How To Secure Your Home Wi-Fi Network in 2022.

Are you prepared for a security breach? If a hacker isn't already in your home network, he or she will be soon if you aren't careful. Your home Wi-Fi network can be accessed and hacked through various methods and devices. Not only that, it can allow freeloaders such as free internet thieves that can slow down your connection or cause other issues and problems on your home network.

A secure home network will help reduce the risk of getting hacked and someone accessing your sensitive information. Not only that, it will keep away any unwanted or unauthorized users and devices that would slow down your connection or freeload on the internet service you pay for.

Whether you are a small business owner, a parent looking to protect your entire family's online activities, or an individual that wants to make sure his connection is secure, this guide is for you. All too often we worry about our computer security and the latest virus updates but rarely do we give thought to our home network. This article discusses several ways you can increase the safety of your network and keep it free from hackers.

You use your home network to connect various devices and appliances to a single internet service for the sake of convenience. But did you know that your network may become a breeding ground for potential cyber threats? While some threats are contained within the devices connected to your network, others can also come from outside intrusion. This article discusses several ways you can increase the safety of your network and keep it free from hackers.

10 Tips For Securing Your Home Wi-Fi Network: It's Not As Hard As You Think

In this article, I'll show you how to secure your home Wi-Fi by turning off WPS, changing your default SSID, changing the router admin password, encrypting all data flying through the airwaves, and more.

To secure your home wi-fi network against hacking and freeloaders, here are 10 tips you should know.

• Place your router in a central location

A wireless router works best when it is placed in an open space that has a direct line of sight to the places where you will use Wi-Fi. This helps ensure that the Wi-Fi signal is as strong as possible, especially with devices that don't have the best battery life. For example, if you have a home office, place your router on a desk or shelf near where you sit to use the Internet. If you have devices outside of your home (such as a smart security camera), those devices may work better when connected through an Ethernet cable to your router.

• Create a strong Wi-Fi password and change it often

Choose a strong password for your Wi-Fi network—this is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself from hackers and malicious software. Many manufacturers encourage changing default passwords, but you can also find instructions online for adding extra security through encryption methods. Weak passwords are easy to crack, and hackers can use them to gain access to sensitive information on your devices.

When you're setting up a new router, go ahead and make the switch to easy-to-remember and hard-to-guess Wi-Fi passwords—ones that are combinations of letters and numbers that aren't based on personal information (that is, don't use birthdates or names). And if you're using Wi-Fi encryption, your devices will need to be compatible with WPA2 (either WPA2 Personal or WPA2 Enterprise). Changing your password frequently will also help protect you from hackers who might try to guess your password.

• Change the default router login credentials.

With a router's default settings, anyone can log into it and change its configuration. This can be as simple as changing the password to something known only by the intruder, but it could also allow them to change the router's DNS servers—which would allow them to redirect people who try to access websites like Gmail, Facebook, or Amazon. They could even install a malicious program on the router that would infect other computers that connect to it.

A default router is an open door for criminals, so make sure you change the default login credentials and set up your own password before using it.

By taking this common precaution, you'll at least be in control of your own network and won't have to rely on your ISP or manufacturer to protect you from external threats.

For increased protection, enable MAC address filtering and port forwarding (if available).

• Turn on the firewall and Wi-Fi encryption

The first thing you should do when setting up a home Wi-Fi network is turn on the firewall. A firewall is a device or program that monitors incoming and outgoing network traffic to and from your computer, allowing only certain traffic through. All modern operating systems have built-in firewalls, but it's important to check if your router also has a firewall enabled by default—if it does, you'll need to disable it before you can set up your own, personal firewall. The easiest way to protect yourself from intruders is with a hardware firewall. Most routers come with this feature, but it's not enabled by default. To turn it on and set up encryption:

Turn off the computer (and any other devices connected to your router).

Power down your router by unplugging it directly or turning off its power switch.

If applicable, change the recovery/reset pin for your router to something different than the default one (instructions for doing this will be included in the documentation that came with your specific model).

Once it's powered down, plug the router back in and wait 30 seconds for it to boot up completely.

Open a web browser and log into the router's configuration interface by typing its IP address (usually 192.168.101.)

• Create a guest Wi-Fi network

A guest network is a wireless network that is separate from your main wireless network. This allows you to provide internet access to guests without putting at risk the security of your home network. It's particularly important if you share your home with other people, such as when you live with roommates or family members.

1. Find a free wireless router that supports multiple SSIDs. (Search Google for "multiple SSIDs", and look for devices from companies like Linksys, Asus, Netgear, etc.)

2. Install the router's firmware using the manufacturer's instructions. Then configure one SSID for use by guests, and make sure that it uses a different password than your main network does. The SSID is the name that appears when you look at available wireless networks on your computer or phone. You can also customize the appearance of your guest network by changing its colour on a computer or mobile device (this is called the "background" or "wallpaper" in most configuration panels).

• Use the Fastest VPN

There are a few reasons to use a good VPN, and network security is definitely one of them. Among other things, a virtual private network hides your IP address and Wi-Fi activity, including browsing data. 

VPNs are probably more useful when connected to a public network, but they can still add a level of security and privacy to your home network. Some VPNs are better than others, but like anything, you often get what you pay for. Free VPN services are available, but paying a little extra (seriously, just a few bucks per month) will deliver a much better, more secure service.

• Keep your router and devices up to date

Software updates always seem to pop up when you need to get online most. While they can be annoying, there is a purpose to them and it often includes security updates. When companies become aware of potential or exposed security vulnerabilities, they release updates and patches to minimize or eliminate the risk. You want to download those.

Keeping your router and connected devices currently on the latest updates will help ensure you have the best protection against known malware and hacking attempts. Set your router to automatically update in the admin settings, if possible, and periodically check to make sure your router is up to date.

• Disable remote router access

Remote router access allows anyone not directly connected to your Wi-Fi network to access the router settings. Unless there's a need to access your router while away from home, to check or change the configuration of a child's connected device, for example, there should be no reason to have remote access enabled. 

You can disable remote access under, you guessed it, the router's admin settings. Unlike other security measures, disabled remote router access may not be the default.

• Verify connected devices

Frequently inspect the devices that are connected to your network and verify that you know what they are. If anything on there looks suspicious, disconnect it and change your Wi-Fi password. You'll have to reconnect all your previously connected devices after changing your password, but any users or devices that are not authorized to use your network will get the boot.

Some devices, especially obscure IoT ones, may have some odd default names of random numbers and letters that you don't immediately recognize. If you come across something like that when scrutinizing your connected devices, go ahead and disconnect it. Later on, when you can't start your robot vacuum from your phone, you'll know that's what it was.

• Upgrade to a WPA3 router

WPA3 is the latest security protocol for routers. All new routers should come equipped with WPA3, so if you buy a new router, you should have nothing to worry about there. However, many people rent their routers directly from the provider, which may not include the most up-to-date equipment.

If your router was made before 2018, you may have a WPA2 device, which lacks the same security protocols as newer, WPA3 devices. A quick search of your device's model should tell you when it came out and any specific features such as whether it has WPA2 or WPA3. If you've got a router with WPA2, call your provider and negotiate for a better, more recent router. 

Network security is not a guarantee

Again, even with the most recent and effective methods of protecting your home network, security is never going to be 100% certain. As long as there is the internet, hackers and cybercriminals will find ways to exploit it. But with the tips above, hopefully, you can better keep your network secure from anyone trying to use your connection or access your data.