Home network security is becoming vital as more people buy wirelessly connected devices. These days, the Internet of Things (IoT) has made it possible to connect almost any device in your home to your WiFi home, from personal devices and mobile phones to baby monitors, refrigerators, smoke detectors, and door locks.
With so many devices sharing a single internet connection, homeowners must ensure their WiFi network is secure. Though it may seem daunting to do on your own, securing your network requires more than technical expertise and time.
This post will protect the best data for safeguarding your home network and the information it contains.
Home wireless network security: what you need to know
Protecting your devices from hackers and cybercriminals requires understanding how to secure your home WiFi network. Anyone “listening” in on your internet traffic from outside your network has easy access to your private information.
Once this happens, a cybercriminal can launch a wide variety of attacks against your WiFi security, such as “man in the middle” attacks, ransomware, or even blatant data theft.
Protecting your home WiFi security from these attacks is, at worst, a process and, at best, a breeze. Safeguarding your network from assaults is crucial in light of the growing cybersecurity threat.
Methods to bolster the safety of your Home Network Security
Here are ten tried-and-true methods to increase your home security from hackers. If you can’t implement all these measures, even a few will help protect your WiFi-enabled devices and private information from hackers.
1. modify your home network’s default username and password.
Changing the default name is the simplest step to secure your home internet. If you don’t like the default SSID (Service Set Identifier) name, you can change it as follows:
- To raise the Windows command prompt, hit “Windows Key + X.”
- To do this, hit the “config” button.
- The way to discover your IP address
- Enter your IP address into the address bar of your browser.
- Put in the username and password for your router.
- WiFi password-free zones
- Change Network Name and Password
To prevent unauthorized access to your device, it’s recommended that you choose a longer, more complex phrase for both your SSID and WiFi password. Avoid using anything easily obvious about yourself, such as your name or birthday, in this process.
2. Access WHO CAN USE YOUR WIRELESS NETWORK
Giving strangers access to your home network is a bad idea, as obvious as it may be. A greater number of persons with access to your wireless network credentials increases the likelihood that some of your data may be stolen.
For instance, if you have a repairman at your home who doesn’t need access to your WiFi network, you can feel safe letting them into your home. With a few notable exceptions (like a technician from your internet service provider), you should not allow unfamiliar devices to connect to your home network.
3. Organize a group of people who can visit your home regularly.
Don’t connect out your wireless details; instead, provide access to a guest network. With guest networking, you may create a second WiFi network for visitors that shares the same internet connection as your primary network but conceals shared resources like printers, hard drives, and other computers.
This function can be found in the configuration menus of most wireless routers. Ensure you give your guests their unique SSID and password for the WiFi network when you set it up.
4. Enable wireless network encryption.
Encryption is typically an available feature on WPA2 and WPA3 routers. The IP address and password you use to access your router’s WiFi settings are where you’ll turn the feature to enable this router. When you allow encryption for your wireless network, all data sent over the airwaves between your device and the router is encoded.
You may rest assured that no one can listen to your WiFi traffic without logging into your network. Keep in mind that every wireless device will need to be manually reconnected after enabling this.
5. Turn your router’s firewall to “ON”
The firewall options preinstalled on most wireless routers are quite good. A reliable firewall can prevent intruders from secretly connecting to or exiting your wireless network.
Generally speaking, router firewalls are disabled by default and require activation. You can enable this function by entering your IP address into your router’s administrative interface. The firewall switch is usually located in the router’s advanced settings.
Using the firewall features of your router could reduce your internet transfer rates. You can turn the firewall to speed up your connection when gaming or doing other duties that demand it. Just turn the switch back on when you’re done.
6. When you leave the house, disable your wireless Internet connection.
Although it may be inconvenient to disable your home wireless network every time you leave, doing so is essential if you will be away for an extended time. That way, you can rest assured that your network is secure.
7. Update the firmware on your router.
When it comes to maintaining a secure network connection, the firmware on your router is crucial. The firmware on most wireless routers does not automatically update; therefore, updating is a laborious process.
You may get the firmware update file for your router from the manufacturer’s website. Finally, connect it straight to your wireless router. When it comes to setting up your router, the best process to start is at the manufacturer’s site.
8. USE A WPA3 ROUTER
In 2018, the first WPA3 routers appeared on the market with improved security methods designed to close the major holes in the earlier WPA2 standard. Your Internet service device (ISP) may provide you with a WPA2 router if you rent one from them. If so, you’ll need to look into getting a second WPA3 router.
Spending a little extra on a WPA3 router can enhance the security of your home wireless network, which is a worthwhile investment. And it will increase your WiFi signal strength, too.
9. Turn Off Remote Access for Home Network Security
WiFi networks are accessible from anywhere in the world, provided you have access to the internet because most routers offer a remote access feature.
While this could make it easier to administer your wireless network from afar, it could also compromise the security of your network. If you haven’t altered the default router credentials, any intruder can access entry to your wireless network simply by knowing the default password.
If you aren’t using the remote control feature, turn it off. It’s just too easy for hackers to steal your login information and obtain access to your wireless network. Disable the settings for remote access on your router’s user interface to turn off the feature.
10. As a rule of thumb, the best location for a router is in the middle of your home.
The network home of most WiFi networks is sufficient for an outsider to “see” the connection on their device. Putting your router in a more strategic spot in the home will prevent this problem.
You can prevent someone sitting in a car across the street from gaining unauthorized access to your home by taking this easy, non-technical measure. Bonus: it will improve internet access everywhere in your home.
Your home’s layout may prevent you from placing your router in a more central location, but you should keep your wireless router away from any windows. The WiFi signal can pass through the windows. An unauthorized user may be able to access your network from outside your premises, depending on the signal’s strength.
Summary Home Network Security
It would help if you took the necessary precautions to protect your data from hackers, and one of those is learning how to secure your home’s WiFi network. It would help if you took all necessary measures to prevent malicious actors from penetrating our network, as many of our devices connect.
If it’s unrealistic to implement all of the tips above, at least give a couple a shot to see if you can make some minor, easy improvements. For example, more casual hackers may abandon at first sight of resistance, so just relocating your router to the middle of your home and changing your router’s software may be enough to deter them.