Wireless Security

Wireless Networks

Along with high-speed broadband connections, the rise in popularity of wireless (wi-fi) networking has enabled us to get online almost anywhere. Whether you're sat in the study at home, at the bottom of your garden or in your local coffee shop, you can take your laptop and get a reliable and rapid connection to the internet. Because there's no need to connect a cable, you're no longer limited to working within a short radius of your broadband modem. It's a very liberating experience!

Beware of intruders

But just because you've cut the wires, you shouldn't cut corners with your online safety. As advantageous as wireless internet access and networking is, it comes with its own unique challenges. The main one is due to the way that wireless networks operate.

The Network Hub

The wireless router, or network hub if you've got a separate modem, broadcasts its internet-carrying signal over a wide area like a radio tower, usually up to 30 metres in most cases. Your laptop, with its wireless antenna, is able to pick this signal up and send data back and forth over it. But, without safeguards, there's nothing stopping anybody else coming within range of your router's or hub's signal and doing the same thing, piggy-backing off your broadband connection.

While this in itself isn't dangerous, unless you take the necessary precautions this wi-fi intruder could also gain access to files stored on your PC by hacking into your hard drive via the wireless connection. That is the worst-case scenario, but it is possible.

Wireless security made simple

So forewarned is forearmed, and there are a number of steps you can take to ensure you and your PC's safety when using a wireless network. Firstly, you should always use encryption to protect the data transmitted over your wireless network at home. This encryption, called WEP or WPA depending upon the wireless equipment you use, requires that each PC wanting to connect to the network has a key. Without this key, which the network will ask for, a PC or wireless device cannot connect. They key can be set up by accessing the control panel for your router.

Another measure you should implement at home is configuring your wireless router or hub to only allow connections from trusted MAC addresses. A MAC address is a unique code that every wireless network adapter is tagged with and you can enter these into a trusted list on the router or hub, again via its control panel. If a device with a non-trusted MAC address tries to connect, it'll simply be turned away. This is one of the most secure ways of protecting a wireless home network.

Firewall Security

But what if you're not at home and you're using the wireless network at a local hotspot, such as a public library or café? In this type of instance, you should always have an up-to-date firewall that will prevent other users on the network from being able to see and access what's on your PC. A firewall, like an anti-virus program, is one of those pieces of software no computer should be without, and it's essential when you're using a public network. It'll enable you to enjoy the flexibility of a wireless internet connection, wherever you are, without having to worry about who or what else is out there in the wi-fi ether.

Follow the step-by-step guide to protecting your wireless network with Technology Weekly.