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Step 1
Change your administrative username and password upon your first login. The same default username and password is given to everyone for the same model router. This is your first line of defense, as any amateur hacker knows that hardly anyone changes their default username and password.
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Step 2
Upgrade your Wifi encryption from the outdated WEP encryption standard to the highly secure WPA2 standard. Microsoft users will need to download WPA2 Hotflix for Windows XP. Additionally, the wireless card driver may need to be updated. Once the software and the wireless card are updated, you will need to log back in to the router's administration page using your username and password and change the security settings to "WPA2 Personal" and the algorithm to "TKIP+AES".
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Step 3
Change the default setting of your system ID referred to as SSID or ESSID from "Default" or "Linksys" to a specific ID, such as "The Anderson's Wifi Network". This savvy move will keep any expert hacker at bay, as it indicates that your wireless network is secure (even though it may not be).
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Step 4
Allow only certain devices access to your wireless network. Each device that is a part of a wireless system is equipped with a MAC address. While MAC addresses allow you to keep track of "foreign" devices accessing your wireless network, they can also be used to restrict access to your wireless network. To perform this function, you would have to manually type in the MAC addresses of all the devices you would like to have access to your wireless network. However tedious, this is an important step in securing your network.
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Step 5
Disable the SSID broadcast network so that no one knows you have a wireless network. A few easy steps can be performed according to your specific type of router as indicated in the manual.
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Step 6
Deselect the "connect to available Wifi networks" option under the Networks Connection window. This prevents hackers from connecting into your network in case you have not replaced the SSID or username and password.
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Step 7
Make sure you are using your router's built-in firewall. Enabling this feature adds another layer of security that would keep any hacker (however experienced) at bay.
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Step 8
Reposition your router so that the wireless signal is minimized outside of your home. To do this, place your router in the center of your home far from windows and doors.
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Step 9
Turn off your wireless network when not in use for extended periods of time, as this prevents hackers from trying to access your network when you are not around.
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Step 10
Try out your security measures by downloading the Netstumbler utility created by Marius Milner. This software determines how secure your network is while also optimizing your wireless signal at home.
