Protecting a Wireless Connection

Wireless routers have become a mainstream product in the past few years, but are users taking the necessary steps to protect their wireless connection? The consequences of not having the correct safe guards in place can be dire. But those safe guards are generally very easy and are something that users of wireless routers should not overlook.

With the explosion in broadband penetration, use of the internet has grown massively. It is relatively common for households to have more then one Computer. It is also common for people to own laptops and want to access the internet from anywhere in their home. A wireless router allows households to connect to the internet from more then one Computer at a time, and it allows people to access the internet without the need to be physically connected to a cable.

However, many consumers do not fully understand the need to protect this wireless connection. One of the main culprits is people who do not set a password on their wireless router. This means that anyone within range can access the internet or their Computer from their wireless router. The following is just some of the consequences of this:

ID theft Copying bank details as the user types them (key stroke logging) Viewing illegal sites Stealing bandwidth Changing or deleting files

It is usually very straightforward to set up the correct security settings on a wireless router. Consumers are advised to allows follow the manufacturers instructions, as they may vary. Security settings for the wireless router can normally be access via included software, or a specific URL that you can visit.

The first thing that all consumers should do is to set a different username and password to the default. This should be something personal that others will not be able to guess.

Most wireless routers have built in encryption. This should always be turned on. If the wireless router and devices are built to the wireless B standard, then the encryption should be set to WEP. If the router and devices are the newer wireless G standard, then the encryption should be set to a more powerful WPA. Setting the encryption will prevent anyone else from access the wireless router without the encryption key. This is a very powerful security measure and is almost impossible for an intruder to get around.

Some wireless routers come with MAC adDress Filtering. This means that only Computers and devices that are specified can access the wireless router. Turning on MAC Filtering offers another layer of protection.

Failing to protect a wireless router from hackers and intruders can lead to very serious consequences. But putting the correct security measures in place is very straightforward. Always follow the manufacturers instructions. Ensure a personal username and password is set. Turn on encryption and add the encryption key to each computer and device. Set MAC Filtering if available.

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Wireless Network Setup

The best thing about a wireless network is exactly that, its wireless!
If you have a laptop or even a second desktop pc in the home, installing a wireless network is a great idea.
How about checking your emails, chatting with online friends, doing some shopping or just surfing the net all from a deck chAir in the comfort of your own garden.
Wireless networks are so easy to setup too!

The router that you get with a wireless network kit is the backbone of the system and is basicly where all signals on the network are sent to and from. The signal is enhanced via a small aerial which is found on the back. The router does not need to be connected to a desktop pc or laptop, it can be installed remotely, you just need to site it near a power Supply and a phone socket.

Every desktop pc you want to connect to the wireless network will need a wireless desktop adaptor, this is fitted by opening the case and finding a spare slot for it to go into. The wireless desktop adaptor for the desktop pc has a small aerial which is similar to that of the aerial found on the router.

Opening the desktop pc case and installing a wireless desktop adaptor is a very straight forward task. If you do not want to do this yourself, get your local dealer or a friend to install it for you. If you just have the one desktop pc you may as well just connect the router straight into the desktop pc via a network cable.

When it comes to connecting the laptop you need a wireless laptop adaptor. This is as easy as just slotting the network card into the side of the laptop.

Each desktop pc or laptop you fit a wireless adaptor to will require the software and drivers to be installed and this is done using the cd that came with them. Its just a case of following the on screen prompts to install everything necessary for the wireless network to function properly.

Once the wireless network is up and running you can share files between the lounge and the garden, you can play games between the bedroom and conservatory.

All the while the router power is on any number of the desktop pcs or laptop you have with wireless adaptors installed, will function on the network.

The strength of the signal on the wireless network will vary depending on what the type of router you have, the number of walls, obstructions etc... between the connections, interference from other electrical appliances and how far within the radius of the router you are. The wireless network kits available at the time of writing this article are quite capable of covering an average property size.

A wireless network's internet connection is 'always on' meaning that in order to connect to the internet you just open the browser and your homepage is there. The use of a logging on or connection dialog box is no longer necessary.This makes accessing the internet much more convenient.
Make sure you have a firewall, an anti-virus program and update your windows operating system regularly in order to prevent any nasty intrusions into your Computer.

There you have it, now you do not need to miss your favourite television program while waiting for that online auction to end.

