There was a time when computers weren’t something ordinary people could afford. Back then, only the rich could buy them and the only networks in the world were those run by governments or large companies. Today, the picture is most certainly different. An average family’s home can have a network of computers owned by each family member and their Internet connections are fast and topnotch. Some families even use wireless computers and though cost is no longer an issue, information security definitely is.
What makes wireless networks sensitive sometimes is the fact that signals can go everywhere and are very hard to detect. This makes hackers very happy then, because now, they can hack any wirelessly connected computer and very easily at that. There’s no need to install Trojans or keyloggers. They just have to connect to that wireless network with their own laptop and start stealing information from those that are already connected. This is why wireless security should never be taken for granted. Imagine having a close neighbor connecting to your network without your permission. The risks are always there but it doesn’t mean wireless networking is bad altogether.
In fact, only unsecured wireless networks can be a headache which means as long as you secure yours, you shouldn’t have any problem. If you’re not exactly technically savvy, you might think it’s some complicated task that needs an expert to do. On the contrary, you can do it on your own and quite simply.
First off, because networks run on ID’s, you need to secure your own network’s ID so unauthorized access is prevented. Laptops will come with a default SSID (Service Set Identifier) or ESSID (Extended Service Set Identifier). If you don’t customize it, you can expect hackers to come prying in because it’s actually very easy for them to research on the default identifiers for each wireless computer manufacturer. This is why it’s extremely important that you change you SSID or ESSID into something unique to you.
Then you need to disable Identifier Broadcasting so you don’t get to announce to the whole world that you’ve got this wireless network that just about anyone out there could hack into. A manual that comes with your device will have instructions for this.
The third step in securing your wireless network is to enable Encryption so only authorized people able to access your information. There are actually two types of encryption you can use – WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access). For maximum security, it’s better to go for WPA which provides stronger protection than WEP which has many flaws and is quite easy to crack.
Firewalls are, of course, basic to every Internet security campaign, whether wired or wireless, so check your manual and set up your firewall to block unwanted traffic. Anti-virus software as well as anti-spyware and anti-adware should also be installed and updated regularly to ensure maximum protection.
As a final step, change your default password into some unique to you. Refrain from using birth dates and anniversaries which are pretty easy to crack. The most secure password could be a random combination of letters, characters and numbers.
As a general online security measure, an IP hiding software just might be very helpful. Because it allows you to surf with fake a IP address, you don’t leave a trail for hackers to follow back to you. This way, you keep these unwanted elements at bay and you simply enjoy the added freedom to your Internet activities.
By: Brad M Smith
Posts Tagged ‘Wireless Networking’
A Step-By-Step Guide to Setting Up a Wireless Network
March 1st, 2010
Wireless networks are getting more popular as more days go by. They are easy to install and practical to use when it comes to surfing the World Wide Web from anywhere inside the house. This is why wireless networks are attractive in the eyes of internet users. It is fairly easy to set up a wireless network; however, you have to know several simple things before trying to begin your setup. To get better understandings of wireless networks, you can read on protocols of wireless networking.
To set up your wireless network, you would require a broadband online connection with either a DSL modem or cable. Usually, the regular home setup involves a desktop computer that is directly plugged into a modem. If you are reading this, we can presume that you already own a laptop which you wish to wirelessly connect to a personal computer which has an internet connection. You will require some hardware to do this, such as a wireless router, a wireless USB network adapter for your desktop computer and a card-based personal computer network adapter for the laptop. Obviously, it would be recommended to opt for the same vendor as any extra hardware that you purchase. Refer to documentations that come with the hardware for any process of installation.
After installing all of the required hardware, you can start with the setup. First of all, you have to turn off or unplug your DSL modem before connecting your wireless router onto the modem. If you need help, simply check your hardware’s documentation. After this has been set up, your computer is going to connect to the router wirelessly. Next, you have to configure the wireless router. You can use Internet Explorer to go to the configuration page of your router.
