WPA Key = Security Key = the password to connect your wireless network = Wi-Fi Security Key = WEP Key = WPA/WPA2 Passphrase = the password on your modem or router.
Warning! You must be "On a Windows PC that's connected to your Wi-Fi network". These steps work only if your computer is connected by wi-fi. If you have a wired Ethernet connection, you will not see your "Wi-Fi network name" or "Wi-Fi Status" or "Wireless Properties".
PC not on Wi-Fi: Use any browser to log into your router (e.g. 192.168.1.1 - 192.168.1.254). Log in > Wireless Setup > Basic Settings > Security Key Type Use Default Key/Passphrase *******
If you bought a business-class wireless router (and not a consumer-grade one), odds are the manufacturer has access points (APs) that can work with your model. These access points connect seamlessly with the original wireless router and just repeat the signal.
Wireless extenders are generally not as robust as APs. Some wireless extenders will just repeat the same wireless SSID, and others will show up on the network as a different SSID.
A spare wireless router (perhaps an older model) lying around, you can be repurposed as an extender. If your router is one of those models locked down so that this method doesn't work, consider installing the open source firmware dd-wrt or Tomato.
Some wireless extenders will just repeat the same wireless SSID, and others will show up on the network as a different SSID.
Mesh networks are powerful and you may have heard them in relation to municipal networks and other large-scale networks. They create multiple connections between devices and routers, so that if one network segment fails, other devices continue to work. They are more expensive to deploy, but Meraki (now Cisco) and Ruckus Wireless are among a handful of companies with SMB-friendly products.
Has a four-port switch (not just a hub) (four 10/100 Mbps ports )
Integrated Router/Firewall provides NAT, DHCP, and packet filtering services
Integrated DHCP services allow up to 253 users (on your network) to get their IP address automatically
A wireless router should allow you to broadcast to your portable computers and also allow you to use a normal Ethernet network cable (and switches) to attach to other computers.
Read the manual that came with the wireless router.
Passwords
Change the default password (in the administration tool you can use via a Web browser - e.g. 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.2.1) - You must require an authentication login by wireless users.
Change the default router username from 'admin' or 'user' to something less obvious.
Turn off File Sharing on your computer.
SSID = Service Set Identifiers = a sort of call sign for your network = name of your network router
Change the SSID to something obscure. Use a name that's innocuous and doesn't refer to you or your business.
Disable SSID broadcasting = Turn SSID OFF = tell your network to stop broadcasting its SSID
This will prevent random snoopers from seeing or detecting your Wi-Fi network through ordinary means.
Your router is now invisible to passers-by, but it's also invisible to your own PCs on the network.
Control Panel > Network Connections > Wireless Network Connection > Network Tasks (left pane): View status of this connection > View Wireless Networks (button) > Related Tasks (left pane): Change the order of preferred networks > Preferred Networks: Add (button) > type your new network name
Turn on your router's encryption (preferably 128-bit WEP encryption or better (e.g. Windows WPA is better than WEP))
WEP = Wired Equivalent Privacy
WPA = Wi-Fi Protected Access = more secure than WEP
WPA2 = Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 = more secure than WPA
Encryption, even the outmoded WEP encryption that comes with 802.11b, is certainly better than nothing. But unless you’ve changed to the much more secure WPA encryption, turned off SSID broadcasts from your access points, and required an authenticated logon for wireless users, you’re still vulnerable.
More encryption = less range
MAC = Media Access Control = a unique address embedded in each network device = like a serial number
Limit access to your router to only specific MAC addresses
Use a low-power setting (so fewer passersby will be able to access your network)
Put PC in stealth mode so that the PC is invisible to the LAN (and to hackers)
Enable the firewall on your wireless router.
Use Network Magic (by Cisco).
One final step you can take to prevent random access to your network via wired or wireless systems is to change the workgroup name for any PCs in your small business.
See Homegroup ...
*****
CIRA.ca - CIRA Canadian Shield | Free public DNS for Canadians
© Patrick J. Kidd - Contact ©
