One of the advantages of the wireless networks is apparent - no wires to allow you connect to the network without the hassle of running a network cable.You can surf the internet with your laptop by your pool side or with your iPad at the gazebo. You can go live games in the comfort of your living room without the clutter of the wires. Unlike wired LAN, the wireless connection is prone to the eavesdropping by users within the network coverage.
How to secure a wireless network?
Security might be the last thing in your mind when you build a wireless network in home or offices. You can easily secure your wired connection by physically protecting the system cabling not to easily be injected by the intruders. But with wireless network, unauthorized users can easily pick the signal as far as 300 meters or even more by using hi-gain directional antenna with laptop. Therefore you must know how to secure a wireless network not ot easily be hijacked by the intruders.
It's easier to crack the wireless connection than wired connection because you don't need to physically connect to the network. Therefore you can access it easily because the data transfer occurs over the airwaves. there are three areas you can pay attention to in securing a wireless network:
- Securing the wireless connection using the strongest industrial wireless encryption available today
- Securing the endpoint of the network that faces internet
- And create a security boundary for your guests
Currently there are two main wireless security encryption you can implement for securing your wireless connection. If you have many wireless clients that are powered by the legacy wireless 802.11b/g, you can secure the connection using the WEP (Wireless Equivalent Privacy). Both end of routers/ APs and the wireless clients must use the same security settings.
If your wireless routers / APs are powered by the latest wireless 802.11n standards, and your wireless clients use the same wireless n standards, they can support the latest wireless encryption Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA/WPA2).Always use this strongest wireless security encryption in connecting to the network it possible.
How to secure a wireless network using WPA/WPA2 encryption? mostly wireless devices that support the WPA/WPA2 encryption include the WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) feature to let you connect the secure network network by just pressing the WPS button. Unless, you need to configure it manually. Consult the device manual book regarding the security configuration using the WPA/WPA2.
In Windows you have an easy way to connect to the secure network the Windows connect Now (WCN). You can configure the computers using the WCN with the following steps:
- Using the UTP network cable that came with your wireless router, temporarily connect your computer to one of the Switch LAN ports on your wireless router.
- Turn your computer on; it will automatically connect to your router.
- Open the Internet browser and type in the address to configure your router, as described in your router's instruction manual. The following table lists known wireless router default address, username and password as your reference.
Router Address Username Password Belkin http://192.168.2.1 Logon prompt (leave blank) D-Link http://192.168.0.1 admin (leave blank) Linksys http://192.168.1.1 admin admin NETGEAR http://192.168.0.1 admin password TRENDNET http://192.168.10.1 Admin admin
- Type in the appropriate username and password to logon to the router.
- The browser will show your router's configuration page. Find the wireless security page to select the wireless security modes available. Wireless routers /AP support six wireless security modes : WPA Personal, WPA Enterprise, WPA2 Personal, WPA2 Enterprise, RADIUS, and WEP.
If you are using WPA, always remember that each device in your wireless network MUST use the same WPA method and shared key, or else the network will not function properly.
MAC Address filter
Wireless access can be filtered by using the MAC addresses of the wireless devices transmitting within your network's radius. Select Enabled/disabled the wireless MAC filter in the router's configure the wireless MAC filter either prevent or permit access.
You should know the MAC addresses of the wireless devices to be included in the permit or prevent MAC address record. The MAC address on wireless on wireless network adapters is typically printed on the network adapter's underside.
But if your Wi-Fi adapters have been installed in the desktop PCI slot, you cannot recognize the physical address visually. In a command line prompt (press Windows + R keys simultaneously and type in CMD and press enter) type ipconfig/all command and you can find the device physical address.
change the default wireless network name or SSID
Wireless devices have a default wireless network name or Service set Identifier (SSID) set by the factory. This is the name of your wireless network, and can be up to 32 characters in length. Each wireless product has their own default SSID as the default wireless network name. You should change the wireless network name to something unique to distinguish your wireless network from other wireless networks that may exist around you, but do not use personal information because this information may be available for anyone to see when browsing for wireless networks.
Change the default password
Wireless routers /Ap have a default username and password set by the factory. See the above table. Mostly have their default username is admin or some have their default password as password. Hackers know these defaults and may try to use them to access your wireless device and change your network settings. To thwart any unauthorized changes, customize the device's password so it will be hard to guess.
Securing the end point of the network facing the internet
How to secure a wireless network from any types of internet threats? In depends on the wireless routers security features, but typically all the wireless routers support dual firewall features:NAT and SPI which is enabled by default. NAT helps you to hide the private network from the public network, and the stateful packet inspection will examine the incoming packets thoroughly for any false positive packets.
Create a security boundary for the quests
Many wireless routers today support the Guest Network feature - a feature that allows you create multiple SSIDs. You can create separate Guest network with different password and with limited access right not to allow the guest gain access rights to your local private network. Typically the guests are granted an internet access only. This is a secure way to provide public internet access without compromising system security.
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