The majority of default settings are safer to be left alone; however, there are several things that will need configuring. You have to choose a one-of-a-kind SSID or name for your wireless network, which will also be your network’s name. Ensure that nobody near you is making use of the exact same name. Next, if the router needs it, provide a one-of-a-kind passcode which it will put to use in order to generate several keys. The last thing to do before finishing your router configuration would be to set an administrative password. Pick a password which is long and hard to guess for security purposes. Ensure that you save each configured setting. Actual steps that are involved with setting configuration may vary, depending on your type of router.
Next, configure the network adapter of your laptop. It is quite easy to follow the on-screen instructions on Window’s XP when it comes to this. Right-click on the wireless network icon within your taskbar and go to “View Available Wireless Networks” after the menu appears. The window of Wireless Network Connections will show up. Here, you should see your chosen name listed for the wireless network. Click on “Refresh network list”, if the network does not appear. After that, you will be asked to enter a key as you have written down within the key boxes of Confirm network key. Choose Connect. Then, you will see the progress of your connection while it connects to the network. Once you are connected, feel free to close this window. Your wireless connection is now set up.
By: Alex D Smith
Home Networking
February 4th, 2010
Setting up Your Home Network
As society and technology change, it’s becoming common for homes to have more than one computer. When an existing computer is a few years old, parents will often take advantage of today’s lower prices, purchase a new computer, and pass the old one down to the kids.
Suddenly, there’s a need for a home network, so all computers in the house can share an files, printers and an Internet connection. Fortunately, setting up a basic home network is not rocket science. To start, you’ll need a router which becomes the central point of your network. Most office and electronics stores offer home networking kits with a router, ethernet (network) adapters and CAT-5 networking cable.
If your computer was assembled in the past five years, it probably already has an ethernet adapter. Check the back of the system unit for a port that looks like a telephone jack, but slightly bigger.
If you don’t have an ethernet adapter, you can purchase one (about $20) and install it yourself. You can also use a special ethernet adapter that plugs into a USB port, if you can’t stand the thought of opening your system unit to install an ethernet adapter.
Wired or Wireless Networking?
You’ll need to connect each of your computers to the router with a cable, or go wireless. If you want to use wireless connections, you’ll need a wireless router and a wireless adapter for each computer. Most laptops have a wireless adapter built in, most desktop models do not. If you need a wireless adapter, you can purchase one that installs inside the system unit, or get a USB-style adapter.
Having a wireless network eliminates the need to string unsightly cables all around the house, but it can also create a security risk. Wireless networks are often configured by default to allow access to any computer that attempts to connect. So an Evil Hacker driving by with a laptop (or even your neighbor) might be able to tap into your Internet connection or poke around your hard disk.
Fortunately, wireless security encryption is easy to set up. See my article Wireless Security for step-by-step instructions.
Network Configuration
Whether the network signals travel through wires or through the air, network resources must still be shared so that other computers can access them. If you are running Windows XP or MacOS X, all you have to do is connect your computers and high-speed modem to the router, and Internet connection sharing should just work like magic. If not, restart the cable modem, router, and the computers (in that order) and see if that does the trick. If you can’t access the Internet from one or more computers on the network, consult the manual that came with your router.
One nice side benefit of having a router is that they have firewalls built in to the hardware. Firewalls protect you by hiding your computers from network attacks, but still allow you to surf the web and handle email. So after installing a router, you can turn OFF the Windows firewall and any other software-based firewalls you may have running.
Sharing Files and Printers
Sharing files and printers on a Windows network is also pretty painless. To share a printer, go into the Printers section of the Control Panel, right-click the icon for the printer that needs to be shared, and choose Sharing from the resulting menu. By assigning a name to the shared printer, the owner allows other computers on the network to access the printer by browsing using their Network Neighborhood (or My Network Places) icons. Access can be restricted to only some computers or users through the use of the Security or Permissions options on the Sharing screen.
The same concept applies for shared file and folders on a network. For example, if you want to share a collection of MP3 files on a home network, just browse to the folder using the My Computer icon, right-click the folder name and choose Sharing. After assigning a name to the shared resource and setting Permissions other computers on the network can access that resource via Network Neighborhood or My Network Places.
By: Bob Rankin
