Who Else Is Using Your Wireless Network? by David McKone
Although it is relatively easy for SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) and home
users to set up their own Wireless networks, the default settings on a WAP
(Wireless Access Point) usually come with no security configured.
As a result, if you leave these settings as they are, then this WLAN (Wireless
Local Area Network) you are creating can leave you open to hackers who want to
compromise your computer and/or steal information from it.
As a result it is essential that you take the necessary steps to secure your
Wireless network.
Why do you need wireless security?
In a traditional wired network you need to have physical access to the network.
You either need access to a cable that is already connected to the LAN, or be
able to attach a cable to say a patch panel or switch port that will create a
new physical connection for you.
With a wireless network, however, you have a radio signal that permeates the
very air around us. Because of the broadcast nature of WLANs, it is far easier
to access this sort of network, especially when the signal is usually powerful
enough to emanate outside of a building and so potentially provide network
access to those outside.
Another benefit of a cabled network is that the transfer of data between
computers remains within the wires themselves. Contrast this with a Wireless
network, in which the data is now easier to intercept and/or corrupt.
As a result you need to secure your wireless network in the following ways: -
Request user authentication to prevent unauthorized access to your network. -
Use data privacy to protect the integrity and privacy of the data being
transmitted.
How do you secure your Wireless network?
1. Change the SSID When you configure your WAP change the default SSID (Service
Set IDentifier). Do not pick something that easily identifies you, like your
name, street address, etc. Instead pick something complicated that is difficult
to guess and is made up of a mixture of letters and numbers e.g.
m6jvUm9mHuQfA4h5tgCH
2. Disable SSID broadcasting In addition, make sure your WAP is not configured
to broadcast your SSID. Although this is not a secure method of protecting your
network, it does mean your WLAN is not so openly available to intrusion.
3. Configure WPA or WPA2 To authorize access to your Wireless network you
should choose a security setting of WPA-PSK (Wi-Fi Protected Access Pre-Shared
Key) or better yet WPA2-PSK if available.
Although Windows XP supports both of these security methods, you still need a
wireless adapter that supports WPA as well.
NOTE: WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is the earlier attempt to secure wireless
connections and it is not secure enough. If this is all your WPA has to offer
then you should either upgrade the firmware on it, if this will then give you
WPA, or purchase a newer device.
You also need to choose a password for WPA-PSK. Like your SSID, this too needs
to be complicated and so not easy to guess.
4. Restrict access based on MAC authentication Your wireless network adapter
has a physical address called a MAC (Media Access Control) address. You can
take advantage of this by configuring your WAP to only allow access to those
MAC addresses you want to give access to your network and so restrict which
computers can get connected. Although a MAC address can still be spoofed, this
is yet another obstacle to deter the casual hacker.
5. Change the administrator account/password Your WAP will come with a standard
administrator account and password. So anyone who has bought the same device
will know what these are. Change the password to one that is not easy to guess
and if possible change the name of the administrator account as well.
Summary
A Wireless network is a great way to get Internet access without having to lay
down cabling, but out of the box these are completely insecure.
With the threat of hackers, viruses and spyware unlikely to go away you must
secure your Wireless network if you want to keep your computer and the data on
it safe.
Follow the 5 recommendations above and you can enjoy being able to surf the
Internet in safety.
About the Author
David McKone has been involved with network security for several years,
providing secure networks for both small businesses and large corporate
clients. Sign up for my free newsletter and receive my special report "Computer
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