Setting up a wireless network has become so out–of–the–box quick and painless that security often becomes an afterthought. People end up sacrificing security so they can get their network blinking and humming right away. In fact, a December 2004 study showed that 60%–70% of all wireless networks are not secure.1
Unfortunately, the very thing that makes a wireless network so appealing can also be one of its biggest drawbacks. Sure, working without wires can mean more freedom for you, but it can also mean gaping holes in your network security. These gaping holes can exist because wireless networks actually transmit a radio signal to connect the different devices on your network. And, depending on your wireless network, that signal may reach well beyond your front door.
This means, without effective security measures, your network can very easily be breached. In just a few minutes, a hacker could swipe anything stored on your network. Just think, all of your personal information, financial data, credit card numbers and confidential documents may be at risk.
So how can you protect your network from prying eyes and ensure it only blinks and hums for you? It's actually very easy. Securing your network amounts to clicking a check box, typing in a new name or — at worst — installing new software. Here are six steps to a more secure wireless network:
1. Change the SSID
The Service Set Identifier is your network's name, and the default settings that come out of the box are well known. Use the name of your favorite song or something else you'll remember. Don't use Social Security or phone numbers or any identifiable number. Also, if possible, use nonprintable characters (for example, smiley faces or vowels with umlauts) in your SSID. Some equipment used to detect SSIDs does not recognize these characters.2
2. Enable MAC address filtering
The Media Access Control address is a unique number assigned to each piece of networking hardware. Filtering these addresses helps limit access to your network to only certain MAC numbers.3 Be aware that this security measure isn't totally failsafe. There are quite a few hacker programs available that can fake MAC addresses.
3. Disable SSID broadcast
By disabling broadcasting, you can effectively hide your wireless network from most prying eyes. Routers typically broadcast your SSID at regular intervals. For home offices, this feature is unneccessary and greatly increases your network's vulnerability to an attack.
4. Enable encryption
There are two types of encryption technology for wireless networks: WEP and WPA. WEP is flawed, but it is much better than nothing. If your equipment is WPA compatible, make sure your password is at least 40 characters long and includes upper– and lowercase letters, special characters (!,* and & for example) and numbers.4
5. Get antivirus software
Buy the latest antivirus software (Norton and McAfee are two popular choices), and make sure that you run virus updates at least once a week. Most anti–virus software includes many automatic features — like auto virus updates and automatic system checks — that make it simple to keep your computer and network virus free. Keep in mind, your virus updates will only be good for one year. After that, you will need to either purchase an annual upgrade (typically around $30–$50) or buy the newest version (typically around $40–$70).
6. Install a firewall
Many people confuse antivirus software with firewall software, but they have two different functions. Think of antivirus as an airport metal detector and a firewall as a bank vault. Antivirus software scans all incoming documents, files and emails to make sure they're clean, while a firewall blocks hackers from using your Internet connection to tap into your computer.
Some software suites package antivirus and firewall capabilites together into one program. This is a great way to get the most bang for your buck.
Check out our Wireless Networking Center to learn how to set up your own wireless network.
