Wireless Internet networks need to be protected
Question:
We recently purchased a wireless router so that we can access the web with our laptops around the house. My question is, should I make sure my wireless internet is secured so that other people I don't know can't use it or gain access to it? Also how do I do so?
Answer:
As laptop sales increase and wireless networks in the home, office or business establishments (ie. coffee shops) are becoming more popular, so does the need for security. A lot of people do not understand the seriousness of securing their wireless networks. When I say securing I mean encrypting the wireless signal so that not just anyone with a wireless network card in the general vicinity of your wireless network can access it.
A wireless network that is not secured can potentially cause major problems on your end. If your neighbor can access your wireless internet and his/her computer is infected with a virus, there is a possibility that your computer could get infected as well. Moreover, if he/she decided to download the entire season 2 of Sex in the City (most likely "she") they would be leaving you with little or no bandwidth bringing your internet speed to a crawl. With that being said, it is important to remember that whoever's name is on your internet account, that individual is responsible for the internet connection, so any "questionable" or "malicious" material that your neighbor or anyone else is trying to access or download; You are responsible for and may be shutdown by your service provider or potentially be contacted by the RCMP (it's very serious stuff).
Now that you know why it is important to protect your wireless network I can give you some tips on how to and what are some guidelines on securing your wireless network. Since every router and access point has a different way of inputting settings, its best to refer to the products manual or search for the manufacture online and get the manual off their web page.
When encrypting or securing your wireless network, remember that every device is different so you will want to make sure you're computer is physically plugged (via Ethernet) into the router or access point when making changes. (This ensures that if you accidently mess up you will not be left without internet).
When choosing an encryption type, try to use WPA over WEP. WEP has a lot of security problems and can be easily be broken by a professional in just a few minutes. All newer wireless routers and network cards will support WPA encryption but older ones may not so make sure you test your wireless network first. If WPA is not supported, using WEP is better than leaving your network open or it's time to upgrade.
Setting up your wireless network can be a bit involved, if you're confident then a users manual will be enough to help you but it's best that if you feel it's way out of your league to consult a computer technician to have it properly setup and insist on using WPA encryption on your wireless network. Furthermore, always be sure to record your wireless "network key" so that in the future if you need to add another wireless device, you have the key handy so you don't have to re-setup your network.
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