How to protect your Wi-Fi from your neighbors. How to protect your home router from hackers and neighbors. How to protect your Wi-Fi

Today, when in most homes you can catch a wireless Internet network, the question of how to set a password for wifi takes on the role of an important aspect of ensuring data security. Creating a reliable “line of defense” for a home network is quite a responsible matter, and has its own subtleties. With this in mind, you will benefit from adopting the knowledge and advice offered in this article.

The plan for introducing the topic will be as follows:

First, we will cover the main existing types of encryption in wifi networks;
Then we’ll look at a general example of how to password protect a network.

Encryption in WIFI networks

Personal information stored in files on a computer connected to a wireless network may be accessible to unauthorized people. In other words, with bad intent or not, for fun or profit, unauthorized access to the entire contents of a PC can be obtained through a network without a password. To prevent this, various encryption methods have been developed to protect users. Further about what they exist.

WEP

This technology (802.11 standard) was one of the first systems to ensure the security of a wifi network. It provided weak protection, which is why it was often hacked by hackers in order to steal important information. The result of this has been a significant slowdown in the adoption of wifi networks in companies and business organizations. The managers did not have the slightest confidence in the confidentiality of data transmitted via wireless communications. In addition, this system did not provide the ability to set a password.

The IEEE Institute took up the solution to this problem, which organized 802.11i, a working group that began creating a new data encryption model that can protect wifi networks.

The result was the emergence of WPA (Wifi Protected Access or secure access) in 2004. The new system corrected the shortcomings of the old one thanks to the combination of several technologies that could solve the problem of its vulnerability and put an end to the history of easy network hacking.

WPA

The 802.1x standard, as mentioned above, replaced 802.11. The main difference was mutual authentication and constant encapsulation of data transmitted between the server and client access points. The authentication protocol (EAP) has also been expanded.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with a schematic representation of the operation of WAP and many other security systems (see figure)

In addition, Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) technology and MIC, a message checksum that prevents any modification of data packets during transmission, have been integrated into WAP. Working together, these technologies can ensure that the network is protected, allowing only users who have the password to connect to it.

WPA2

The next leap towards network security was the release of the WPA2 (802.11i) program. Only with its advent, enterprises and companies began to actively implement wireless networks, giving privacy a special role.

The most important innovation was the introduction of AES, a 128-bit advanced data encryption algorithm. It allows you to put an end to the work of the cipher “blocker”, which makes it possible to use one code for both authentication and encryption. It has now become mandatory to use different ciphers for each of these operations. We also added key caching and pre-authentication of users (to organize them by access points).

There are modifications of the 802.11i standard:

802.11r is a technology specializing in the fast and reliable transfer of key hierarchies based on the Handoff algorithm. This wifi standard is fully compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n modifications.
802.11w is intended to improve the security mechanism by placing greater emphasis on protecting 802.11i-based control packets. Both of these standards belong to the 802.11n group.

Thus, the use of the latest (WPA2) standard when organizing wireless network security is obvious.

Enough theory. The next step should be to organize wifi password protection, which we will now consider.

Wifi password - installation details

A wireless network makes it possible to connect various devices to the Internet within a radius far beyond the boundaries of the apartment. Therefore, if your wifi is not password protected, your neighbors will be able to use it. And it’s one thing if such an unauthorized “visit” is made only for the sake of obtaining free Internet, and quite another if its purpose turns out to be to obtain personal information for committing fraudulent actions.

Therefore, setting a wifi password is a top priority after creating and configuring the network.

This procedure may have slight differences when working with different models of routers. But despite this, there is one general configuration algorithm that is used in all cases.

Step 1

The first operation required to password protect the network is to enter the router settings.

It comes with a CD designed to make setting up the equipment easier. But if you find it difficult to find it, you can use the router’s web interface. In this case, you will need to launch a web browser and enter a special code (a construction consisting of “http://” and “IP router”) in the address bar. Standard addresses for most routers start with “192.168.”, and then follow: “1.1”, “0.1”, “2.1” (for example, 192.168.1.1). Which one is suitable in your case? This can be found out by looking at the back cover of the router (for 99% of cases), or by looking on the Internet.

