Since you’ve come here, I assume you probably have a Wi-Fi router in your home. The router is perhaps the essential thing in the house that provides internet access to all the family. Many people, when they come into your home, maybe your relatives or friends, ask for the password of your Wi-Fi to check something on their smartphone. Your router controls access to all of your phones, laptops, and more. When someone else outside your family gets access to your password, it becomes tough to know who is accessing your home network as the signal of your Wi-Fi goes beyond the walls of your home. Hence, you need to take some precautions to protect you and your family from intruders and remote hackers.
The following are some simple yet essential steps to Secure and reduce the risk of your network.
1. A Strong and Complicated Password
When someone you know asks for the password of your WiFi, it is hard to say no. But, you can make your password so tricky that they wouldn’t remember it to tell it to others. How? It’s simple to use random letters(uppercase & lowercase), numbers, characters in your password. Once a password is entered into a phone, it is not visible, so people won’t be able to read it off and tell it to somebody else.
One other thing you’ll do is not to say to them the password; instead, offer to enter the password yourself. Also, you shouldn’t feel obligated to give out the password to any random person that comes to your home, eg. Your housemaid is a stranger, and no matter how well you know them, you never know what their plans are.
Anyone may be a plumber or a gardener. They don’t have the right to ask for your Wi-Fi password in the first place, if this happens, say a definite NO. Also, commercial visitors shouldn’t ask for access to your password as the company already provides them with a data plan.
In these instances, say NO and contact their company immediately. Also, login into your admin panel and keep changing your password frequently as it can help reduce the risk of a hacker attack.
2. Keeping the Firmware Up to Date
A hardware device such as your router to give permanent instructions to communicate with other devices and perform basic input/output tasks
Modern routers nowadays update by themselves, but if your router is of an old model, you should make sure it is updated. The option to upgrade your router isn’t that difficult to find, and you can quickly get it within the router control panel. Also, the process varies from router to router.
If you are lucky, the process might even be automatic. If you are unlucky, you might have to download new firmware. If you get stuck, make sure you check the “Router Firmware Update” on our official website. But no matter how difficult it is for you, make sure you do it, it is worth the effort.
3. Change Your Network Name
A hacker doesn’t need to know from what home the network is coming from because he doesn’t need to break into your house; rather, he will use the information that appears in the SSID( a name given to each network). So you need to change the SSID. While changing the SSID, make sure you don’t use your name, address, or phone number. “_C901Singh”, “Catchmeifyoucan”, “D/301” are bad ideas. Don’t use offensive language or challenge the hacker through your SSID.
Keeping it simple is the key. You can also block your router from sending out its identifier. This will make your home Wi-Fi a hidden network. The devices which are already connected will be able to see it, but the outsiders won’t be able to see it. If you buy a new device, you can temporarily turn on the SSID broadcast to let your new device see the network. If the people are unable to see your network, they are less likely to ask for the password.
4. Turn Off the Router
If you are not using your Wi-Fi, turning it off would be a great move. It is a good thing to turn off all of your electronics at night. The reason for this is apparent, the fewer hours your Wi-Fi system will be active, the lesser is the possibility of a hacker attack. Doing this will also help the environment and will reduce your monthly electricity bill.
We hope we have provided a relevant solution to your problem. Be sure to keep your data safe and not share it with anyone. Do you have any ideas for improving the security of your Wi-Fi? If yes, leave your thoughts in the comment section below and share your knowledge with the world.
Also read: Ultimate Guide to Offline Listening: How to Download Music from Tidal
