The router is the door of our home to the outside. The place where the connected house and all devices gain access to the Internet and the same thing that happens with our home, it is important to have a secure door that is always closed.
We have already seen how there are different forms and methods when it comes to improve performance of our connection. From the use of strong passwords, through the DNS change or even using a VPN. But also, in the router there are a series of settings that you can always carry out and that I always use to prevent others from accessing my WiFi network without permission.
Disable remote access
One of the first adjustments is disable something that some routers have From the market. This is a setting that allows remote access and allows us to enter the router when we are not at home. It is not something very common and therefore it is something that can be deactivated. This way you will prevent attackers from using this access door to enter your router.
Likewise, it is very important to ensure that the WPS access button is not activated, since as we have already explained on other occasions, it is a back door that can leave our network with great vulnerability. It is important to enter the settings and if we have this function, check that it is disabled.
Change router access password
The first and one of the most important is modify the access password to the router. By default, one is established when we buy the router or it is “given” to us by the operator, but it is an open path for any attack.
It is not about the WiFi network password, which is another aspect that we will see later. It is what allows you to change the router configuration and it is always advisable to change it so that no one has access to the router and can modify the different settings. It is best to use a unique, strong password and keep it in a secure place.
Change the name of the WiFi network
Another thing I do is change the name of the WiFi network. I do it in my case for two reasons.: to use the one I already had before and not have to apply changes to all the devices, but above all to not reveal any information about the company that provides me the service.
By default, the WiFi network name It has to do with the phone company or the router manufacturer, which provides information that can provide data to potential attackers. That is why it is advisable to change the name of the WiFi network (SSID) and use a name that does not provide any type of information but is also not a very flashy name.
Change password with WPA3
And just as before we changed the access password to the router, now it’s time change the one that allows access to the network. We must change the default one by entering the router settings looking for a secure password.
In this sense, the most advisable thing is use the WPA3 protocol, more secure than WPA2 and which is present in the most modern routers (it is advisable to completely discard older protocols, such as WPA or WEP). In this way we will have more secure passwords against possible attacks.
Guest Network
A good part of the routers sold on the market have the possibility of creating a guest network. It is a more than advisable option so that if people arrive home, they can connect without having to provide WiFi network data as name and password.
And if they access our network, in addition to that data, these people could have access to connected deviceslike a Chromecast that we have at home, a printer or a shared hard drive.
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