With the development of wireless network technology, wireless network products have become increasingly affordable. So when setting up or using a wireless network, what security measures should we pay attention to? And how should we configure it?

Recently, wireless network products have become increasingly common and are very affordable. Almost anyone can set up a wireless local area network using very low-cost equipment within a few minutes. The widespread use of wireless networks means that there may be dozens of potential network intruders lurking in your home or office wireless local area network.

Most of the hardware settings for local area networks are already quite simple for users. They just plug in the device and start using the network without sufficient awareness of security. However, spending a few extra minutes configuring the settings of the wireless router or access point before using the network is definitely worth it.

The following points can help you protect your wireless network:

1) Ensure the security of your wireless router or access point's connection management.

Almost all routers and access points require an administrator password to log in and access the device before making any configuration changes. Most devices use very weak passwords such as the word "password" or the name of the manufacturer, and some even have no preset password at all. Once you set up a new wireless router or access point, the first step you should take after setting it up is to change the default password. You may not need to use this password frequently, so be sure to write it down in a safe place so that you can easily find it if needed. If you lose the password, the only way to access the router or access point is to restart it to restore to the factory default settings, which will reset all the settings you have modified.

2) Do not broadcast your SSID

Most local area network access points and routers automatically and continuously broadcast the name or SSID number of the network. This makes it extremely convenient to set up a wireless client because you can find a local area network without knowing its name. However, this also makes your wireless local area network visible to any wireless system within its coverage area. Turning off the SSID broadcast of your network can prevent your neighbors or passers-by from seeing your network (although it will still be found by infinite local area network detection devices).

3) Replace WEP with WPA encryption

The WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) encryption of 802.11 has a well-known vulnerability. With the right equipment, users can break the encryption and access the wireless local area network. A better way to protect your local area network is to use WAP (Wi-Fi Protected Access). WAP offers better protection and is easier to use because your password settings are not limited to the 0-9 and A-F used in WEP. WPA support has been established since Windows XP.

If you notice that some of your wireless devices only support WEP encryption (applicable to non-PC devices such as media players, PDAs, DVRs, etc.), avoid the temptation to skip encryption. Although WEP has flaws and is much better than no encryption at all, it is still better to use it. If you can only use WEP, make sure your password is highly difficult to crack. Although it may be painful, users of WEP need to change their passwords frequently, approximately once a week.

4) Use MAC filtering for entry control

Unlike IP addresses, MAC addresses are unique and are used by specific network adapters. Therefore, by enabling MAC filtering, you can restrict network ports to only allow communication with your own system. To use MAC filtering, you need to access the router or AP and find the 12-digit MAC addresses of all systems connected to the network. This is not very convenient to set up, especially if you have many wireless users or if users frequently change their devices.

5) Reduce the power of the wireless local area network transmitter

This function cannot be found on any router or access point. However, some allow you to reduce the power of the wireless local area network transmitter, thereby reducing the signal range. Although it is usually impossible to precisely adjust the signal so that it does not leak from your home or company, through continuous experimentation, you can even control the range to which the signal can reach, reducing the threat of outsiders accessing your wireless local area network to the minimum.

6) Disable remote management

Most wireless routers have the capability to be remotely managed via the internet. As a rule, it is advisable to keep the remote management feature turned off unless you absolutely need it. Otherwise, almost anyone anywhere could potentially find and access your router.