Internet and World Wide Web have come a long way since its advent. But the methods that we can access it. In the early days, the only method was to use a dial-up modem. Each computer accessing the Internet must have a modem connected or installed. The speed was slow and also means that a phone is used, thus avoiding the phone calls received or sent.
Today, with broadband access, you can access the Internet at incredibly high speeds and keep the lines open for calls. Broadband also enables us to “share” your Internet connection with other devices within our network. With a wireless router connected to broadband modem (cable or DSL), any device with a Wi-Fi adapter to access the Internet. However, this freedom of access also means that people outside the network can also use the theory in its Internet access – without their permission! How can we stop? It’s actually pretty simple.
First, please understand that this only applies if you use a wireless router. If you only have one computer and a broadband modem connects directly to your computer, it is possible that someone close to connect directly to the modem. Users of this scenario is just install a firewall to prevent people from trying to install malicious software delivered by email or by visiting infected Web sites.
To protect your wireless router, just do two things. First, make sure your router’s firewall is active. Most wireless routers allow the firewall when connecting to the modem, but you can control using the browser and load the router’s internal configuration page. Most use an address like http://192.168.1.1, but each is slightly different, so check the manual for guidance.
To enable WEP (Wireless Encryption Privacy), go to the internal configuration and even check your security settings. Then select the 128-bit encryption. Maybe even a password to do so. Enter a password that is never forgotten. Once you enable WEP, you must enter the encryption code on each wireless device you are connecting to broadband connection.
Once you enable WEP, neighbors or others who are trying to connect to the broadband connection can not do so if they have the WEP key.
One of the main issues with safe internet connections in the home is the wireless router. Most people own notebooks for the convienence of being able to travel throughout the home and other places without having to hook up to the internet with a cable. The issue with this is the wireless router.
Many people who are used to using a desktop that is wired directly into the modem are not saavy on the correct procedure on hooking up a wireless router. The main issue that comes into play is security. If the person does not secure their router, then they are giving free access not only to use their internet but also leaving a backdoor open for someone to “hack” into their computer. A router is an access point at which the computer hooks into the internet.
However, a router is also an access point for a network. In many offices there are networks set up to where one user can access another user’s folder on a different computer. This is called peer to peer sharing within a network. When someone does not secure their router at home with a password, they are leaving open the possibility of someone else using that router as an access point into their computer and the ability to see files and other documents and even so far as to be able to load viruses and such onto the computer system itself.
The suggestion is that if the user wants to make sure that their internet connection is safe and they are using a wireless router, go through all of the steps listed with the router software and if there are any questions, call the manufacturer of the router directly. The other issue is always making sure that the Anti-Virus and Firewall software is updated regularly.
This can be easily accomplished by clicking on the icon and opening up the program and checking the settings to make sure that the updates are automatic. For users with Vista, the operating system also comes with Windows Defender, which is another firewall. And although the user account control can be a nuisance, it actually keeps the Internet Explorer in protected mode for an added measure of safety.
The last firewall is actually built into many of the wireless routers themselves. So anyone who is planning on using a wireless router or just to make sure that their internet connection is not being compromised, follow the advice to secure the router connection with a password and always make sure the Anti-Virus and Firewall softwares are updated.
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