Securing your wireless network

Securing your wireless network

Security is always important; with a wireless network, it's even more important because your

network's signal could go beyond the boundaries of your home. If you don't secure your

network, people with computers nearby might be able to access the information stored on your

network computers and use your Internet connection to get onto the web. To help secure your network, do the following:

• Protect your router by changing the default user name and password. Most routermanufacturers have a default user name and password on the router as well as a default network name. Someone could use this information to access your router without you knowing it. To avoid that risk, change the default user name and password for your router.Check the information that came with your device for instructions.

• Set up a security key for your network. Just as file cabinets have keys and safes havecombinations, wireless networks have a network security key to help protect them from unauthorized access.
  
   To set up a network security key, follow these steps:
  
  1. Open Network and Sharing Center by clicking the Start button, and thenclicking Control Panel. In the search box, type network, and then click Network and Sharing Center.
  
  2. Click Set up a new connection or network.
  
  3. Click Set up a new network, and then click Next. The wizard will walk you through creating a network name and a security key. If your router will support it, the wizard will default to Wi‑Fi Protected Access (WPA or WPA2) security. We recommend that you use WPA2, if possible, because it offers better security than WPA or Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) security. With WPA2 or WPA you can also use a passphrase, so you don’t have to remember a cryptic sequence of letters and numbers

 

 Create a network security key 

•  Write down your security key and keep it in a safe place. You can also save your security key on a USB flash drive by following the instructions in the wizard. 

•  Use a firewall. A firewall is hardware or software that can help protect your computer from hackers or malicious software. Running a firewall on each computer on your network can help control the spread of malicious software on your network, as well as help to protect your computers when you're accessing the Internet. Windows Firewall is included with this version of Windows. 

Adding computers to your network

     To connect your laptop or desktop computer to your wireless network, follow these steps:

1.      Open Connect to a Network by clicking the network icon ( or ) in the notification area.

2.      In the list of networks, click the network that you want to connect to, and then click Connect.

3.      Enter the security key. You can either type in the key or insert a USB flash drive that contains the security key into a USB port on the computer.

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