How to Secure Your Wireless Router

When you purchase a wireless router it is not secure and its default configuration will allow unwanted users that are in a neighboring building or sitting in a car that's parked outside your apartment. It will increase your monthly Internet bill especially when you have to pay per byte of data transfer. They could also gain access to your Computer and steal data from your system. Manufacturers leave the configuration "open" so that the user can easily set up the wireless router and get it up and running quickly. However, there is a risk if the wireless router is not secure. The good news is that it is not very hard to make your wireless router Secure, which will both prevent others from stealing your internet and will also prevent hackers from taking control of your computers through your own wireless router.

Steps to make your wireless router Secure

1. Open a web browser and type either: http://192.168.1.1 or http://192.168.2.1

2. Change the Admin password, Most wireless routers ship with a blank password. It is essential that this is changed else a potential hacker could get into your router configuration and lock you out of your own hardware.

3. Change the network name. The default network name is usually made up of the name/model of your wireless router.

4. Enabling Encryption:- This is switched off by default. There is a choice of WEP, WPA and WPA2. Currently the latest encryption method is WPA2 so use this where possible. Both your wireless router and wireless PC adaptor must be configured to use the same encryption.

5. Update router firmware:-It is recommended that the latest router firmware is downloaded from the manufacturer's website and installed in the router. This will hopefully fix any bugs that have been found for your router and also help with any known security flaws in the router itself.

6. Backup settings:- Finally, backup all router settings. If you reset the router back to its factory default settings for whatever reason, your configuration can later be easily and quickly restored back into the router.