Some tips on making your wireless network more secure.

[iron hide]

Setting up wireless access point is very easy, all you have to do is follow step by step guide on you CD and voila! you are online surfing the network through wireless. Most of us think mission complete! all done, and you just leave the network open. But remember the term 'hackers', these are the people who are always on a lookout for these type of open network. They can not only access your personal data but can also gain control of your network to conduct malicious activities. Necessary steps must be taken to safeguard your assets. Here are some of the things you can do to ensure some level of security:

Change your default admin password
After setting up your wireless access point, always make sure to change your default admin password.

Hide you Service Set Identifier (SSID)
It is a good idea to hide your network's SSID. This will ensure that no one can see your laptop listed when searching for available networks nearby.

Turn on MAC filtering
Also make sure that youturn MAC filtering on so that only listed computers can access your network.

enable encryption
That's the best protection measure and must be enabled to ensure maximum security. I would recommend WPA2 over WPA and WEP. Some home routers might list WPA2-PSK
and then either AES or TKIP. These are two different algorithms. AES is more stronger and securer that TKIP, so I would choose AES.


Good luck

 

[The_Lucas]

I don't think it's a good idea to hide your SSID, it can be hard for a lot of users to set up a manual connection to a wireless network, and besides that I have a network sniffer program that can find and connect me to hidden networks.
Also, MAC filtering isn't a good idea either, as you have to go in the router panel every time you want to connect a computer.

Other than those two issues, those are good tips

 

[Comp_Pro]

Yeah it's a bit pointless to hide your broadcast. People who are tech savy can still see it. Besides, it's a pain having to configure it on every device you want to connect

 

[~Darkseeker~]

Best way to secure a HOME network:

Enable WPA2 encryption and don't give out the password? lol.

 

[7D8]

The method that I found works best for me, and there may be better ones out there, but I like this one:

1. Hide your SSD, so that no one even knows your there and to avoid MAC address spoofing
2. Create a Filter for Mac Addresses. All my devices NIC MAC address is listed on my router and my router is instructed to ONLY let those in
3. (and this is only if you are really paranoid) WEP key or some form of authentication. I don't do this, but you can add this extra level of security if you want.

 

[Comp_Pro]

The method that I found works best for me, and there may be better ones out there, but I like this one:

1. Hide your SSD, so that no one even knows your there and to avoid MAC address spoofing
2. Create a Filter for Mac Addresses. All my devices NIC MAC address is listed on my router and my router is instructed to ONLY let those in
3. (and this is only if you are really paranoid) WEP key or some form of authentication. I don't do this, but you can add this extra level of security if you want.

Wep key? Hold on, you are actually suggesting for people to use WEP?

 

[The_Lucas]

Wep key? Hold on, you are actually suggesting for people to use WEP?

Dude, he should be using WPA or WPA2. LOL.

 

[7D8]

Wep key? Hold on, you are actually suggesting for people to use WEP?

Oh, sorry. I meant hand signals.

 

[Comp_Pro]

Exactly. I can crack a wep key easily.

But I don't, seeing as I have my own home connection, and I got a mobile internet plan and on my phone I got a program which creates a hotspot using my mobile internet, so I am pretty much connected anywhere.

 

[~Darkseeker~]

You guys really do go slightly over-board on security. Its not like you've got a million dollar mainframe in your bedroom

WPA2 key is all you need.

you can see my ESSID and MAC filter is disabled. Good luck breaking my encryption though.