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A Novice Guide To Setting Up A Wireless Network

O.K. It's time to dispel the myth about networking! Although networks, (wireless or otherwise) used to be used primarily by businesses and schools, times have changed. There are now huge benefits to installing a network at home. The thing that put's many people off is the fact that they are notoriously complicated to set up and get working. Well, as technology had advanced this process has become a darn sight easier and if you are interested in setting up your own network then don't panic. As long as you have a little patience, you can do it. There is an abundance of information on the internet to help you get through any problems so, if possible, keep one Computer off of your network, (but connected to the internet) to start with. This way you will still be able to connect to the web and get any advice and tips you need during your installation and set-up.

For those that consider yourself novices and are not sure why having a wireless network in your home is beneficial, let's take a look at some of it's uses. Many of us now have more than one Computer in our homes. Whether you have children with a PC in their room, or a laptop that you use around the house and in the garden there are some great benefits to connecting them all together. First of all, Think about your printer. Why bother having a printer for every PC, or transferring docuMents to the Computer that's attached to the only printer, when you can use a network to let your printer receive information form all your Computers? Of course the other bonus is that, with a wireless network your printer can be put anywhere in the house out of the way. If like me, you have a computer in your living room, then hiding the printer away in the cupboard is perfect.

So there's one advanTAGe. Now, what about music, videos and other media? There is no need to waste time and money putting music onto all of your hard-drives. By creating a Wireless home network you can store all you media on one hard-drive and access it via the network. Of course these are only examples. Another obvious benefit is the ability to access all of your docuMents from any computer in the network. If your chilling in the garden with your laptop and need a file from your desktop PC, no problem. Just access it via your wireless network. Now we've covered some of the more obvious benefits to installing a wireless network let's take a look at how to do it.

The first step, without a doubt is planning. You need to know what you require from your network. How many computers you want to attach, where your computers are located, and any other peripherals, (such as printers). Once you have this worked out it will be much easier to determine what equipMent you need. When looking at equipMent I would recommend that you set up your network using the 802.11g technology, as it is the most compatible.

So, let's take a look at what you will need. First of all, you'll want a broadband connection. Secondly, you need a wireless router. And third, a wireless network adaptor for each computer that is going to be part of your network. For desktop PC's, buy a USB adaptor and for laptops, get a PC card adaptor, (this will Plug into your expansion slot). Before buying your wireless network adaptor, check to make sure your PC doesn't already have this feature built-in. If it does then there is no need to buy an additional one. Also, buy your network adaptor and wireless router from the same company. This will make things far easier when setting up. Now you have your equipment, it's time to get it up and running.

UnPlug your modem and connect it to your wireless router. You will notice that your router came with a network cable. Plug one end into the back of the router, (the port labelled internet, or Wlan, or Wan) and the other end into your modem. If you are unsure which port to connect your cable to, you will need to refer to the instructions, as routers vary depending on the make. Now plug in your modem again and connect to the Internet. Next, plug in your router and turn it on. After a few 30-60 seconds you should see lights that indicate the router is connected to the modem. Now it's time to configure your modem.

Your router will have come with an adDress. Open Internet explorer and type this in the adDress bar. You may need to enter the default password at this sTAGe. This also comes with the router. You should now be looking at the configuration page for your wireless router. Don't panic if it looks technical, you only need to change a few things. First of all you will need to give your network a name. Choose something that is not too easy to guess, as this will help with security issues, and type this in the SSID section. You should also see a section that asks for a WEP or a WPA. Choose something long and random as this will prevent hackers getting in, you don't need to remember this anyway. Now you need to create an 'administrators password'. Again choose something unique containing letters and numbers, (you will need to remember this one though). Now that's done, disconnect the network cable from your computer.

Now you can connect your computers. Before doing anything, make sure you have "Windows Service Pack 2". Now, repeat the following steps for each computer.

If you have purchased a USB network adaptor, plug this into a USB port on your computer. If you have a network card for your laptop, plug this in your expansion slot. Windows should now detect your new hardware and ask you to insert the CD that came with it. Do this, and follow the on-screen instructions. Once you have completed this you will see a new icon in your taskbar, (bottom right of main windows screen). Right-click it and select 'View Available Wireless Networks'. You should now see the name of your wireless network, if you don't, click refresh. Select that network and click connect, enter the network key you will have typed in earlier and wait for it to connect. Now you can close this window.

Finally you need to...........

Do Nothing, that's it! Congratulations, assuming everything went smoothly then you just set up a wireless home network. If you encounter problems, then visit www.wirelessnetworkinstallations.com for more advice. Failing that, call the technical support that came with your router and they will be able to steer you in the right direction.

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