Who Else Is Using Your Wireless Network?

Although it is relatively easy for SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) and home users to set up their own Wireless networks, the default settings on a WAP (Wireless Access Point) usually come with no security configured.

As a result, if you leave these settings as they are, then this WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) you are creating can leave you open to hackers who want to compromise your computer and/or steal information from it.

As a result it is essential that you take the necessary steps to secure your Wireless network.

Why do you need wireless security?

In a traditional wired network you need to have physical access to the network. You either need access to a cable that is already connected to the LAN, or be able to attach a cable to say a patch panel or switch port that will create a new physical connection for you.

With a wireless network, however, you have a radio signal that permeates the very air around us. Because of the broadcast nature of WLANs, it is far easier to access this sort of network, especially when the signal is usually powerful enough to emanate outside of a building and so potentially provide network access to those outside.

Another benefit of a cabled network is that the transfer of data between computers remains within the wires themselves. Contrast this with a Wireless network, in which the data is now easier to intercept and/or corrupt.

As a result you need to secure your wireless network in the following ways:
- Request user authentication to prevent unauthorized access to your network.
- Use data privacy to protect the integrity and privacy of the data being transmitted.

How do you secure your Wireless network?

1. Change the SSID
When you configure your WAP change the default SSID (Service Set IDentifier). Do not pick something that easily identifies you, like your name, street address, etc. Instead pick something complicated that is difficult to guess and is made up of a mixture of letters and numbers e.g. m6jvUm9mHuQfA4h5tgCH

2. Disable SSID broadcasting
In addition, make sure your WAP is not configured to broadcast your SSID. Although this is not a secure method of protecting your network, it does mean your WLAN is not so openly available to intrusion.

3. Configure WPA or WPA2
To authorize access to your Wireless network you should choose a security setting of WPA-PSK (Wi-Fi Protected Access Pre-Shared Key) or better yet WPA2-PSK if available.

Although Windows XP supports both of these security methods, you still need a wireless adapter that supports WPA as well.

NOTE: WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is the earlier attempt to secure wireless connections and it is not secure enough. If this is all your WPA has to offer then you should either upgrade the firmware on it, if this will then give you WPA, or purchase a newer device.

You also need to choose a password for WPA-PSK. Like your SSID, this too needs to be complicated and so not easy to guess.

4. Restrict access based on MAC authentication
Your wireless network adapter has a physical address called a MAC (Media Access Control) address. You can take advantage of this by configuring your WAP to only allow access to those MAC addresses you want to give access to your network and so restrict which computers can get connected.
Although a MAC address can still be spoofed, this is yet another obstacle to deter the casual hacker.

5. Change the administrator account/password
Your WAP will come with a standard administrator account and password. So anyone who has bought the same device will know what these are.
Change the password to one that is not easy to guess and if possible change the name of the administrator account as well.

Summary

A Wireless network is a great way to get Internet access without having to lay down cabling, but out of the box these are completely insecure.

With the threat of hackers, viruses and spyware unlikely to go away you must secure your Wireless network if you want to keep your computer and the data on it safe.

Follow the 5 recommendations above and you can enjoy being able to surf the Internet in safety.

David McKone has been involved with network security for several years, providing secure networks for both small businesses and large corporate clients. Sign up for my free newsletter and receive my special report "Computer Security" absolutely free at Computer Security

Hot Topics In Internet Security

    How does SSL fit into the over scheme of Internet security?

    Internet has become an integral part of our life. Most of us prefer to do maximum amount of transactions on the Internet. While doing many of these transactions, we tend to pass on very sensitive info...

    How To Protect Your Identity Online

    Surfing the Internet is a daily occurrence for an increasing number of people these days, as technology expands and online services continue to grow. Many people go online to carry out banking transac...

    Dealing with Spyware

    No matter if you are an amateur just getting acquainted to using your computer or an experienced computer user, we all have to deal with the annoyances of spyware and/or malware. Personally, I have be...

    How To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft and PC Hackers

    Identity theft is rampant these days, and the best way to avoid being a victim is to protect your self in any and all ways possible. You may be aware of some information here, but not all, so please r...

    Who Else Is Using Your Wireless Network?

    Although it is relatively easy for SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) and home users to set up their own Wireless networks, the default settings on a WAP (Wireless Access Point) usually come with no secu...

    How To Choose Adware Removal Spyware Program

    How not to get spyware Finally you need to install and run a good spyware/adware removal program. The results displayed by a spyware/adware removal program can be disheartening. Step 1: The first thin...

    Removing Viruses From Your Computer

    One of the biggest threats that computer users are facing today is the probability of a virus invasion. It is possible that your own PC might have been infected with a virus that you have downloaded u...

    Spammers' clients in Russia

    Questions about spammers, together with the question of who actually uses their services, top the list of questions most frequently put to antispam professionals. However, although antispam companies...

    Phishing Scams, A Growing Identity Theft Menace

    There is no doubt that identity theft is a growing problem and we should all try to educate ourselves to avoid being a victim of this often devastating crime. It seems that criminals are using increas...

Most Recent Internet Security Supplements

Newly Popular Internet Articles

Interesting Today:

Most Recent Internet Blogs:

Releated to Internet:

Internet Security Links: