While surfing the Internet within your home, you want your personal information safe and secure from the outside world. With all the things we do online, such as pay bills and answer emails, we want to know that it all stays confidential. Wi-Fi network signals broadcast beyond the vicinity of your home and that makes the network more vulnerable to hacking and spam. Here are some important ways to protect yourself and your personal information while using your home wireless network.
When adding firewall hardware to your wireless connection, this creates the first line of security for possible spam sent to your devices or any attacks from outside the Wi-Fi network. This blocks any unsafe content from breaching your apps or browser. Some routers will come with this firewall protection already built in, but it is always best to check the security level on your equipment.
Developing a distinct password for your wireless network can prevent hackers from breaking into your secure connection. It is always best to use uncommon letters that are both uppercase and lowercase, and add in characters and numbers as well. Look for the many random password generators out there to help you create a unique code not linked to you or your household personally.
The Wi-Fi network in your home could be unprotected because of unauthorized users, such as neighbors, using your network. It is beneficial to block these outside connections to avoid unwanted users taking up your bandwidth or being able to access your information easily. Whether the network link is malicious or accidental, this can be a dangerous security breach leaving your information exposed.
Routers are usually configured to broadcast the name of your wireless network, which is also known as the SSID, or service set identifier. This feature makes it easier to find the network for new device connections. This SSID can be hidden so that someone will need to know the name to search for your wireless network. Unfortunately, outside users would still be able to find your network with scanning tools even when hidden. Regardless, this is a good step to take when you are designing multiple security layers.
When setting up your wireless network, it is important to use WPA, or Wi-Fi Protected Access. This security is a software improvement from WEP, or Wired Equivalent Privacy, which is easily hacked. WPA defense provides all of the Wi-Fi users to have a shared code to access the network. Although, this system would deter you from sharing the code with any outside users or guests. If the code is shared, it can be changed for the household.
Securing your home Wi-Fi network should be a priority for all Internet users. Preserving all of your personal information will protect you from cyber-attacks and keep your wireless network running smoothly. Be vigilant when it comes to credit card information and account passwords. You will never have to worry about taking advantage of the countless benefits of Wi-Fi.
