’t have the CD then you can go to the manufacturer’s website for further instruction. You may be limited in what you can do with the CD as logging into the router will give you the most control.
If you’re uncomfortable securing your wireless network for your home or business, you can contact Relieve my PC and we will make sure your safe! See our wireless networking page for further details.