Wireless Internet access can offer convenience and mobility. But there are steps you should take to protect your wireless network and the computers on it.
-Use encryption to scramble communications over the network. If you have a choice, WiFi Protected Access (WPA) is stronger than Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP).
-Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a firewall.
-Most wireless routers have a mechanism called identifier broadcasting. Turn it off so your computer won’t send a signal to any device in the vicinity announcing its presence.
-Change the identifier on your router from the default so a hacker can’t use the manufacturer’s default identifier to try to access your network.
-Change your router’s pre-set password for administration to something only you know. The longer the password, the tougher it is to crack.
-Allow only specific computers to access your wireless network.
-Turn off your wireless network when you know you won’t use it.
-Don’t assume that public “hot spots” are secure. You may want to assume that other people can access any information you see or send over a public wireless network.
