Do you know if your home LAN is actually secure? Whether you have a
wired or wireless LAN, without the proper security precautions, all of
your information and data can be stolen in an instant by an anonymous
hacker. Don’t let something like this happen to you by following the
proper steps!
First off, when installing your router, you need to change both your
administrative login and password. This is the first vulnerability a
hacker will look at. What most people don’t actually know is all routers
of the same brand are given the exact same login name and password.
Without changing it, the hacker can easily gain access to your network
and snoop around.
The next step you need to take is to upgrade your encryption. While
WEP has been the standard piece of encryption for years, it is
recommended that you upgrade your security to WPA2, which is much more
secure. You can easily download a fix for this by simply doing a quick
Google search. If you are running off of a Windows computer, Microsoft
provides the fix straight from their website. Once your software has
been fully updated with the new security settings, you should log back
into your router’s administration panel and update the security
encryption to WPA2.
Next up, make sure to change your SSID name to something other than
the default name. Most default SSID’s are simply named Belkin or Linksys
and this may encourage a hacker to try and break into your network
because it looks like you simply plugged in your router and never
touched it again. By changing the name of the router, the hacker may
stay away from your network because they will perceive that you were
smart enough to add security to the network. Relating to your SSID, you
should also disable the broadcast network of your router so only your
devices can be connected to it. This way, no one else will see or be
able to connect to it.
A major and important security step that many people forget to
utilize is the router’s built-in firewall. While these are normally
turned on by default, certain network settings or other security
programs installed on the network may prevent the firewall from actually
being enabled to function correctly. By enabling your router’s firewall
at all times, you are adding on an extra layer of protection to keep
you safe from any hacking attempts in the future.
As far as other settings go with your router, be sure to check that
the “remote administration” option is disabled. This should
automatically be disabled by default but again, it’s always good to
check. This feature, if enabled, is basically inviting hackers to attack
your network and steal your information. Hackers can basically access
your whole home network if this option is enabled, including devices
like your printer or anything else connected to the network such as a
smartphone or iPad.
To minimize the leak of your wireless network outside of your home,
keep the router away from the edge of your building or home. If you can,
keep this router in a central area like the middle of a room. This
ensures that the wireless signal will be fairly weak outside of the
building. Keep in mind that wireless routers vary in terms of their
signal range, so try walking around your house with your laptop to see
where you can pick up a signal from. Then you can adjust accordingly.
It can be a scary event if a hacker ever breaks into your network.
Your personal information can be stolen as well as any important files
that you may have. By following all of the steps listed above, you can
be sure that your home LAN will be extremely secure against any type of
attacks and you’ll always have a tight lock on your data.