More Wireless Security Tips
Change the system ID
Your router or access point will have
created a name for your wireless
network called an SSID. The default
SSIDs of commonly available network
hardware are well known, so make sure
you change it to something obscure
which doesn’t give away your location or
your company name.
Switch off SSID broadcast
To make setting up wireless networks
easier, many access points and routers
are configured to broadcast the name of
the network. You may be able to disable
this, which will prevent the casual
snooper from detecting your network.
Change the administrator password
Because many of the options listed here
can be turned on and off by logging
on as the administrator to the
configuration pages of your access point
or
router, it makes sense to make sure you
don’t leave the password as the
default one it came with. The default
passwords for the major hardware
brands are well known, so you should
change it to a strong one immediately.
Place your access point or router
carefully
You should think carefully about where
the access point or router is placed.
Put it as far away from outside walls
and windows as possible, and perform
your own check to see how far the signal
reaches.
Consider a more secure configuration
You could even put your access point
outside a firewall. This will mean
your users will have to connect to the
network using virtual private
networking (VPN). Unauthorized users
will thus be unable to connect.
Manage extensions carefully
Don’t let other users connect their
access point to your network without you
or your network administrator checking
it first. The chances are it won’t
be secure.
Don’t skimp on the rest of your
security
As a second line of defense, ensure that
all of your other security measures
such as strong passwords and so on are
in place.
If you have any questions about wireless
network security please feel free to
contact us at 805 504-3699.
Good Luck!
|
