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Wireless Security 101

Wireless security is of utmost importance to families and businesses that use wireless internet services or wireless servers to network the computers in their homes and offices. Unfortunately wireless connections are not automatically secure and it is very easy for a rogue operator to not just use your wireless connection, but use it to hijack your computer system as well. Here are some tips for making sure that your network security is up to date.

Wireless Systems. Let's Begin

As soon as you have your wireless system in place, change the passwords on your network account. You should also reassign your network’s IP address. This is very important because the passwords provided to you by the network are often simple for hackers to crack and if your wireless network is not secure, they can easily get in and hijack your connections and accounts. Make sure your passwords use letters and numbers and are not based on any dictionary words.

Wireless Security Encryption

Make sure that your wi-fi’s encryption is turned on. Choose the strongest kind of encryption available to your wireless network and make sure it is in place immediately. The trick here is making sure that the connection’s encryption can be shared by all of the computers in your home or office.

Change your network’s default SSID. The SSID is the name that a wireless network uses and all of the wireless devices that hope to share the network must use the same SSID to use the networking device. Typically the SSID is the name of the manufacturer and changing it is one of the ways to deter hackers.

Make sure that the MAC Address Filtering is enabled. The MAC address is how the networking router knows which computers are allowed to connect to it. Turning on the filter keeps outside devices from accessing your network.

If you have a home wireless system, turn off the SSID broadcast. The SSID broadcast is a broadcast of the existence of the network. The router will broadcast it to the furthest reaches of its range and it is useful for businesses or hotspots but isn’t necessary in the home. In fact, allowing outside people to see your home network is one of the best ways to make sure that someone will try to hack into it.

Never connect automatically to open Wi-Fi Networks. If you automatically connect to a Wi-Fi connection that is open, you are opening your computer up to threats. Make sure that you disable the "connect automatically" option to any network that is not secured.

Every computer and router on your home network security should include an enabled firewall. The firewall will keep the individual machines in your home from being hacked into or hijacked.

If you aren’t going to be using your network for a while (like in the case of going on vacation), turn the network off. Leaving an enabled network unattended leaves you open to risk.

These are just some basic wireless security tips to help you make sure that your wireless security system is harder for nefarious types to get into.

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