These days, Wi-Fi has become one of the most common methods of connecting to the internet, used in homes, businesses, and industries all over the world. With more people, and commerce, going online though, the need for cybersecurity has also risen dramatically.
While Wi-Fi technology has a certain number of inbuilt security measures, there are also a few that are generally left up to the network owner, or administrator, to deal with as they see fit. Most businesses these days will have an IT department that handles and monitor such things. However, with Wi-fi so widely used everywhere else, and generally so easy to set up, certain steps are often ignored, or else unknown. Following them though, can vastly improve your Wi-Fi security.
- Change The Default Router Password
Every Wi-fi router has a special web page that one can access, to view and change certain settings, such the Wi-Fi SSID password, connected devices, and more. Many router models come with a simple default router password. Information on how to access the router web page can usually be found in small print at the back of the router device, and in the set-up manual that came with it. It can, however, also be looked up on the internet. Which exposes a potential security risk.
It’s recommended that you leave the other router settings alone, unless you know what you’re doing. However, it’s well-worth ensuring that your router web page at least has a strong and unique password, as a first basic step to securing your Wi-Fi.
Also, make sure to keep your router password in a secure place, preferably on an external drive or in a password book, and try not to leave it up to memory. Forgetting it could cause unnecessary hassle later on.
- Maintain A Strong Firewall
Otherwise, hackers will generally focus on breaking through vulnerabilities in the greatest line of online defence, being the network firewall.
Make sure that your firewall is active and always running, and perhaps try familiarising yourself how it works so that you can monitor it occasionally. Also, with malware being one of the most common methods for hackers to exploit firewall vulnerabilities, make sure to keep your malware protection active and up to date.
- Update The Firmware Regularly
Many devices nowadays, including Wi-Fi routers, require regular firmware updates. These updates help to increase the device’s security against the latest cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities, and generally help them perform better. Many devices allow these updates to be enabled automatically and will notify you when ready to install.
- Disable WPS Completely
WPS, Wi-Fi Protected Setup, is a function of most routers that allows devices to easily connect. Tech savvy hackers have various ways of exploiting WPS though. So, for better security, especially in businesses or for anyone who enjoys playing online blackjack real money games, it may be worth disabling WPS completely.
The Benefit Of Peace Of Mind
There are many other ways of further increasing your online security, such as VPNs and regularly changing your passwords. Following the above steps though, will not only give you far greater Wi-Fi security, but also invaluable peace of mind knowing that you are better protected.