How to Secure a Linksys Wireless Network

You should secure your Linksys wireless network to protect against unauthorized access.

Setting up security on a Linksys wireless network keeps both innocuous users who "piggyback" (use a wireless Internet connection without authorization) and more malicious users from accessing your network. Two encryption methods used to secure wireless routers are wired equivalent privacy (WEP) and Wi-Fi protected access (WPA). WPA was developed in response to vulnerabilities inherent in WEP encryption technology. Because WPA supports higher-security encryption methods such as user-specific keys, rotating keys and authentication certificates to verify connection sessions, it results in a more secure network than WEP.

Instructions

1. Access the Linksys Web-based setup page by typing your router's IP address into the address bar of your Web browser and pressing "Enter." Typically the default IP address for Linksys routers is 192.168.1.1.

2. Enter your username and password and press "Enter." The default Linksys username is generally "admin" or "administrator," and the default password is generally "admin," "1234" or blank.

3. Click on the "Wireless" tab near the top of the screen. Then click on the "Wireless Security" option below it.

4. Select "WPA Personal" from the first drop-down list. Then select "TKIP" on the "WPA Algorithms" drop-down list.

5. Type a password into the "WPA Shared Key" field. You will use this password to connect to your wireless Internet connection.

6. Leave the "Group Key Renewal" setting on the default value of "3600." This value determines the rate at which your computer refreshes the encryption key sent to connected computers.

Tips & Warnings

• Change your password regularly for extra security.

• Only share your password with people you trust. Anyone with your password can access your router and compromise the security of your network.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Linksys: Support