Wireless home networks are great for convenience, but without a good password, you're left wide open to malicious attacks and neighbors that hitch a ride on the internet line you're paying for. Setting a password is quick and easy, and can save you countless troubles later on. Follow this guide to lock your Wi-Fi with a strong password in just a few minutes.
Step
Step 1. Access your wireless router
Ideally, you can do this with the installation disc that came with your router, but some routers are also designed to be accessed remotely via the Internet. To access the router via a browser, enter its address in the URL. Typical router addresses are 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, and 192.168.2.1.
- If possible, access the router using a computer connected to the router via an Ethernet cable. If you access it via Wi-Fi, you will be denied when you change the settings, and will have to reconnect to the network and log back in to make adjustments.
- The default username and password for most routers is "admin" in both fields. If this doesn't work, try leaving one of the fields blank and typing admin into the other. If that fails, seek help with whatever support is available to your router manufacturer.
- If you've changed your access password in the past and can't remember it, you can press and hold the Reset button on your router to restore it to factory defaults. This will clean up all your settings.
- If you lose your router's user manual, you can look up the model of your router online to find the IP address and login details by default.
Step 2. Locate your wireless security settings
The section label will vary by router, but is usually located in "Wireless Settings" or "Security Settings." If you're having trouble finding it, enter your router's model number into an internet search and find out how to access the security settings.
Step 3. Select the encryption type
Most routers have several options available when it comes to security. Usually you can choose WEP, WPA-PSK(Personal) or WPA2-PSK. If possible, choose WPA2 as it is the most secure form of encryption available for wireless networks. Some older routers don't have this option.
Some older devices will not be able to connect to a network that uses WPA2. Keep this in mind if you have some older devices that you need to connect to the network
Step 4. Select the AES algorithm for WPA2-Personal
If you are given a choice, choose AES as the encryption algorithm for your WPA2 security. Another option is TKIP, which is older and less secure. Some routers only allow you to select AES.
AES stands for Advanced Encryption Standard and is the best set of algorithms for wireless encryption
Step 5. Enter your passphrase (a kind of password with longer text so it has a high level of security) and your SSID
The SSID is the name of the network, and a passphrase must be entered with any device connected to that SSID.
Your password must be a combination of letters, numbers and symbols. The more basic your password protection, the easier it is for others to guess, or hackers call it "brute force crack" (hacking passwords using application programs). There are several online generators you can use to create strong password protection, if you need one
Step 6. Save the new settings and refresh your router
Click the Apply or Save button on your Wireless Settings page to save your new wireless security settings. Most routers will refresh automatically, and any devices that are wirelessly connected to the network will be disconnected and must be logged in again.
- If your router doesn't refresh automatically, you may have to do it manually. To refresh your router, turn it off and count to 10. Then turn it back on and allow the device to cycle through the boot cycle (you'll know if the process is complete when all the lights on the front are done flashing).
- Be sure to add your new login credentials and password to all the devices that regularly access the wireless Internet connection. For added Wi-Fi security, you can change your password protection every 6 months or so.
Tips
- Another good way to add Wi-Fi security is to change the network name or SSID. Your wireless router has a default SSID name. Anyone trying to steal Wi-Fi access can easily look up network names by default and try default passwords or perform brute force cracking. You can turn off broadcasting your SSID completely so no one can see that you have a Wi-Fi connection.
- If your router does not have a WPA2 option, select WPA instead of WEP. Currently, WPA2 is the most secure encryption method for wireless Internet connections. If you can only choose between WEP and WPA, select WPA. WEP is very outdated and easily bypassed by modern technology.
- Be sure to record your password in a safe place, just in case you need it again.
- Make sure to enable your router's firewall. Some routers have it turned off by default, but it's a level of Wi-Fi security that can be easily added.
