Securing Wireless Network (Idiot Guide Needed)

[lou100]

Hi, can anybody tell me how to secure my wireless network, I am concerned its not locked down and maybe other people would be able to access it.

Ive got a netgear router.

Cheers..

[BillyNoMates]

Basically 5 steps ;

1) Stop advertising your network by disabling the SSID Broadcast - you should be able to do this by accessing your router through a browser. I think Netgear call it 'Hidden Mode'.

2) Restrict the router to only recognise known MAC addresses of your wireless devices.

3) Enable wireless encryption. This must be done both on the router and any network cards - WEP and WPA encrytion are the most common. WPA is more secure.

4) Disable ad-hoc networking - this is a low risk but prevents any wireless network cards from talking to each other.

5) Change your router password to something other than the factory default.

The reference manual should give you the detail on all of the above, or the Netgear website is pretty good. It's complex but if it's followed through step by step it's not difficult.

[spacechimp]

<a target='_blank' target='_blank' href="http://www.amazing.dsl.pipex.com/wifinetwork.jpg ">Here's an article from a supplement to PCPro</a>

[spacechimp]

lol, that did not work.

[spacechimp]

<a target='_blank' target='_blank' href="http://www.amazing.dsl.pipex.com/wifinetwork.jpg ">Let's try again</a>

[spacechimp]

I god-damn suck. http://www.amazing.dsl.pipex.com/wifinetwork.jpg

[spacechimp]

<A target='_blank' href=http://www.amazing.dsl.pipex.com/wifinetwork.jpg>one last go?</A>

[spacechimp]

I'm a failure.

[lou100]

Thanks everybody, i'll give it a go.