How can I password protect my wireless network at home?

Question

My girlfriend and I live together and believe our neighbors are using our wireless network. We have a Blitzz router. Is there any relatively easy way to set up a password on this wireless network, so that only my girlfriend and I can access it?

Answer 1

Because routers differ as to details, I can't be specific about how to accomplish these steps, but they're almost all done from within the router's administration web pages. Note: It’s best to do them from a computer cabled (even just temporarily) to the router rather than wirelessly, especially since wireless administration will be deactivated by step #1.

1. Deactivate wireless access to your router's administration web pages so only a computer connected via an Ethernet cable can reach them.  This won’t affect wireless use of the Internet, just wireless administration. Even if you don’t want to leave a computer connected via a cable, leave the cable there for when you need it.  Here are some horror stories of people who didn't:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?...

2. Turn off the SSID (network name) broadcast from the router.  There's no need to advertise your network's presence.  You're not running a hotspot; everyone who should be on your network should know its name.

3. Change your SSID from the default.  Hackers know that routers come with default SSIDs and look for them.

4. Set up encryption with an encryption key.  The longer, the better. WPA (if your network and all your computers can support 802.11G) is better than WEP.  WEP is better than nothing.

5. Limit access to only the computers you want on the network via MAC filtering. (MAC refers to unique NIC (Network Interface Card) addresses, not Macintosh computers, and not IP addresses.)  This isn't a defense against hardcore freeloaders -- it's possible to fake MAC addresses -- but it keeps out casual interlopers.

6. Change the range of and/or limited the number of automatically assigned IP addresses (DHCP) to reduce the chance of extra users.  Again, hackers know what ranges routers come from the factory with.  Changing them makes it a little harder to hop on board.

That should go far toward hardening your wireless network.

Answer 2

most routers have this functionality...

Can't help you with BLITZZ

but... if you get a LINKSYS - it's fairly easy.

Answer 3

The router set up gives you the ability during that process to choose to protect your network... if your using the lynksys which is the most popular one then you can run the cd and it will prompt you to create a secure network with a password as you go... its pretty plug and play...

hope that helps..

donna http://www.yourimblueprint.com

Answer 4

Go into the Admin menu and look for the Security settings. You are looking for WEP. No need to pick anything to complicated and be sure to write it down. Just enter the same WEP code in your PCs and you should be all set. You will also want to change you SSID and make sure that matches too. Good Luck!

Answer 5

Make sure both your router and the adapter connected to your computer can support WPA.  WEP is no good.

Answer 6

Not familiar with that particular brand, so can't cookbook it for you.  If you have the doc that came with it, I'm sure it will tell you.

You need to login to the router through a web browser.  Then you find the wireless security area and set either a wep key or a wpa passcode.

Then you need to enter the key or code on your computer when you connect to the router.

There are a lot of similar questions and answers on yahoo and elsewhere.  What you have to find out is what address you use to login to your router, and what the default userid and password to login are.

Answer 7

depends. if you have a netgear router, type in routerlogin.net then type in admin or both login name and password (if that doesn't work, try password or 1234) go to wireless settings. do you see where is says protection? click WPA-PSK, or any other kind of encryption. type in the password you want and your done! (well, click save changes first) if you have a linksys router type in your IP address into the address bar. (it is most likely 192.168.1.1) if you are not sure, click start-->run-->type cmd-->hit enter-->type ipconfig-->hit enter-->scroll down to where it says default gateway. then click wireless. click wireless security. click WPA Personal. choose whichever password you like, then click save changes.

Answer 8

yes, if you can access the configuration setup on your wireless router usually they will have the info on the bottom of the device to access it through the explorer. go to the wireless settings and you can create a SSID meaning wireless name and you can also create an encryption key that only certain peeps like you and your gf will only know to access. one thing you can also do is have a MAC address authenticating meaning that even if your wireless is not secured with a password only the pc's with the MAC address on the access list can get internet.

Answer 9

I found out that Blittz is out of business. You can try the site I have linked to , some guy on there gives detailed directions how to log into the configuration menu, in there you can setup a wpa password to keep freeloading neighbors off.

http://www.fixya.com/support/t332799-bli...