With so many home computers using wireless devices/networks, most users purchase and plug in these devices, but forget to configure basic security options to keep their network secure. Below are a few easy steps that you should take in order to prevent most intrusion attempts. Please see your wireless device manual to learn how to configure these options.

Change the default SSID (Service Set Identifier). Your wireless devices have a default SSID set by the factory. The SSID is the name of your wireless network, and it can be anything you wish. Hackers know these defaults and can try them to join your network. Change the network’s SSID to something unique, and make sure it doesn’t refer to the networking products you use. As an added precaution, be sure to change the SSID on a regular basis, so any hacker who may have figured out your network’s SSID in the past will have to figure out the SSID again and again. This will deter future intrusion attempts.

Disable SSID broadcast. By default, most wireless networking devices are set to broadcast the SSID, so anyone can easily join the wireless network. But hackers will also be able to connect, so unless you’re running a public hotspot, it’s best to disable SSID broadcast.

Change the default password needed to access a wireless device. For wireless products such as access points and routers, you will be asked for a password when you want to change their settings. These devices have a default password set by the factory. Hackers know these defaults and will try them to access your wireless device and change your network settings. To thwart any unauthorized changes, customize the device’s password so it will be hard to guess.

Enable MAC (Media Access Control address) address filtering. If your wireless products—such as access points and routers—offer it, enable MAC address filtering. The MAC address is a unique series of numbers and letters assigned to every networking device. With MAC address filtering enabled, wireless network access is provided solely for wireless devices with specific MAC addresses. This makes it harder for a hacker to access your network using a random MAC address.