Don't Place Yourself At Risk - Securing Wireless Network Connections Is Important
A lot of us never get around to securing wireless network connections within our house, this is insane. You do not leave your car keys in the car or your credit card number on your front door so why do you want to give other folks access to your PC.
It is easy to assume that we are safe using a computer since we are always being advised by banks and other institutions that they have the best possible security. That could be the case, but what if the weak point isn't with their system but with ours?
If you purchase online then you might be constantly sending some info regarding yourself to other people. Imagine if someone followed all of your internet actions for a period of time, they may collect a lot of information about you; your banks, your service providers, where you shop and the time when you are least likely to be at home.
You can find really simple steps which you could take to ensure that you are much safer.
Firstly you have to look at your router or access point. Most of these are created with password, this password is necessary to modify or change any of the configuration settings. You are not likely to be utilizing this often so after getting your WLAN up and running you most likely never gave it another thought. Many manufacturers will use a basic password like 'password' or the manufacturers brand after they build these. Your primary step in securing wireless network connections is to replace this with an alphanumeric password. Since you will not be using it too often it is perhaps best to keep a note of this somewhere.
When picking your encryption where possible it is best to always choose a WAP option rather than a WEP one because the WAP is notably more powerful. If no WAP is offered then make sure that you have at the very least enabled the WEP.
A good place to check if you have maximised your protection setting is to revert to the website of the manufacturer of your router. Looking at the FAQ and set up information could guide you through the various options.
If you have never before reviewed your router and WLAN settings now is a good time to get moving on it. securing wireless network connections is an important part of protecting your identity and the safety of your financial investments.
