Much to the shame of many computer users, protecting your wireless network
is a fairly easy thing to do. However, recent news stories show how little is
being done to protect wireless networks. A recent Associated Press article
reported on an 800-mile drive in San Jose, CA,
looking for wireless access points. Over 3,600 wireless access points were
discovered, a full 40% of which were completely unprotected. A CNN report also
found 3,000 connections—with 67% completely open—through “warflying” (flying
over a given area looking for wireless connection sites).
Taking a few simple actions can protect your network from other people
accessing them.
Encryption
Encrypting your data means that you turn it into a code that no one else can
understand. Fortunately, you don’t have to invent such a language; your
computer can do that for you. Once data has been encrypted, it cannot be
decrypted without the proper key. So even if someone accesses your
information—or steals your computer—they won’t be able to use the information
unless they know your password.
WEP (Web Equivalent Protection) is the most common encrypting tool on the
market today. While it is “hackable,” the time and energy needed to decrypt WEP
makes it a suitable choice for most networks. For businesses, and those who
really want to keep their information secure, check into WPA (Wireless
Protected Access). To date, WPA is “unhackable.” Many other encryption programs
are available, ranging in strength and efficacy.
SSID
Your wireless router broadcasts its Service Set Identifier (SSID) to let any
wireless connections know that it is available. Most routers use a generic
name—usually the manufacturer’s name—as their SSID. This makes it extremely
easy for wardrivers to access your network. As long as their computers
recognize the SSID, they can access your network.
You can change your SSID’s default name fairly simply. But that may not be
enough. Many wardrive programs can still detect the network and will display
the new SSID name. To turn your network invisible, you can set your router to
not broadcast its SSID. You can also turn off the broadcast option. Some
computers may have problems accessing networks that do not broadcast their
SSID, however.