5 Simple Tips on Surfing Safely at Home

When you surfing on your Wi-Fi network at home, takes this 5 simple steps to protect you from security break.

1. Change your password.
Upon setting up your home network, change the administrator password immediately. This is because the hacker community knows the default administrator password and can use them to wrest control of the network from you.

2. Turn on WEP Security.
The most level of security for staving off someone merely trying to mooch some free bandwidth, or someone with more malicious intentions, like downloading illegal content using your wireless network.

In Windows XP, go to Control Panel, Network Connections, right-click Wireless Network Connections, Properties, Wireless Networks, Properties, Association. Then turn on WEP encryption.

3. Upgrade WEP to WPA (WiFi Protected Access) Security.
This newer security fixes some of the known weaknesses of older WEP method, but it may not be available on older wireless router. Access to the WPA menu the same way you did for WEP.

4. Turn-Off SSID Broadcast.
SSID (Service Set Identifier) is used by componies offering Wi-Fi service so that users can easily find their networks. SSID broadcast is not needed if you are just using for your home.

5. Turn off your modem when not in use.
You may not have to do this if you are just going taking 10-30 minutes break, but do turn off the modem off for extended absense from your computer, like sleeping, gone to work/school, during overseas trips.