Wireless networks are one of the growing technologies due to the increasing use and development new security threat may cause interruption. Many home users and evern professional neglect the importance of wifi security and in result they get the risk of lossing data or get infected by some malicious virus or Trojan horses. When using wifi, the security products available usually doesn’t provide complete security, that is why wireless transmission of data is not considered all that reliable. However, these security threats can be reduced by following some of the minor tips and very small precautionary measures that can save you from lots of risk. WiFi home user can use these tips to secure wireless network effectively.
1. Randomly change or modify your network or administrator passwords
The most frequently used tip for securing the home and commercial wireless networks is the change of the usernames or administrator’s account through which router is accessed. One can customize the page that is provided by the manufacturer of the equipment or setup of different or assigned web pages. Through these WebPages users/owner can enter into their account and can change and customize according to their need. Along with the web page , web tool for the protections also helps to hide the usernames and login screen form rest of the public and third party users. All users must change their passwords and usernames to avoid the security threat that can collect information and private data online.
tips to secure wireless networks
2. Make use of encryption technology
All wifi setups support at least one type of encryption techniques. These encryption techniques are WPA and WEP. Encryption randomly hides and encrypts all the data that is sent via wireless networks and It's quite hard for the hacker to get the transmitted data. The encrypted data however can be red by the machine or conversion software only, not by the human intruder directly. But because of the advanced technology one should choose the strongest wifi encryption program to use in order to keep the data at the safest mode (WPA).
3. Change all the SSID after some time
Wireless network routers are set up using WEP / WPA encryption techniques, which we read in bullet above. After choosing one of the encryption, SSID (Service Set Identifier) is assigned to network and key is also assigned. Although key can be ignored and network can be left open but that is the worst thing you can do to wireless network. Make sure you do assign its key to lock up your network to avoid unwilling access. To avoid your SSID get hacked sooner or later, firstly keep changing the key once or twice in month, secondly to be extra careful, keep updating you SSID .
4. Mac address Filtering
In wireless routers there is an option for the filtration of MAC addresses for the security of network. It is done by providing physical address of the device into router for Mac filtration feature. Mac address is unique and can never be repeated in any device. When router gets request from device whose Mac address is recorded in router, it allows access to it. Mac address that is not identified by router doesn’t get access even if SSID & its key is correctly entered.
5. SSID broadcast restriction.
Blocking the broadcasting for SSID can also be an effective security technique in wireless networks. This way network's SSID will be not visible when device is scanning for wireless networks around. Therefore risks to networks get minmal.
6. Restrict the auto detection of wifi around
Another useful technique is to restrict the auto connect option for the detection of the wireless network around. This may expose your computer system to different kind of security risks.
7. Static IP Addresses.
This tip is useful for the home users; they should assign static IP addresses to the wifi devices. Many of them use the DHCP technique to assign the dynamic IP which is easier technique but it’s quite unsafe.
8. Firewall
Enabling firewall on each single attached device can also protect the wireless network integirty.
9. Router Access Positioning
To protect the signal leakage in Wifi networks router access points and ranges must be configured.
10. Network turning off
Turn of the network properly when not in use.