In today’s era, wireless networking (WiFi) has become most-used technology to access internet on your computer, smartphones, tablets and other devices without any mess of wires. With typical wired networks, it is very difficult for intruders to steal your bandwidth. But the main issue in wireless networking is that anyone can easily access internet by using your WiFi connection even though they are sitting in a car that is parked outside your apartment or residing in a neighboring building. Despite the fact that you performed WiFi range extender setup carefully, yet there are chances that outsiders can steal your internet connection. When all is said and done, you will probably be wondering that how to secure your wireless connection, right? Well, wonder no more as in this post, we will make you aware of some surefire tips to protect your wireless home network. Read on.
1.Turn off SSID broadcast
By default, most of the broadband routers and other APs transmit their SSID or network name in all directions. This feature is basically intended for businesses and mobile hotspots where WiFi clients can roam in and out of range. If your WiFi extenders connect to router and you use the extended range in your home only, then this function is useless. So, it is better to disable SSID broadcast feature. To do so, users have to log in to router’s web user interface. This admin page can vary depending upon your router manufacturer. For example, if you own Netgear router, you need to log into mywifiext.net to turn off SSID feature.
2.Place your router strategically
Wireless signals usually reach to the exterior of a house. You will probably be known with the fact that the further this signal widens the easier for intruders to identify and use it. So place your router or main access point strategically. During the process of WiFi extender configuration, make sure to place your device in a good location. The physical orientation along with location of an access point determines its reach. Do not position your device near obstacles like metal objects, electronic appliances and other barriers.
3.Disable network when not in use
The next tip to secure your wireless home network from an unauthorized access is to disable your network when not in use. While it is quite difficult to turn off and on the devices again and again, it is recommended to consider doing so throughout travelling. It will also keep your WiFi connection at bay.
4.Allocate a static IP address to devices
Most of the home network administrators allocate static IP address their devices by making use of DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol). Despite the fact that DHCP is easy to set up, it makes also easy for hackers to obtain valid IP addresses. Thus, any intruder can enter your network and steal your bandwidth. So, turn off DHCP feature on your wireless router and set a fixed private IP address range instead. After that, you need to configure each and every connected device using address within the range you fixed.
Use encryption keys
Almost every WiFi equipment provides support for some form of encryption. For those folks who are too new to the term, encryption is a technology used to encrypt data transmitted and received over wireless network. There are two main types of encryption namely WPA and WPA2. If you own an older router, you may be using WEP encryption type. However, it is the oldest one and even not secure for your network. You should go for WPA2 method. For this, you have to log in to mywifiext and change wireless encryption settings.
