How to Secure a Home Network

Most homes today have more than one PC, which the homeowners eventually turn into a network. Depending on family requirements, the home network may be wired, wireless with or without an Internet connection. Home networks have their specific security-related issues. Wi-Fi home networks with Web access are particularly vulnerable to viruses and hackers. With no dedicated network administrator around, members using the home network need to be cautious while managing such networks. Here is how you can keep your home network secure.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

General Guidelines

1. Install licensed software only on all computers connected to the network. Pirated software is vulnerable to security threats. Download patches as and when the vendors release them.
2. Secure all hosts by installing anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-phishing and anti-spam programs and a firewall on each machine. Make sure to use latest versions of these tools. Install patches and new releases as soon as they are released.
3. Create unique user accounts for all users so anybody working on a computer is required to enter his or her username and password before getting access to the network.
4. Maintain logs of user activity. This is especially important when the network is connected to the Internet. Several tools allow you to manage logs.
5. Take regular backups of data on all computers.
6. Shut down all hosts and networking devices if you are traveling or will not be using the network for extended periods.

Specific Guidelines for Securing a Home Network With Internet Access

7. Change the default login information soon after setting up and configuring the Internet connection.
8. Avoid remote administration of the network or any of its hosts.
9. Ensure that the network is protected by a firewall. You can also use the Windows firewall which is included with all licensed Windows operating systems. Other firewalls can also be deployed.
10. Use a router to connect a network to the Internet. All routers come with some form of firewall automatically providing a layer of security to the network. Additionally, routers are a good means of sharing one Internet connection among multiple hosts. Routers support several other features beneficial for a network, wired as well as wireless. Routers used in wired networks are different from those used in wireless networks.
11. Feed MAC addresses, unique identifiers of networking devices, into the router and access points so they can identify invalid hosts from those forming the network.
12. Disable mobile coding that uses ActiveX, Java and JavaScript especially from sites you do not trust. This restricts outsiders from running malicious code on your PCs.
13. Disable SSID broadcast if the network is wireless. Generally, routers and access points regularly and automatically broadcast the SSID making it useful in mobile hotspots where consumers come, use the service and move on. Disabling the SSID, particularly in home offices hides the network from prying eyes though it can still be detected by other means.
14. Change the SSID, network name of the router and access points, immediately after setting up the network. The default SSID for ease of configuration is a simple name, which the hackers can easily determine.
15. Avoid using dynamic IP addresses. Their ease of use also makes them an easy target. Instead, use static IP addresses for network hosts.
16. Use devices that support at least WPE for a wireless network. WPE is a data security protocol especially designed for wireless networks. WPA and WPA2 provide enhanced security. Same levels of data security can be maintained by using equipment conforming to the same security protocol.
17. Minimize leakage of wireless signal by placing router and access points in the center of your home. Setting up these devices in a balcony or near a window/door sends the signal outside, where it can be easily used by other appropriately configured devices.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid compatibility issues when switching from anti-virus or firewall to another similar application by first completely uninstalling the existing program and then installing the new version.
• None of the security measures mentioned here is individually sufficient. Implementing several of these guidelines makes the network increasingly difficult to hack into. In spite of using these strategies, there is room for unauthorized access though the chances are greatly reduced.

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