How to Stop Your Neighbor From Stealing Your WiFi

Your neighbor may be reaping the benefits of your wireless router.

If you're surfing on an unprotected wireless set up and your neighbor taps into your Wi-Fi connection with his computer, he is engaged in an illegal activity known as piggybacking. This saves your neighbor a significant chunk of change every month by not having to pay for his own access and can clog up your browsing speed. Your Wi-Fi waves can reach an average of 200 feet, depending upon the router. The first step to protect your connection from your neighbor is to secure it with a password.

Things You'll Need

• Password

Instructions

1. Configure your router with the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Select a network name that is unique or different than your neighbors'.

2. Set up a security passkey or encryption on your router. This will be used to login to your connection. Use Wi-Fi protected access encryption if your router supports it. Create a strong password for your encryption key, and use a combination of more than 14 characters and letters. If your router's encryption is turned off -- which is common, especially upon unpacking the router -- your data is not encoded and the connection can be intercepted.

3. Use a 128-bit WEP or wired equivalent privacy key if your router is older and only supports WEP. Create a strong password for your encryption key, such as a combination of letters and numbers of 14 characters or more.

References

• "PC World"; How to Secure Your Wireless Network; Becky Waring; April 2007
• "The New York Times"; Hey Neighbor, Stop Piggybacking on My Wireless; Michel Marriott; March 2006
• Router Passwords