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There are a lot of articles written about personal routers and wireless technologies. This article is written for one single purpose: to help you connect your router to our network properly and to entice you into turning on a few basic security settings which will keep your router from being used without your knowledge. Every day you have an unsecured router is one more day that could make you responsible for damages because someone used the unsecured connection that you unwittingly made available and downloaded something illegal. That illegal download traces back to your router and your network connection on our network. Stop wondering whether your router is secure, change your password and encrypt the wireless connection now!
Securing your router does not require knowledge of bits and bytes. We're advocating that a simple security approach is better than none at all. Additionally, this approach is completely compatible with the majority of systems in use today without software patches for the PC's or third-party software to make things work properly.
Our instructions will be broken down into three parts:
Part 1: Password protect your wireless router (not the same as securing the wireless connection)
Part 2: Encrypt your wireless signal/change the broadcast name for your wireless network (protect your wireless connection)
Part 3: Hide your router from the Available Wireless Networks menu (Optional, hide your wireless connection name)
What you will need before you get started:
1. A personal router (in our example we use a Linksys wireless router, the wireless aspect is completely optional).
2. A straightened paper clip.
3. Two (2) category 5 (CAT5) Ethernet cables.
4. A piece of paper and a pen.
5. A PC with Internet Explorer (Linksys routers are finicky and "prefer" Internet Explorer, for whatever reason).
6. A printout of these instructions for your records.
Before you begin, it is very important that you plug things in properly. The only connections you will need at this point is to have the router plugged into the power connection, and have the router plugged into your PC, the Internet connection is not needed to configure it. In the picture below, the connections labeled 1-4 are for your PC's, TiVO, Playstation, Xbox and whatever else you have that uses the Internet. The other connection is for the wall Ethernet outlet (which is your Internet connection). Nothing can make a mess of things like a router plugged in backwards, so please pay attention and save the Internet connection for last!
Print this out and circle or write in the information as you go along to have a written record of how to access your router and/or wireless connection.
Question: How can I password protect my wireless router to ensure my neighbors can't mess with my router's settings?
Answer: Follow these simple steps and you'll be one-step closer to locking down your router. Once the router is password protected, it doesn't mean the device is secure, it just means noone can easily change the settings.
1. Open your router's configuration web page. Some vendors ship a CD wth the router and the setup program does only one thing, it takes you to the router confiuration page. That router confiugration page is not on the Internet, the router has its own little mini-web server built in so you can make changes to it (like to secure it) without installing any software. The URL (web page location) for the router varies across router vendors, so if the first one doesn't work, try the others or look up this information in your router's manual. Open a web browser, as some routers behave differently with different browsers, we suggest using Internet Explorer if you have it when configuring a Linksys router (we think it's nonsense that they did this, but then again, they are a household name).
* A hint about connecting to your router. You can download this program for Windows PC's and install it. Run it when you are connected to the router and the default gateway IP address (number) is your router connection address. With a MAC, go to the MAC MENU, System Preferences, click Network and look at the router address on your screen.
2. Enter your router's username and password in the login screen as seen below. Again, the username and password varies by router, so either look this up in your router manual or try one of the options below:
- Usernames: admin, root, or leave blank
- Passwords: admin or leave blank
(linksys routers typically have no username and a default password of admin)
3. After you're logged in to your router's configuration web page, it's time change the password to prevent the average Joe from typing in admin to access your router! It's also a good idea to bookmark this page or add it to favorites so you don't have to remember your router's IP address.
4. Navigate to the Administration area
5. Look for a section related to router password as shown below:
6. Type your new password in the router password field (be sure to write it down or remember it!)
My router password is: ________________________________
Once you have successfully connected to your router, circle the IP address above or write it in the space provided for your records: _____________________________
7. Click Save Settings. It's also a good idea to boomark the router in your web browser so you can get to it easily again.
If you do not have a wireless router, you're finished.
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