Using MAC Address Filtering To Secure Your Wireless Network

MAC adDress Filtering is a very simple yet effective way to secure your wireless network. With MAC Filtering you can specify precisely which Computers can connect to your wireless network and which cannot. This way even if someone knows your hidden SSID and security key they will not be able to connect to your wireless network if you don't want them to. This is a great form of additional security.

A MAC adDress is a unique hexadecimal number which has been burned into a networking devices circuit board at the manufacturer. In most cases a network devices MAC is invisible without the use of a command called "ipconfig". By going to your command prompt and typing in "ipconfig /all" (Without the quotes) you'll find your Computers "physical adDress". The physical adDress is your MAC address and usually looks something like this: 00-0F-1F-D5-6A-37. Theoretically no two Mac addresses in the world are alike.

Computers and other wireless devices can only connect to a network if it is assigned an IP address that belongs on that network. Generally speaking if your routers IP address is 192.168.0.1 a network device must have an IP address somewhere between 192.168.0.2 and 192.168.0.254. A network device with an IP address of 192.168.2.10 would not be able to connect directly to that network. IP addresses are typically assigned to computers and network devices dynamically by a service called DHCP. DHCP uses a network devices MAC address to identify it and keep track of which IP address it gets.

No MAC - No IP address.

No IP address - No network connection.

Using MAC Filtering we can influence this behavior to our advanTAGe. We can create what is called a MAC Filtering table on our wireless router and specify only the MAC addresses that we want on our network. This is done by using the "ipconfig /all" command Mentioned earlier to find the MAC of each of our preferred network devices and adding them to the MAC filtering table on our router. Adding addresses is done by accessing the routers web interface. Many routers have utilities which make this process a breeze.

Once everything is set up the router will check a computers MAC before allowing it to connect to your network. If there is a match in the routers table it will be allowed to connect or "associate" to the network. If not a connection is not allowed. Period.

MAC address filtering is not a foolproof way to secure your wireless network and should not be considered a substitute for wireless encryption. It's an additional layer of security for your wireless network and added peace of mind for you and your family.

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7 Easy Steps to Secure Your Wireless Router

Accessing Your Wireless Router's Configuration

To gain access to your wireless router settings and configuration Menu then connect to the router either wirelessly or via a Ethernet cable. Open a web browser and type either:

[http://192.168.1.1] or[http://192.168.2.1]1) Change Admin password

Most wireless routers ship with a blank password. It is essential that this is changed else a potential hacker could get into your router configuration and lock you out of your own hardware.

2) Change The Network Name (otherwise known as the SSID)

The default network name is usually made up of the name/model of your wireless router. This information gives a head start for a hacker and makes it easier for them to break into your network. Don't rename it to something like your surname or house name as this unnecessarily exposes personal information. Rename it to an alpha-numeric string - this can be up to 32 characters long.

3) Turn off SSID broadcasting

By default, a wireless router's SSID is broadcast so anyone in the vicinity of your wireless router can see that it. SSID broadcasting can be turned off thus making your wireless router virtually invisible.

4) Enabling Encryption

This is switched off by default. There is a choice of WEP, WPA and WPA2. Currently the latest encryption method is WPA2 so use this where possible. Both your wireless router and wireless PC adaptor must be configured to use the same encryption.

5) Mac AdDress Control

All hardware has a unique MAC adDress associated with it, including your PC adaptor card. This MAC address can be added to access control list in the wireless router. Only devices added to the router's access control list are allowed to be connected.

6) Update router firmware

It is recomMended that the latest router firmware is downloaded from the manufacturer's website and installed in the router. This will hopefully fix any bugs that have been found for your router and also help with any known security flaws in the router itself.

7) Backup settings

Finally, backup all router settings. If you reset the router back to its factory default settings for whatever reason, your configuration can later be easily and quickly restored back into the router.

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Best Home VPN Router - Making Information Secure Yet Accessible

When you are working from home, congratulations! You are one of the few people who has succeeded in breaking the pattern of "working for the man". You have become your own boss. You feel empowered as you are determining the direction in which you want your business to go.

What does a VPN router, or a virtual private network router, have to do with working from home? Well, a lot, possibly. We'll explore two reasons why a home office needs a VPN router, which is making your business and home information more secure, and second, making your information accessible. But first, let us define a VPN router!

