Internet access has turned almost everything, easily reachable; be it shopping or remote-working from home. That’s why people have leaned over grabbing uninterrupted internet connection to home, offices, restaurants, and where not. The router that you’re using whether at home or office is not only a device that activates the internet to you, additionally, it keeps track of incoming and outgoing traffic and every single device’s connection ID.
Now, the question lingers — If anyone can sneak into the Wi-Fi network? Yes, that’s possible as Wi-Fi signals can penetrate walls, and the people of neighboring buildings and streets can find out your Wi-Fi network, easily. Thus, all your business or in-home electronic devices are vulnerable to get exposed to the hacker.
Well, you can switch off the router at home when you’re not using it. You might be thinking of how you can deactivate your Wi-Fi signals and router when your employees desperately need the facility.
Won’t it violate the preliminary requirements of your employees, if you switch off the Wi-Fi connection? Yes, it would. So, what’s the way out? Let’s dig out the tricks that can help you maximize your Wi-Fi security at home and in business.
1. Activate WPA Encryption
Please don’t say that you haven’t enforced encryption on your home or business router. It’s a mandatory requirement for every router and Wi-Fi enabled device to have a dedicated encryption policy. However, there are practically two mostly used encryption policies. The former one is Wired equivalent Privacy or WEP, another is the WPA or Wi-Fi Protected Access.
If you are looking for non-compromising security enhancers, then you should go with WPA. Wi-Fi networks protected with WPA or WPA2 protocol would be a suitable option for home and small businesses. You just have to share the password with the family members, or the employees associated with the business, respectively.
Moreover, you should not disclose the password of that particular Wi-Fi network to a stranger or an outsider to your business. The same rule applies to your household network, too. If any employees leave your office or brand, you should promptly change the password. If the ex-employee had a separate Wi-Fi account in the organization, then just disable his or her account.
2. Modify the Wi-Fi Network’s Name
Wi-Fi networks come with default names and passwords. If you have made the alterations to the password and its type, then don’t ignore the SSID, too. The Service Set Identifier with the default name might expose the limitations of the router. And, the trespasser would find the seams to peek into your network.
For businesses, you should change the SSID of Wi-Fi access points. Moreover, if possible, you can hide those SSIDs, so that the intruder doesn’t stand a chance to discover the network easily. This will prevent them from invading your business data, client details, transaction history and banking records.
However, this trick shouldn’t be the only measure to secure your Wi-Fi networks at the office. Because the latest Wi-Fi detecting rolls can identify hidden networks. But, it adds an extra security layer to your networks. Well, home Wi-Fi networks deserve a similar protection scheme, too.
3. VPN or Firewall?
Small businesses and homeowners might misinterpret the functionalities of firewall and VPN connections. The firewalls are used for preventing malware attacks from outside and act as a defence. Whereas VPN connections from VPNSurfers are meant to encrypt all your incoming and outgoing traffic so that none can spy over them. VPN connections also protect your original IP address and keep them safe from intruders.
Don’t get confused between these two because both are necessary to keep your Wi-Fi network protected. Firewalls allow only legitimate data packets to your network, and it would discard almost all the risk-factors targeting your home network or business one.
Additionally, VPN connections would take care of the data-in-transit so that nobody can look into them, even if they get a path to enter into your network. So, go for both Wi-Fi security options for healthy business growth and harassment-free home network connection.
4. 5.Keep Updating Router Firmware
Don’t tell us that you have again opted for ‘Remind me later’ when the router asked for a firmware update. Keep in mind that the hackers are trying technologies to evolve so that they can break the thumb-rules and invade any system and network. The firmware and software update to any electronic device is to make sure that the device has earned the capability to restrict the modern intrusion techniques, so far.
If you just keep ignoring the update and reschedule it again and again, then you’re just endangering the network. With regular updates and backups, you can keep your brand premises safe and secure from cyber-attacks.
When it comes to household routers, you should do the same. As a bonus tip to the homeowners, try to place the router at the center position of your home.
5. Arrange a Different Network for Guests
The Wi-Fi network that you use for household, or for crucial business tasks is not worth sharing with the guests. If you don’t want to be rude to your guests, then you can offer them a separate Wi-Fi network to use. So, avail a different Wi-Fi access point and set up the SID to be easily discoverable.
And, you can keep the WEP protocol for easy sign-up to that network. It would not violate your network security, as well as won’t harm your caring image. However, WPA2 password encryption would protect your guests from unnecessary invasion.
More to Add…
Apart from the above tips, you should locate the Wi-Fi rogue points. Physically inspecting the router and network configuration is also a smart idea. Most importantly, deploy a strong password to every Wi-Fi access point in your home and office. Keep changing them frequently and never share them with strangers. Last but not the least, make sure that you have disabled remote access on your Wi-Fi network.
