How to Secure a Wireless Network

Don't let hackers into your wireless network.

Secure your wireless network by hiding your SSID broadcast, establishing WPA or WEP encryption, enabling MAC filtering and disabling remote administration. "War drivers" is the colorful name for hackers who drive around residential neighborhoods with laptop computers, attempting to find and break into unsecured wireless networks. If you find a pile of debris -- a pizza box, empty soda cans and chip bags -- on the sidewalk outside your house, it could be evidence of the hours a war driver spent rummaging in your home network before dumping his trash and driving off. Protect your network from possible invaders.

Things You'll Need

• CAT5e cable.
• Computer hardwired to a LAN port on your wireless router.

Instructions

1. Launch a Web browser and type the IP address of your router into the URL (Web address) box. The IP address is probably 192.168.1.1, but it can vary according to manufacturer. A window appears asking you for your user name and password. If the router is set to default settings, the user name should be ADMIN and the password should be ADMIN. Press enter. Your router's configuration window appears.

2. Follow onscreen menus to navigate to basic wireless settings. Enter a SSID, or name for your wireless network. The SSID may be on a sticker on the router, or you could make one up. Choose a wireless channel. Disable your SSID wireless broadcast. Save or apply changes.

3. Navigate to wireless security settings and select the option to enable. Choose either WEP or WPA encryption. The latter is more secure, so choose WPA if it is available. Choose 128-bit encryption if it is available. Create a passphrase (password) and write it down in a secure place like your address book. Enter it, following onscreen instructions. The router software generates a hexadecimal WEP or WPA key. Save or apply changes.

4. Navigate to wireless network access options. Here you will enter the MAC address of your wireless computer and choose to restrict access. To obtain each wireless computer's MAC address, you need to launch its command-prompt window. Click the Start button and type "command prompt" in the text box. Press enter. A command prompt window appears. Type "ipconfig/all." Look for the line "physical address." This is your MAC address. Type this number in the MAC 01 field on the router page. Save or apply changes. Repeat for other computers on the network.

5. Go to the router's administration or management area. Disable remote administration/management. This prevents someone from logging into your computer remotely and controlling it as if they were sitting at your keyboard. Save or apply changes.

6. Your wireless network connection is secure. Unplug your wireless computer from the router. Install your wireless software and wireless adapter on your wireless computer. When prompted, enter your WEP/WPA encryption key.

Tips & Warnings

• Every time you add an additional wireless computer to the router, make sure you enter that new computer's MAC address into one of the available fields on the router's wireless network access page.

References

• PC911: Wireless Network Security

Resources

• Linksys
• Dlink
• Actiontec
• Mac help