How to Secure an Internet Router

Maintain your privacy and security by securing your wireless network.

Securing a wireless network is an essential part of maintaining the privacy and security of your home Internet connection. Unsecured wireless networks are open to everyone that lives within the broadcast range of your wireless router, meaning that they can log on to the Internet access you pay for and use it for free. Unauthorized users can also see any sensitive information that passes over your wireless network, like email passwords, credit card numbers, bank account information and the like. Luckily, securing your wireless network is simple and can be achieved in just a few simple steps.

Things You'll Need

• Ethernet cable

Instructions

1. Connect your router to your computer by attaching an Ethernet cable from one of the numbered ports on your router to one of you computer's Ethernet ports.

2. Access the router's configuration page by typing the local access IP address into an Internet browser and pressing "Enter." If you do not know the local access IP, check for a sticker on the underside of the router or on any of the router's documentation you may still have. You can also contact the manufacturer of the router and have someone there inform you of the access IP.

3. Secure the wireless router. There are different ways of doing this, the most common among them being adding a network key to the wireless network that users will have to specify before being given access to the wireless network, or specifying the MAC addresses of every device that is allowed to use the wireless network, barring access by any unauthorized device. The specific methods for adding these security settings vary greatly among different makes and models of routers. Look for a "Security" heading on your router's configuration page or contact the manufacturer of the router with any questions you may have.