Wireless Router

 First step is to turn your cable or DSL modem OFF and your wireless router ON. Then,  connect the router to the modem with a cable, and turn the modem back ON.  The wireless network wizard on your computer will start and will pick up the router and you are on the Internet.

For ease of setup and configuration, manufacturers ship wireless routers with all security disabled.  If you do not take any further steps to secure your router, and a surprising number of people don't, your network will be wide open to all passersby and strangers.Will be unsecure !

The problem is not that stranger users will be able to use your router to access the Internet but that, without  protection, would-be intruders will be able monitor and sniff out information you send and receive on your network.

The good news is that it is relatively easy to setup your wireless router to be secure. Here are three  steps :

1. Password protect the access to your router's internal configuration

To access your router's internal setup, open a web browser and enter the routers setup URL. The URL is writed in the manual.


2. Modify the default SSID (Service Set IDentifier)

The SSID is the name of a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network). All wireless devices on a WLAN use SSIDs to communicate with another.

Routers ship with standard default SSIDs.

To change the SSID, click on the Wireless tab. Look for an  item named SSID.  Enter a new name for network. Don't use something like "My Network". Use a name that is be hard to guess.

3. Disable SSID broadcast

Wireless enabled computers use network discovery software to auto search for nearby SSIDs. Some of the  advanced software will query the SSIDs of nearby networks and even display their names. Changing the network name only helps a few to secure your network. To prevent your network name from being discovered, you must disable SSID broadcast.

In the same screen that you changed the name of your network, you will see options for SSID broadcast. Choose "Disable SSID" to make your lan invisible. Now save all your settings and log out.

Since your wireless network is now invisible, you will have to configure your computers to connect to your wireless network using the new name.

With these three tips, your network now has basic security. IF you keep sensitive information on your computers, you may want to secure your wireless network even further.


There are even stronger way for ensuring security. A strong and robust security method is RADIUS (Remote Authentication Dial In User Service). Using RADIUS requires additional hardware and software. There are companies that offer RADIUS security as a subscription based service. The fees are reasonable and dropping.