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wireless g router
Wireless Network Security: Protecting Your Router
By Matthew Hick
A router is a great idea for networking computers that are not right next to each other. However, having a router can pose a large threat to your computers' security. Take a look at how you can protect your network from spyware, malware, viruses, and third party invasions.
The benefits of a router:
There are a wide variety of reasons to use a networking router. First of all, it is fairly inexpensive, simple to set up and use, and gives the user a great deal of mobility options. There are no messy cables connecting one computer to another or to a cable modem. Having a router is like having computer freedom. But as with all freedoms, you will typically find yourself trying to protect it.
How does your network router become insecure?
Well, think about it this way: the signal that a router gives off will typically go far beyond your home or your office. Because of this fact, anyone in the vicinity of your area who has access to a slightly powerful antenna and some common hacking software can scan all of the data in your network. And to make matters worse, this person does not even have to be in a stationary position where you might easily spot him or her. No, he or she can simply be passing by your home or office in a car!
So, how can you protect your network from hackers?
There are several things that you can do to make your network more secure. One thing is that you can look at the access point on your router. It may allow you to control the strength of your router's signal and the direction in which the signal can go. You can test out how low you can make the signal so that it can still work in your home or office. Be aware though, that some experienced hackers do have software to detect all signals. So you do have the chance of encountering something like that.
Another thing you can do is to password-protect your router. Typically, when you set up your router, the software
you install gives you a password. Well, of course the hackers are aware of this. So, check with the particular brand of router that you have and find out how to change that password. This will make it much more difficult for hackers to get in.
You can also put a limit on the number of user addresses that you have on your network router. This means that you can assign only enough addresses as you need to give to your valid users. This means of protection works very well, because if everyone in your home or business logs on, but some people can't connect to the network, then you have proof that someone is illegally logging on to your network router.
Make sure that you take the time to make your network secure. It is worth the hassles that you may encounter otherwise!
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