What is a VPN router?

If you have more than one Computer in your home office or home then you likely have a home network set up. And the first thing that attaches to your cable modem or DSL modem is a wired or wireless router. The router's main purpose is to allow all the Computers attached to your home office network to access the internet independently, so the internet connection can be shared. The second most important function of the router is that it actually creates the home network, that is, it makes home network Computers accessible from each others. A more advanced concept would be to attach a home network storage to the router, and have shared disk space available to everyone.

So why would you need a small office VPN router or a VPN wireless router? A VPN, Virtual Private Network, router is a router that allows not only Computers on the home network to share the internet connection, but also allows authenticated users on the internet (think yourself at the Starbucks with a laptop or iPhone) access your home network through a secure connection over the shared, public internet. It is like building a secret tunnel directly from your home network to your browser on your laptop outside home. All you need is internet access, your VPN password and a small piece of VPN software for your laptop. Then, you can access your home network from anywhere securely and no one else will know about that.

VPN through router makes your private information more accessible

By allowing authenticated, strong password protected incoming connections to your home VPN router and your home network, you suddenly have access to your home network from anywhere you are. DocuMent files, your videos, music mp3 files, even the programs that you normally run at home, are suddenly available to you seamlessly. Be it at the local Starbucks, at the client's office, at a friend's house, you will have a connection and access to your data any time, as long as you provide a secure password.

VPN router makes your information more secure

Sure, you say, but I use a laptop anyways for my business, and I can take it anywhere with me. True. But, consider the downside. All your software, all your data, is there with you, in public places, in the car. These are all the places where your laptop and your valuable information can easily be stolen if you leave them unattended even just for a minute. So you either need to exercise an extreme level of caution when roaming outside your home, or... get a secure VPN router and leave ALL the important information securely stored in house, and access it securely from wherever you are.

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Learn to Secure Your Own Linksys Wireless Router

Hiring someone to come set up that new Linksys Router you bought can cost more then the unit itself! No longer do you need to contact your local Computer "guru" so they can charge you money out the wazoo to install the simple Linksys router when you can learn to do it all yourself.

If you have already setup your Linksys router then it is time to secure it. We will give you a few tips that you can use to keep the hackers and war drivers (People who search for unsecured networks to do malicious things to the owners).

First, login your Linksys Wireless Router by typing your Routers IP into the url bar, the default IP adDress is 192.168.1.1, and the username/password should be admin/admin.

Now, if you could login to your Router via the default IP (192.168.1.1), then that will be the first thing we change, as this is pretty much default on all routers, and will be the IP the war drivers will enter first. Go to Setup, then Basic Setup tab and under "Local IP AdDress". So, change the IP to anything you want, for ours we'll be using 201.104.1.1. The IP that you enter should be easy for you to remember in case you'll ever need to get back into to the router.

The second thing we are going to look at is the "Maximum Number of DHCP Users", this too is found under the Basic Setup tab. If you are in a home/small business and you know the number of devices (Including cellphones that have WIFI access, gaming consoles, PDAs, etc) then you can change this number to that. The default is 50, so it means it will allow for 50 users to connect to your router. If you know that you'll have only 10 at any given time then you would only need to enter the number 10. Now save these settings and lets move on.

The third thing we are going to change is the router's password to manage the configurations of the router. Once again the "admin" password will be the first thing the war driver tries to get into your router. Go to your Administration then ManageMent. Change the password to access the router's settings to something that you can remember and is a little difficult to guess (Something like your last name would not suffice).

These are easy security tips to keep your router secure.

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Highly Rated Apple Wireless Routers For Secure and Excellent Performance

Highly Rated Apple Wireless Routers For Secure and Excellent Performance

With the continuous advanceMent in the field of wireless technology, a number of wireless manufacturing companies are making their way into this field. As one can find a range of options in form of various wireless routers in the market, it is very difficult to select the best one from them. Most of the people don't worry about their Wi-Fi routers as they are quite reliable, high performing and provide excellent security but it is necessary to select the best router by paying utmost attention.

If you are trying to find the best router from the market, there is a possibility that you will easily get confused with the models available. Most of the routers resemble each other in features, functions and looks making it difficult to select the best from the lot. One has to remember that not all of the routers are created with the same standards and hence their tasks differ according to the network in which they are used.

