Whilst a lot of us don’t want to admit it, we spend a lot of our life online. Whether that is browsing through Facebook or playing games with our friends on our consoles. With so much time spent being connected to Wi-Fi, especially at work and at home, we need to consider how we can improve our Wi-Fi security. Threats to our internet security increase on a daily basis, so here are a few tips that can help you stay safer whilst you are online.
Start Changing Names
We know this may sound minimal but changing the name of your WiFi can be an excellent way of putting up a shield between you and a would-be hacker. Your WiFi network comes with a name as standard (known as an SSID or service set identifier). By changing the name, you make it a lot more difficult for would-be hackers to figure out what type of router you have in your home or your business. You don’t need to think of anything to complex, just a name such as “router 1” will do the trick.
Router Placement
When it comes to placing your router in your home, we all just tend to default to wherever the connection is, but there is a very good case for moving it. If you are able to, place it in the center of your home. Not only will every room get better network strength, but it also limits the amount of signal outside your home. This way, you reduce the chances of someone being able to access your WiFi network from the other side of the road, thus increasing your security.
Turn Off Your Wi-Fi If You Are Out The House
If you know that your house is going to be empty for an extended period of time, turn the Wi-Fi off. We know we sound paranoid, but personal data is worth a fortune on the dark web and it is these small changes that make a world of difference. If you aren’t there and someone tries to hack into your system, they can do it uninterrupted until they get in, or give up. By turning off the Wi-Fi you are removing the chances of them doing just that.
Monitor Your Network From Intruders
Half the battle of internet security is knowing that there is a battle actually happening. With attacks increasing on a daily basis, we can’t sit back and think that it won’t happen to us, because it is a very real possibility. You want to make sure that you know what is happening on your network, this way if you know what they are trying to do, you can stop them from doing it. Watching internet activity such as this can help you defend from attacks in the future, collect log in attempts, and see what activity has been happening. You can input this data into a variety of platforms that will give you a statistical readout, this way you can work out what is happening, how often, and where your weaknesses lie.
Use A VPN
A VPN or virtual private network acts as a shield between your pc and potential hackers. It does an array of interesting things, from hiding your IP address so you can access sites without them knowing where you are, whilst keeping information secure in your network. They are now relatively inexpensive and a very good way of keeping all your personal information secure and safe. If your family is prone to taking their devices out of the house, make sure they use them when they are browsing in cafes and other public network places, most VPN providers now have apps that can be used across all devices. This way all their information will stay and secure.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to WiFi security, there are a few small and inexpensive changes that you can make straight away that will make all the difference. When you aren’t at home or in the office for an extended period of time, make sure that you turn off your router, as this will stop any unwanted attention from hackers. You can also take other steps such as changing the name of your network to make it less obvious which router you have. Finally, if you are concerned about potential threats in your area, keep a log of any attempted breaches and where they are coming from to make sure you are keeping your data safe. All these small things add up to increased security on your WiFi network.
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