For some time, I have been looking for ways on how to prevent my Wi-Fi from being hacked, and now I have gotten the right solution, I decided to share it with you guys. In this article, I will be showing you how to keep your home Wi-Fi safe from hackers. Once you follow the simple steps, then you will be on the right track, and your online privacy will be fully secured.
Most people are accustomed to the usage of Wi-Fi at home. With the prevalence of smartphones, tablets, or laptops, a single Ethernet connection to the internet is no longer normal. However, wireless connections are less protected and more vulnerable to outside attacks than their Ethernet counterpart.
If you are using an Ethernet connection to connect to the internet, protecting your home network can be as simple as turning off the Wi-Fi and monitoring your PC’s firewall. But if you are using Wi-Fi, you will need to take extra measures to prevent intruders from gaining access. This is why I need to learn how to secure my Wi-Fi router at home.
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Wi-Fi is more dangerous than you can imagine, this is because routers are not limited to the four walls of your home. The connection signal is broadcasted beyond the home and into the streets, which neighboring buildings can as well get access to. A hacker can simply drive close to a home, take a good look at the nearby networks, then choose any as a line of attack. If you are unfortunate enough, yours might be the target. This is why you need to learn how to keep your home Wi-Fi safe from hackers.
How to Keep Your Home Wi-Fi Safe From Hackers – Simple Things You Can Do
if you are using a Wi-Fi router at home to connect your devices to the internet, there are a few things you can do to prevent outsiders from interfering with your data and privacy. Additionally, you should also be careful when accessing the internet if you are using a desktop PC and connecting via Ethernet. Are you looking for how to keep your home Wi-Fi safe from hackers? Below are a few things you can do.
Place Your Router at a Position Where Signal Won’t Be Broadcasted Much Outside
The Wi-Fi router has a limit to how far it can broadcast an internet connection signal. The signal strength lowers as it passes each physical barrier, such as wall, door, or window, but the latter two are less effective at blocking router signal.
If you have a spacious home, you can simply find a central spot for your Wi-Fi router. Ideally, it will provide sufficient signal everywhere inside the house but it will not spread that far outside. The antenna placement can also be of help.
Unfortunately, this method is less practical for anyone who lives in an apartment or a smaller house. If you are in this situation, you might decide to get a different router with a slightly weaker antenna. You can also use a special type of signal-blocking paints for your exterior walls.
Add a Guest Network
if you want to connect your guests to your Wi-Fi connection but you do not want to expose your PC or phone data, you can simply set up a secondary network from your Wi-Fi router. This guest network will use a separate network name and password. To make this more secure, you should use a strong password for this connection. You will need to remove their access to the router information and settings. This can be dictated by the “Local Access” portion of your router settings.
If you are using a guest network, if anyone logs onto the internet from your router, he or she will be able to see other guests users rather than members of the main network itself.
Use Antivirus Software
if you are looking for how to keep your home Wi-Fi safe from hackers, then you should not joke with this. An updated antivirus is one of the best protective measures to prevent hackers from gaining access to your data. Antivirus software automatically detects quarantine and removes various types of malware. Malwares are pieces of code and applications that move around your device and report their findings to outside attackers or hackers. To make sure the antivirus software is running smoothly, place it on an automatic update so it can remove the latest virus once it is detected.
Improve Your Password Management
Password management is one sure way of staying safe and protected on the internet. While it might seem okay to just use one password for every online platform you register to, doing so puts you at extreme risk. If hackers find your password for one of these platforms through coordinated attacks, all other accounts of yours will be at risk. There are many different online password management solutions that will store your password securely and allow you to randomize and assign passwords for ease of use and convenience.
Whatever you do, use passwords that are difficult to break into by attackers knowing your personal information. That means avoiding common words or patterns and using a mixture of letters and symbols
Update Appliance and Router Firmware
Most routers and devices that are used to connect to the internet using a small piece of internal software called firmware to guide its essential functions. This is similar to your PC’s operating system. However, firmware updates often do not download automatically through the internet. For routers, you will have to download the firmware update to your PC and supply the installer to the router through an Ethernet cable or use the manual update feature in the router’s settings. A firmware update normally improves security by patching various vulnerabilities and access points, which then allows you to use the appliances more safely.
Turn Off Your Wi-Fi When Now in Use
If you are traveling away from your home for a long period, it is advisable to turn off your Wi-Fi before embarking on such a trip. Your internet connection is not in use, so it should not be visible to the public.
How to Protect My Home Wi-Fi Network and Improves its Security
If you are using a Wi-Fi router for your home, office work, and family entertainment, then there is a need for you to upgrade your Wi-Fi security in order to lower the risk of attack. Below are some options in your router you should familiarize yourself with.
Change the Default SSID and Password
When you first purchase a router, you will discover it comes with a pre-installed network SSID and password. Most times, this is a mixture of numbers and the brand name. You will agree that this looks quite easy to break.
Once you change the SSID, you will be able to hide the manufacturer’s name. This will prevent an attacker from abusing specific vulnerabilities present in the router model. Use an SSID that is not personal enough for attackers to guess who it belongs to, or use it to guess the password.
When choosing your Wi-Fi password, you should follow a similar principle as the password you use for anything else. Avoid using common phrases, use a mixture of numbers and letters, and make it at least 16 characters long to be safe.
Use WPA/WPA2
The most common encryption protocols available to routers these days are WPA or WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access), with WPA3 being rare but not unrealistic to see. If you have one of these on the router (higher numbers are better), use it as the primary security. When it comes to picking encryption algorithms, use AES. It is much more robust than TKIP (the second most common option).
Change the Default Admin Access Information
All routers also come with predetermined admin credentials which users input when accessing their router to change its settings. These are usually run-of-the-mill phrases that are easy to guess. Changing them to something custom gives you an added layer of protection.
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Disable WPS
The WPS system was implemented to allow users to connect to a network without knowing the network password. However, this system was detected to be highly vulnerable through brute attacks in 2011. Older routers have it enabled by default, and you might need to download a firmware update to remove it.
Disable Remote Access Remote Management
Remote access, or remote management, allows anyone on the internet to have access to your router provided they know your network IP. As you might guess, this can be a significant security risk, leaving your data open for the taking. A technician might ask you to enable this feature during a service call since it is usually disabled by default. When they are done troubleshooting your network, you should disable it again.
Conclusion
This article is a comprehensive guide on how to keep your home Wi-Fi safe from hackers. Once you abide by any of these rules, your home Wi-Fi network will be protected and your online security will be assured. You can share this information by using the social share buttons found below.
