How to Secure My Wireless Network in Windows Vista
If your home wireless network is not secured, you are putting all the computers on your network at risk. Any determined individual can connect to your network and potentially steal personal information or distribute malicious software. Even if no one intends to do anything harmful, an unsecured network will attract people looking for free Internet, taking away from your allotted bandwidth. To secure your network, you must access your router’s settings. Every router manufacturer provides different firmware, meaning the way you set things up can vary in the small details. Refer to the router’s user guide when attempting to secure your home network from your Windows Vista PC.
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Instructions
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Connect your computer to your wireless router with an Ethernet cable.
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Open a web browser and access the router. Refer to the router's user guide for the exact address required to access the router’s settings. In many cases, "http://192.168.1.1" is the default address.
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Enter your router’s user name and password, if prompted. If you are prompted for a user name and password and have never set one up, refer to the user guide for the default login information. Often the default user name is “root” and the password is “admin” (and sometimes you don’t need the user name; it depends on the router's make and model).
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Navigate to the “Wireless Security” tab. You will have the option of setting WEP, WPA or WPA2 security. WPA (and WPA2) are more secure than WEP, but some older devices may not be able to connect with WPA security.
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Create a pass key. Select “128 bits” as the encryption type. If you are using WEP security, you will be prompted to enter a “pass phrase.” Enter the pass phrase and click “Generate” to create four custom pass keys. The pass key will be a long string of numbers and letters (26 digits). Write down the first pass key. If you are using WPA, simply enter in the desired pass key. Click “Apply/Save” to apply the security to your network.
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Close the browser. Disconnect your wired connection to the router.
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Open your "Network Preferences" by double-clicking the wireless network icon in the Windows System Tray (lower right corner). Allow the Network Preferences to scan for available networks. Select your wireless network and enter the new pass key to connect to your secured network.
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Tips & Warnings
You can make additional settings, parameters and adjustments while setting up the security for your wireless router. Refer to the user guide for exact instructions on how to secure your network for your specific router model.
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