How do I secure my wireless network?

Question

I just moved from a rural area in the middle of the woods where we had an unsecured wireless network (who was going to be using it, anyway?) to a town. We're using the same setup and the same router, so the same network, but now I want to secure my network so some guy down the street or somewhere isn't breaking into it. Can I just change a setting and make it secure or do I have to setup the whole thing again?

Answer 1

It is very likely you can activate security on your existing router.

Do not rush through the steps; document in writing exactly what you do as you will need it in the future; always use a wired connection to your router when you configure the router.

Before you configure anything, determine the firmware version you are using and go to the maker's site to see if there is a newer firmware version.  If so, upgrade the firmware to the latest version.  Follow the maker's direction which will be on his site.  Download the latest manual for the device as well as the new firmware may end up changing the way you configure or operate.

Now go to the wireless security setion.

1.  Select entryption; use WPA if available on your unit; select a preshare key (make it complex, mix of upper and lower cases and numbers and avoid typical ones like your street number and street name or your name, or other easy to figure passwords).  Write it down as you will need it later; also record the encryption type used.

2.  Procure the MAC address of the wireless interfaces of each pc you wish to provide wireless links.  Go to each pc for this; if you do not know what it is and cannot easily find it, go to command prompt (start, run - type in cmd and hit enter); at the > prompt type in "ipconfig /all" without quotes and hit enter.  It will show you the MAC addresses of all LAN ports along with other info.  Usually command prompt calls it a physical address.  MAC addresses are 12 characters long; often written in pairs with a : between pairs.  Back on the router, invoke MAC address verification and enter the MAC addresses of each device you wish to connect wirelessly in the MAC address validation table.

3.  Change the SSID from factory default to something else.  Do not use easy to recognize SSID names like street number, your name (e.g. smithhouse), etc.  A very neutral one like "rtr080209" where the 08 has no meaning and perhaps your birthday is Feb 9 may work as others will not understand what it means.  Record the SSID you named it.  Enable SSID broadcast for now.

4.  Now go to the first pc you wish to connect.  Configure the wireless for the encryption type you selected, enter the preshare key when prompted, and all should work.  If not, you have a config error somewhere and you need to check it carefully.  Once this one works, repeat this with all pcs you wish to connect wirelessly.

5.  After all are working go back to router config and shut off the SSID broadcast.

Now be sure to document in writing exactly what you did and save it for future use.

Answer 2

You need to go into your router settings, it is a web adress or IP that comes with your router. sign into your account, if you have never done this before, it will be Admin for username and password for your "password". There should be options for securing your wireless connections. Folow those and write down your SSiD and Secutiry key, you will need these to setup your laptop, or wireless printer.

Answer 3

Hide the SSID and use WPA.