Change the default administrator password. This is a critical step to stopping anyone from accessing your network. All wireless routers and access points are created with basic, default passwords. Most common passwords are either "password" or a blank password. The first step to a more secure network is to change the administrator's password.

Change the default SSID. The SSID is an identification of your network provided by the manufacturer of the wireless router or access point. Changing the default SSID is good, but disabling the broadcast for others to see it is better. Wireless routers and access points are shipped from the manufacturer with the SSID broadcast feature enabled. This helps you find you network. If SSID broadcasting helps you, it helps anyone else. Once a wireless network is created, both the wireless router or access points inform any computer with a wireless card within the wireless range of its SSID. After a computer joins the network, the computer will remember to lookup and join the network. This is a two-way street of traffic broadcasting from the wireless router and traffic broadcasting from the computer. Making it a one-way street will enhance security. After the setup and configuration of your wireless network, disable the SSID broadcast feature from your wireless router or access point to hide your network.

Enable wireless encryption. WEP and WPA are the two types of encryption available for home users to securely transmit information from your computer to your wireless router or access point. WEP invokes 128 bit encryption is good, but has become the weaker standard in wireless security. Consequently, WPA is the stronger of the two types of encryption. WPA includes the type of encryption similar to WEP, but WPA also includes an algorithm to constantly change a security key. This security technique is called rekeying. The security key changes randomly every few seconds or every few network transmissions. Due to the rekeying process, any potential hacker will have a very difficult time trying to authenticate with your private network.

Limit the number of devices allowed to join your network. Manufacturers default the number of devices allowed to join your network to approximately 50 devices. To better limit access from any unknown audience, limit the number of devices allowed to join your network to the exact number of devices you have. This number is the total of all devices, both wired and wireless, communicating with your router or access point. For example, if you have one computer connected to the router with a network cable and two laptops connected with wireless cards, the total number is three. This setting is typically found in the DHCP settings of your wireless router or access point.

Set up an access control list. This is an advanced technique to limiting the number of devices allowed to join your network. All network devices are given identification much like how people are assigned a social security number...two John Smiths…two Linksys WRT54G routers…different identification numbers for each. The identification numbers for networking devices are referred to as MAC addresses. Every computer with a network card, regardless if the card is wireless or not, has a MAC address. To increase security with your wireless network, setup your wireless routers access list with only the MAC addresses allowed on your network. This will stop any user from gaining access to your network without your network cards.

Author: Chris Hubinsky, President, HuCor Technologies, www.hucortechnologies.com
Posted by InspireTomorrow.com