Apple is one of the leading and one of the most sought after wireless router manufacturing companies known for its magnificent performance and reliability. The wireless routers of Apple received the highest overall rating score of 8.9 which make it one of the most sought after wireless routers in the market.

The Apple's 802.11g wireless router is a wonderful and a magnificent router that is also called as the 'Extreme Base Station'. This marvelous wireless router is considered as one of the best and the perfect wireless solutions for any home, small business or school. This provides a very Fast, secured wireless network making great opportunities for home entertainMent and business. This fabulous AirPort Extreme Base Station is a robust wireless network that improves the performance of your Computer by five times and two times the range of your network.

This superFast and simple next-generation wireless router is just a 6.5 inch square and 1.3 inch tall which make it possible to place at anywhere in your house with great ease. This is also certified to work with the wireless standards of 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g.

The Apple keeps on continuing to add new innovative wireless applications by introducing new advanced technologies. The Apple Airport Extreme 4 Port Wireless is one such wireless router that combines the three popular features altogether in a box. This excellent router is known for their Fast speed, dual band support and high security. This router can be used on both bands of 2.4mb and 5.8mb instead of one band.

The Airport Extreme 4 Port Wireless Router makes use of a technology called multiple-input multiple-output that enables to transmit multiple data streams which results into increase in data transfer speed up to five times. This also reduces the chances of getting interfered by the equipMents which make use of 2.4GHz band such as cordless phone etc. This device enables 50 people to share the internet connection and to exchange the files by using the file sharing capability.

Apple is continuously indulged in providing the innovative wireless applications and ideas and taking the internet connectivity to the next level. These are also known for providing the flawless connections even at long ranges which make it stand out of the rest of its kind.

wireless router

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Security For Wireless Routers - Not Wireless Secure - What's the Worst That Could Happen?

Security For Wireless Routers - Not Wireless Secure - What's the Worst That Could Happen?

With the ability to walk in your home or office without wires is a great feature to have. The freedom to move your home from room to room or even sitting under the palm of your garden on a hot sunny day, shows that there is no return from the wireless. It is not only the freedom to be mobile, but also from free house wired with cable and not through the perforated walls, shows another area in which you give to the mobile phone technology too well. However, becauseof the nature of the technology, wireless has a number of security issues we must be aware of.

A neighbour, hacker or someone just by your home can easily detect your wireless signals and attempt to connect to your wireless access point. This is because wireless uses radio frequency and data travels through the Air, though they do not need physical access to your router.

So let's get to the point. How bad could it be not impleMenting any wireless security?

The common stressing points we hear everyday regarding wireless security is the ability that an evil doer can easily sniff data, coming and going to your wireless access point. Also they will have the ability to use your router to browse the web just as you do... using your bandwidth.

It doesn't really sound that bad... Does it?

Well how about if your neighbours or anyone on the street outside your home were using Your wireless access point and participation in illegal downloads, visit illegal websites and usually on the Internet for criminal activity. Who do you think would get the blame? If the FBI busting through the door, and you have to think Fast, your children are not as innocent as they pretend to be, you can go down a mountain for you at this point.

Download illegal and criminal activities that had been occurring from the house next door, under your ID. Theirwere using your access point which from the ISP point of view was coming from your home.

To add to this, in a couple of months time when your bank stateMent arrives through the door showing you spent £3000 on a new TV, as well as purchasing a set of Golf clubs, it may just all be too late by then. A hacker could have easily sat outside your home and sniffed your bank details or any other confidential details you may have used when online, all from the comfort of their car or home.  All they need is a wireless laptop to do this, and sit within a range of your wireless router, in other words somewhere outside your house!

Now this also goes for businesses with wireless access points as well and not just for home users. In fact it is so much more crucial for businesses because a hacker can break into their network via the access point, hacking into company confidential data!

Therefore wireless security today is crucial for all the reasons above. Identity theft today is on the rise, and hackers will go the distance looking for insecure wireless access points. For this reason you should take the time and ensure you have a secure wireless network.

