Who Else Is Using Your Wireless Network?

Although it is relatively easy for SOHO (Smallis not a secure method of protecting your
Office/Home Office) and home users to set upnetwork, it does mean your WLAN is not so
their own Wireless networks, the default settingsopenly available to intrusion.
on a WAP (Wireless Access Point) usually come3. Configure WPA or WPA2
with no security configured.To authorize access to your Wireless network
As a result, if you leave these settings as theyyou should choose a security setting of WPA-PSK
are, then this WLAN (Wireless Local Area(Wi-Fi Protected Access Pre-Shared Key) or
Network) you are creating can leave you open tobetter yet WPA2-PSK if available.
hackers who want to compromise your computerAlthough Windows XP supports both of these
and/or steal information from it.security methods, you still need a wireless
As a result it is essential that you take theadapter that supports WPA as well.
necessary steps to secure your WirelessNOTE: WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is the
network.earlier attempt to secure wireless connections and
Why do you need wireless security?it is not secure enough. If this is all your WPA has
In a traditional wired network you need to haveto offer then you should either upgrade the
physical access to the network. You either needfirmware on it, if this will then give you WPA, or
access to a cable that is already connected to thepurchase a newer device.
LAN, or be able to attach a cable to say a patchYou also need to choose a password for
panel or switch port that will create a newWPA-PSK. Like your SSID, this too needs to be
physical connection for you.complicated and so not easy to guess.
With a wireless network, however, you have a4. Restrict access based on MAC authentication
radio signal that permeates the very air aroundYour wireless network adapter has a physical
us. Because of the broadcast nature of WLANs, itaddress called a MAC (Media Access Control)
is far easier to access this sort of network,address. You can take advantage of this by
especially when the signal is usually powerfulconfiguring your WAP to only allow access to
enough to emanate outside of a building and sothose MAC addresses you want to give access
potentially provide network access to thoseto your network and so restrict which computers
outside.can get connected.
Another benefit of a cabled network is that theAlthough a MAC address can still be spoofed, this
transfer of data between computers remainsis yet another obstacle to deter the casual
within the wires themselves. Contrast this with ahacker.
Wireless network, in which the data is now easier5. Change the administrator account/password
to intercept and/or corrupt.Your WAP will come with a standard administrator
As a result you need to secure your wirelessaccount and password. So anyone who has
network in the following ways:bought the same device will know what these are.
- Request user authentication to preventChange the password to one that is not easy to
unauthorized access to your network.guess and if possible change the name of the
- Use data privacy to protect the integrity andadministrator account as well.
privacy of the data being transmitted.Summary
How do you secure your Wireless network?A Wireless network is a great way to get
1. Change the SSIDInternet access without having to lay down
When you configure your WAP change thecabling, but out of the box these are completely
default SSID (Service Set IDentifier). Do not pickinsecure.
something that easily identifies you, like yourWith the threat of hackers, viruses and spyware
name, street address, etc. Instead pick somethingunlikely to go away you must secure your
complicated that is difficult to guess and is madeWireless network if you want to keep your
up of a mixture of letters and numbers e.g.computer and the data on it safe.
m6jvUm9mHuQfA4h5tgCHFollow the 5 recommendations above and you
2. Disable SSID broadcastingcan enjoy being able to surf the Internet in
In addition, make sure your WAP is notsafety.
configured to broadcast your SSID. Although this