Brianne Stewart

  A wireless network is any computer network that is not connected with a cable  Many homes use this type of internet access  Less expensive than having to buy cables to connect your devices  Transmitted via radio waves Wireless Networks

  Wireless HAN (Home Area Network)  Wireless LAN (Local Area Network)  Wireless MAN (Metropolitan Area Network)  Wireless WAN (Wide Area Network)  The different types depend on the area the network is covering Types of Wireless Networks

  A router is a device that forwards data packets between networks  Routers help home computers connect to the internet Routers

  People usually rush to get their internet up and working, causing the security of their network to suffer  Many security problems can result if you do not properly set up protection for your network Setting up a Wireless Network

 1.Change default administrator password 2.Turn on WPA/WEP encryption 3.Change the default SSID 4.Enable MAC address filtering 5.Disable SSID broadcast 6.Disable auto-connecting to open Wi-Fi networks 7.Assign fixed IP address 8.Firewalls 9.Position router safely 10.Turn off network during long periods of non-use Steps to Protect Your Wireless Network

  The first step in protecting your network is to change the default administrator username and password  The login given is usually simple and easily picked up by internet hackers  Change it immediately Default Password

  Encryption is a form of technology that scrambles messages sent over wireless networks  You want to pick the strongest form you can find  All devices on your network must share the same encryption WPA/WEP Encryption

  Most manufactures give their products the same SSID  Example: SSID for Linksys is ‘linksys’  This makes it easier for someone to connect to your network  Change it immediately Default SSID

  Routers keep track of the MAC addresses of all the devices that connect to them  Setting up your router to only recognize the MAC addresses of your devices will help restrict your network MAC Address Filtering

  Wireless routers will broadcast your SSID over the air  This roaming feature will increase the chances of someone logging on to your network  This can be disabled easily Disable SSID Broadcast

  Do not auto-connect to open Wi-Fi networks  This will expose you to security risks  Computers may access this feature automatically without the user realizing so it is important to make sure this is turned off Auto-Connecting

  Most people on a home network will use a dynamic IP address, but it is too easy for hackers to get ahold of these  Instead use a static, or fixed, IP address  A private IP address range should be used IP Address

  Used to protect networks from unwanted access  Most routers now come with firewalls built in, but to be safe you need to check and make sure it is turned on Firewalls

  Avoid leakage  The farther this signal reaches, the easier it is for someone else to get on your network  Center your router in your home to minimize leakage Position of the Router

  During extended periods of non-use, your network should be turned off  This is the ultimate way of protecting your network, but it is impractical to do it every time you get off the internet Turing off the Network

  If you do not have a secure network it is easy for hackers to take control  Follow the simple steps to secure your network and it will be harder for anyone other than you to log in to your network Why it is important

  urity/tp/wifisecurity.htm Sources