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Three Simple Steps to Secure Your Wireless Router

Three Simple Steps to Secure Your Wireless Router

Just about everyone seems to have at least one wireless router in their home today. Typically, a wireless router was only used if you had a laptop Computer with a wireless card. Today, even those without laptops seem to have wireless routers in their home. If you happen to have your desktop set up in a different room from the internet connection you can simply purchase a wireless router and a USB wireless transmitter for your desktop to be able to communicate with it. Due to the overwhelming presence of these devices and the fact that if they are not properly secured that you could be the victim of identity theft or bandwidth theft, it's imperative that you learn to properly secure your wireless router.

A router simply passes data packets from your local network to your Internet Service Provider (ISP), thus acting as a gateway from your household to anywhere on the internet. Wireless routers are so quick and easy to set up that anyone can do it nowadays. Sadly, very little emphasis seems to be paid to security during the initial setup. Protect yourself and your information with these three steps:

First, always set a password on your device. A good password needs to be at least eight characters in length, using a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. Doing this will prevent unauthorized access to the router.

Next, always make sure that access via the network to the admin panel has been disabled. By doing this you will force any changes to your setup, including a password change, to be restricted to the Computer directly connected to the device. Put another way, if you want to make changes to the device you have to be sitting in front of it and not somewhere else.

Finally, I always recomMend turning off the SSID broadcast. What this means is if you don't know the name to your wireless network, you can't get on it, even if you know the password. This way your network won't show up when someone is running a scan looking for a network to get onto or possibly hack into. No name, no access. Along these lines, make sure you pick a good network name and don't use the default given to it. Perhaps you remember hearing about a well-known internet search company that decided to map everyone's wireless networks when taking photos for their 'Street View' feature? Not broadcasting the SSID, as it's known, would have protected your privacy in this case.

Using these three simple steps will prevent almost all possibility of unwanted access to your wireless network. Just remember to check for the occasional firmware update from your wireless router company's site. You can find a check-for-update link within your router's control panel.

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How secure is my wireless broadband?

How secure is my wireless broadband?

The harsh truth is that no Computer network is completely safe. No one has yet invented for the protection against hackers. Internet service providers, cable operators and wireless carriers are doing better than at home and do business computing as secure as possible. There are a number of precautions to any of us to protect our Computers.

Wi-Fi that this is a dedicated phone line or cable will be transmitted in encryptedTo make it more difficult for uninvited guests to spy on the private networks. The transmission of wireless signals through the Air adds more diMensions of an already difficult problem. Unsecured wireless networks can be intercepted by nearby wireless technology.

How do I protect my wireless network?

There are a few simple steps that take you to prevent unauthorized access to the possibleNetwork

1 Change the user names and passwords that come with the device.

Most home users have Wi-Fi networks that include a router or access point. Before you can access the Internet, you need to log in, usually via a web-based control panel. These tools will be password protected. The username and password will be quite easy to remember in order to speed up the process. You must change thisDetails immediately. Ideas for the selection of passwords in the related article, "Authentication passwords is essential for the safety of your Computer" to find.

In the second round of the Wi-Fi encryption.

Your Wi-Fi devices include the ability to encrypt messages sent and received over the network. It 'important to ensure that this system is activated. In addition, the encryption settings foreach network device must be identical.

Third, change the name of your network.

Each wireless router or access point has a number of networks and services Identifier (SSID). This is usually the form of the name of the service provider, such as BT Home Hub or Belkin, possibly followed by a number. Even knowing the network name does not automatically have access, canunauthorized interception more difficult if not changed. Back to "Authentication passwords is essential to computer security" refer.

4 Disable the roaming function.

When I turn on my laptop, I can for wireless networks that are available in the range of my wireless receiver for the search. The available networks could hear my neighbor or a neighbor's Wi-Fi. If you are myNeighbor and I can freely access the network, this means that you allow anyone to do in the area. To stop hackers can penetrate your network, you need to turn off SSID roaming router or wireless transmission.

5-enable the firewall protection.

Most wireless routers include a firewall. You must ensure that theFirewall is always enabled. In this way unwanted visitors to stay away. You may also want to ensure that every computer on your network is protected by a firewall.

6 Be careful where you put your wireless router.

Wireless signals are able to walk through walls and windows. If you place the router near an outside wall, you're inviting people from otheraccess outside the home network. Side wireless devices as close as possible to the center of your home, so that any signal it can find its way into the wide world is very weak and insignificant.

It follows that in no way enTirely foolproof, this will sound a few tips to help keep your wireless network and your computer safe from hackers neighborhood.