How To Limit Internet Access Through Wireless Access

Create a password to help secure your wireless network.

The key to limiting Internet access through wireless access is in setting your wireless access point's security so that only those you have allowed in can use the Internet through your wireless network. You can use your wireless network's security features to restrict others' access.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Open your wireless router's control panel. Depending on the model of router and type of computer you are using, you may have software or a utility on the computer that lets you access the control panel, or you may need to access the control panel via the Web. Check your user manual for the router's default IP address. When prompted, log in with the appropriate username and password. If you have not set up a username and password, check your user manual for the default password. Once you log in, set a username and password for the control panel if you don't already have one.

2. Navigate to the security section of your router's control panel. Most wireless routers offer at least two kinds of wireless data encryption: WEP and WPA. WEP is not as secure as WPA, so if you have a choice, opt for WPA.

3. Create a wireless password. Make up one yourself, or allow the control panel to randomly generate a wireless password if the option is available. Write down the password and keep it in a safe place. Save your new password and only give it to people you want to allow access to your network.

4. Set the network visibility. This option is sometimes presented as restricting the visibility of the "SSID," aka the network's name. On an Apple Airport, you can select a checkbox in the "Wireless Network Options" to make it a closed network. This prevents people not on your network from seeing or accessing it. You can still add new devices or allow new people access to your network; you just need to tell them the specific network name so they can find it.

Tips & Warnings

• For additional security, you can also use MAC Address Access Control. Every device has a unique MAC address that is used to identify it on any network, wired or wireless. You can specify exactly which devices may access your network, although you will have to know the MAC addresses of all the devices and manually add them to a list in the router's control panel. You can use also this process to limit when specific devices can have wireless access, which can be useful if, for example, you want to restrict a child's Internet access to a few hours a day.

• If you have particularly sensitive information on your network, consider investing in further security measures. Consult an expert in network security for these purposes.

References

• Practically Networked: Securing Your Wireless Network
• Wright State University Department of Computer Science and Engineering: Hacking Techniques in Wireless Networks