How to Secure a Linksys Wireless Network

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.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Linksys router High speed Internet connection

1. Access the Linksys web-based setup page by typing your router's IP address into the address bar on Internet Explorer and pressing "Enter."

2. Enter your user name and password into the popup window and press "Enter." The default Linksys configuration is to leave the User Name field blank and to type "Admin" into the password field.

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

4. Select "WPA Personal" on the first drop-down list. After you have selected "WPA Personal," 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

• Linksys Support and Services