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Wi-Fi has taken the world by storm. It is incredibly powerful in the way it transforms our interaction with others. However, the Wi-Fi security scare is for real. The new technology has opened up gaping loopholes which were non-existent with the wired networks. This is not to say that it is impossible to use wireless networks securely. On the contrary, most of the security measures are fairly simple. It is only that most people tend to neglect them till they are confronted by major problems. I am about to outline 5 simple yet powerful tips to ensure your wi-fi security and give you peace of mind. Have you changed the default password and set a strong one instead? This is pretty simple, right? Yet so many people ignore it and are consequently exposed to lurking dangers. The wi-fi home networks use a router for connectivity which has a username and password. Since the default ones are very simple and easily known to hackers, it is always advisable to change the default passwords and set a strong one it its place. A sufficiently strong password makes it very difficult for the hackers to crack it easily. Have you changed the default "network name"? The router used for home networks connectivity has a name (SSID) assigned to it. The default name would be a very easy one to crack. So it is advisable to change the name that you assign to your network. By itself, the network name is not enough for hacking into your system. Nevertheless, it does provide the starting point to the hacker. Secondly, any hacker who sees the default network name unchanged instantly knows that they are looking at a weakly configured network. Have you turned on the encryption feature? Though all wi-fi equipment comes with the encryption feature built into it, most people do not configure it because it involves work. They would rather prefer no encryption because it can be easily installed without the usual technical hassles. However, it is advisable to turn on the strongest available encryption technology on your wi-fi equipment. Have you enabled the firewalls on your computer and router? Even though present day wi-fi network routers come with firewall installed, it is possible to disable them. Therefore, make sure that the firewall on your router is not disabled. Additionally you might also want to install a personal firewall software on your computer that you use to access the network. Have you chosen the position for router installation carefully? The radio signals from your router are available in the nearby area. They might be available in the neighborhood making it easy for strangers to detect and exploit. The farther away from the router you go, the weaker the signal becomes. Although a small amount of leakage may not be a cause for concern, it is still advisable that you position your wi-fi network router close to the center of your house and not near the windows or doors. This will restrict the leakage of the signal outside your house. There are a lot of other "technical" things that you could do to protect your wi-fi network. But most people are not so technical-minded and so those could be done by a professional. Nevertheless, you could always start with the easy ways to ensure the security of your wi-fi network.
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