Here are the Best Ways to Secure your Wi-Fi Network

January 12, 2023 Nishanth Shetty

Hire Trusted Professionals | Exceptional Handyman & Tech Services Delivered to Your Doorstep.

We all have at least own two-three devices that can connect to the internet. These connected devices can make your life easier, but they can also be used by cybercriminals to steal your personal information. Your bank details, for example. You can add as many connected devices as you like to your home WiFi network by following these steps.

You can access your WiFi network from every connected device in your home. There are some connected devices, however, that lack advanced security features and receive fewer security updates than others. As a result, even a smart plug could compromise your entire WiFi network. The majority of connected devices can't be secured individually. The only thing you need to do is change a few settings on your router.

If you need help with WiFi and Network Connectivity Support, please feel free to contact us! QuickGenie can get the job done quickly and efficiently. Our highly-trained and professional technicians are here to help you with all our customers' tech needs. We also provide Exceptional Handyman & Tech Services delivered to Your Doorstep in San Jose, California. For more details, please click on this link: https://quickgenie.store or call us at +1-408 839 9298.

Follow these Steps to Secure Your WiFi Network

Make sure all your routers and WiFi networks have strong, unique passwords to ensure your safety online. Additionally, you should ensure that you're using the latest WiFi encryption protocol, that your router's firmware is current, that you have a separate network for guests, and that your router has a firewall.

Change the Default Password of Your Router

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency reports that WiFi routers all have preset passwords, but these are "easily obtained online" and "provide only marginal security." Change your router's password immediately after buying it. Due to their temporary nature, most WiFi routers come with usernames like "admin" and passwords like "password". The default login credentials for your router can be found by searching your manufacturer's website.

Using any web browser, type the IP address of your router to change the password. Navigate to Settings, Administration, using your router's current login credentials. The settings menu is where you can change your password.

Change your Wi-Fi Name and Password

In any web browser, type the IP address of your router into the address bar to change your WiFi network name and password. In most cases, you can find your WiFi network name and password under Wireless Settings or Advanced > Wireless Settings. When you find your WiFi network's name and password, type in a completely different one and click Save or Apply to make the changes. Your WiFi network's name is also known as an SSID (or Service Set Identifier), and your password might be called a "passphrase."

Many routers also support multiple WiFi networks. For dual-band routers, you must change the names and passwords separately for 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks.

Create a Guest WiFi Network

Nowadays, giving people your WiFi password is like giving them your house keys. Cybercriminals can hack a person's device to gain access to your WiFi network, even if you trust them. To protect your personal information, you should create a guest network. Guest networks are essentially separate WiFi networks. So that your guests can access the internet, you don't have to worry about your real network being accessed by them with all your personal information and connected devices.

Enter your router's IP address into the address bar of any web browser to set up a guest WiFi network. Log in to your router by pressing Enter. Create a network name and password under the Guest Network. Don't forget to save or apply your network after you've finished creating it.

In some routers, allowing guests access to your network is also a checkbox. When you don't need your guest network, uncheck these boxes to turn them off quickly. You might consider keeping it and using it for all your smart home devices. In this way, your smart plugs won't compromise the security of your entire WiFi network. With a dual-band router, you can also create separate guest networks for 2.4GHz and 5GHz.

Disable Remote Access

Most routers allow you to configure your WiFi settings from anywhere in the world, but this also makes it easier for cybercriminals to hack your router from anywhere in the world. By disabling remote access to your router, only devices that are directly connected to your network can make changes to your router configuration.

To disable remote access to your WiFi network, type your router’s IP address into the address bar of any web browser. Log into your router and navigate to Advanced Settings or Advanced > Administration, or something similar. Finally, uncheck the box next to Remote Access or Remote Management.

Turn on Your Router’s Firewall

Unlike the firewall on your computer, your router’s firewall can secure all the devices connected to your WiFi network at once. While this feature is enabled by default on a lot of routers, it has such an impact on your WiFi network security that you should check to make sure it is not disabled. Most routers come with built-in firewalls, which will protect your WiFi network by detecting and blocking incoming traffic from unsolicited and malicious sources.

Any web browser can be used to enable your router's built-in firewall by entering its IP address. Go to Firewall, SPI Firewall, or something similar on your router. Click Save or Apply after checking Enable Firewall. You only need to worry about enabling your router's firewall on this page, even though there might be a lot of complicated settings to change. The other options can be left as they are.

Back to blog