Wireless Network Security - Are You Secure?

Have you had a look at what level of wireless network security you currently have on your setup? Home and business wireless networks are less expensive and easier to set up than ever. But sometimes the knowledge needed for building them isn't accompanied by guidelines on how to secure them.

In some cases, those guidelines are simply ignored. In either case, that's a data disaster waiting to happen.

Wireless networking, which are becoming the more popular option thanks to their flexibility and lowered costs, are particularly prone to security issues. In theory, and often in practice, someone with a wireless-enabled laptop can simply drive by your home and tap into your network.

If all they do is steal a little bit of bandwidth that's not much of a problem. But if they happen to be clever and malicious, they can now more easily implant a virus into systems on your home network without your knowledge.

Even in a cabled network, it's possible of course, for someone to break in while you're away. Most such incidents will revolve around stealing property. But computer infection is one way for a disgruntled employee, a party to a lawsuit or other angry person to take revenge undetected.

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Practice Safe Wireless Network Security Protocols

In either type of network, the solution is essentially the same. Practice the same good habits you use for Internet data sharing and amplify them.

Make sure every computer on the network has a password that is required in order to access the system. Leaving a system unprotected to save a few seconds of inconvenience at home exposes your whole network to unnecessary risk.

Always change the password on your router. The defaults for most popular vendors' products (often the same from one to another) are known by just about everyone with the skills to do harm. Make it harder for them to do damage by this simple step.

Configure wireless routers according to the manufacturers' instructions, in order to prevent unauthorized access. All wireless routers today use WAP (Wireless Authentication Protocol) to prevent drive-by's from accessing your system. Use it.

Ensure you have a hardware firewall installed as an additional level of network security.

Wireless Network Security - Monitor Your Network

Monitor activity on your network and the systems connected to it. Don't allow friends of your children, neighbors and others to use your network until you know them well. The computer knowledge of most teenagers would astound most adults today. Most are well meaning, but some haven't yet learned how to use a home network in a secure way.

Treat your home network much the same way you treat your credit cards. Don't provide physical access or pass out information to anyone that you don't want to have access to it. It's often a short step away from giving them access to your money. It's an even shorter step to your valuable data.

Wireless Networking - Computer Network Security

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