During a recent non-intrusive survey of wireless networks in Bridport, West Bay and the surrounding area a number of unsecured networks were discovered. You can view a map of the results here, is one of them yours? If so you should read on…

As the take up of broadband internet as increased over the past couple of years so has the use of wireless routers that enable users to share their broadband Internet connection on a number of computers throughout their homes or businesses free of wires and cabling.

Whilst wireless networks have their advantages they also have a number of disadvantages. It is clear from our survey that most users are either not aware of the risks of using this kind technology or lack the knowledge to keep their network and data secure from Hackers.

So what can you do to help secure your network and data?

Change Default Administrator Passwords and Usernames.

At the centre of most WiFi home networks is either an access point or router. To set up these pieces of equipment manufacturers normally provide a simple web page based set-up wizard that allow owners to enter their network addresses and account information. The set-up tools are protected with a default login screen using a username and password, the logins provided are simple and very well-known to hackers. Change these settings immediately.

Turn on WPA / WEP Encryption.

All WiFi equipment will support some form of encryption. Several encryption technologies exist for WiFi the most common been WPA and WEP.  Each WiFi device on your LAN must share the identical encryption settings.
 
Change the Default SSID.

Access points and routers all use a network name called the SSID. Manufacturers ship their products with the same SSID. For example, the SSID for Linksys devices is normally "linksys." Knowing the SSID does not by itself allow anyone to break into your network, but it is a start. More importantly when someone finds a default SSID it is normally a sign of a poorly configured network and are much more likely to attack it. Change the default SSID immediately when configuring your LAN.

Enable MAC Address Filtering.

Each piece of WiFi gear possesses a unique identifier called the "physical address" or "MAC address." Access points and routers keep track of the MAC addresses of all devices that connect to them. Most routers and access points offer the owner an option to key in the MAC addresses of each piece of equipment that is connected to it which will restrict the network to only allow connections from those devices. Use this, but be aware that the feature is not as powerful as it may seem. Hacking software programs can easily fake MAC addresses.

Disable SSID Broadcast.

In WiFi networking the access point or router typically broadcasts the network name (SSID) at regular intervals. This feature is designed to allow WiFi clients to come and go. For most networks this feature is unnecessary and it increases the likelihood of someone hacking and using your network. Most WiFi access points allow the SSID broadcast to be disabled.

Assign Static IP Addresses.

Most networks assign dynamic IP addresses using DHCP technology which is both quick and easy to set up. Unfortunately whilst this is convenient it also works to the advantage of hackers who can easily obtain valid IP addresses from a network's DHCP pool. So turn off DHCP on your router or access point and set a fixed IP address range then assign each connected device to a specific IP address.

Position your Router /Access Point Safely

WiFi signals will normally overflow far beyond the building in which they are used. The further this signal reaches the easier it is for others to detect and exploit it. WiFi signals often reach across streets and into neighbouring homes. When installing a wireless network try to position the devices near the centre of the building rather than near windows to minimise the leakage.  If your equipment supports it set the signal strength to the minimum require to build your network.

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