Your home Wi-Fi network may not be as secure as you believe. Internet crime costed Americans more than $6.9 billion in 2021. Personal data breaches were also significant, in addition to phishing and scams. Many personal data breaches could have been avoided with a little home network security.
The average household in the United States has more than ten devices connected to its home Wi-Fi network.
The number of devices ranging from laptops and tablets to phones, smartwatches, and streaming devices can quickly grow, and each is potentially vulnerable to hacking. With so much data stored on those devices – credit card numbers, bank records, login credentials, and other personal and private information – you want to make sure you're protected from hackers if your network is compromised.
A secure home network minimizes the risk of being hacked and having someone gain access to sensitive information. Furthermore, it will keep unwanted or unauthorized users and devices from slowing down your connection or freeloading on the internet service you pay for.
How to Protect Your Home WiFi Network
Here are the fundamentals for safeguarding your home Wi-Fi network.
1. Make a strong Wi-Fi password and change it frequently.
It is critical to creating a unique password for your Wi-Fi network in order to maintain a secure connection. Avoid passwords or phrases that are easily guessed, such as someone's name, birthday, phone number, or other common information. Simple Wi-Fi passwords are easy to remember, but they are also easy for others to figure out
2. Activate the firewall and Wi-Fi encryption.
Most routers include a firewall to prevent outside hacking and Wi-Fi encryption to prevent eavesdropping on data sent between your router and connected devices. Both are usually turned on by default, but you should double-check to make sure.
Now that you know how to access your router's settings, double-check that the firewall and Wi-Fi encryption are turned on. Turn them on if they're turned off for any reason. Your network security will appreciate it.
3. Turn off remote router access.
Anyone who is not directly connected to your Wi-Fi network can access the router settings via remote router access. There should be no reason to enable remote access unless you need to access your router while away from home (for example, to check or change the configuration of a child's connected device).
Remote access can be disabled in the router's admin settings. Disabling remote router access may not be the default, unlike other security measures.
While, even with the most up-to-date and effective methods of protecting your home network, security is never guaranteed. Hackers and cybercriminals will find ways to exploit the internet as long as it exists. However, by following the tips above, you can better protect your network from anyone attempting to use your connection or access your data.