Please note the following:

It is better to enter the router settings from a computer connected to it using an Ethernet cable. When using a wifi connection, you will have to repeat the login procedure every time after any change.
The name and password for the router is almost always “admin”. If it doesn’t work, look through the instructions to find the correct option, or look at the back cover of the device.
If you find it difficult to remember the password you set earlier, reboot the router with the Reset button. This will reset all user settings on the device, returning them to factory settings.

Step 2

Now you need to find a tab with a name similar to “Network Security Properties”. It is most often located in the “Wifi Settings” or the “Security” section. Having trouble locating a tab? You can enter the name of your router model into the search and determine its location.

Step 3

Next, you need to select the type of data encryption. Modern models provide for the use of various network protection methods. We talked about the features of each at the beginning of the article. And, as discussed there, it is most advisable to use WPA2 today due to its highest reliability.

Important! Older router models may not be able to use WPA2. Therefore, you need to install either WPA or change the device to a more modern one.

STEP 4

After choosing an encryption method, you need to install its algorithm. For WPA2-Personal you need to install AES. The other one - TKIP - is much inferior to the first in reliability, and it is not advisable to use it.

Important! Some router models no longer even provide TKIP, as it is outdated and cannot provide the required level of protection.

Step 5

Now we have reached the most important stage of the entire procedure. You need to decide on the SSID (access point name) and set a password for the wifi (in other words, specify a code word or password protect the network).

When choosing a secret phrase, keep in mind:

The password should be a combination of both numbers and symbols, and it is very good if they are mixed. By complicating the secret code in this way, you can pose a difficult task to ill-wishers who want to pick it up.
The Internet is littered with many simple password generators, with the help of which they can be cracked in a matter of seconds.

Step 6. Last

All that remains is to save the new settings and reboot the router. Click on “Apply” (“save”, “save”, “apply”...), and all changes will be ready to take effect. This will happen only after rebooting the router. In most cases, the router will begin to reboot on its own, and all connected devices will necessarily disconnect from wifi. To notify them of changes in the network, you will have to re-establish the connection and enter the new password specified in the previous step.

Important to remember:

If the automatic reboot does not start after saving, you will need to do it manually. You need to unplug the router from the power supply, count to 10, and then turn it on again. You can start working after it completes the initial boot. The indicator lights will indicate its completion and stop blinking chaotically.
This reboot is different from the one obtained as a result of pressing the RESET button! The latter will erase all your settings, resetting them to the initial (factory) settings.
To prevent network intrusions, it is recommended to change your password at least twice a year.

Remember, you have everything you need at your disposal so as not to compromise the security of your personal data. The main thing is to learn how to use wireless network security methods.

Today, wireless networks play an important role in the lives of users. If 10 years ago it was considered common to carry an Internet cable behind a laptop, today every phone connects to the Internet via wi-fi. Computers, laptops, netbooks, tablets, smartphones, printers - all this equipment can be connected to the network and interconnected simply over the air. And naturally, not only you, but also those around you have such equipment. Therefore, it is extremely important to be able to protect your wireless network.

1. Protection of the Wi-Fi network itself.

You must select a reliable security type and install a difficult-to-guess security key. We recommend choosing WPA2-PSK and a security key of 8-10 characters.

Often it is also a good idea to hide the wi-fi network. To do this, check the box Enable hidden Wireless(see picture above)

In some cases, it makes sense to adjust the transmitter power so that the access point covers your apartment, but does not reach your neighbors.

2. Protect your access point (or router)

Using the D-Link DIR-300 as an example:

Go to the section MAINTENANCE, select subsection Device Administration, in setting Admin Password Enter the new password twice:

And in the setting Administration uncheck the box Enable Remote Management which will make it impossible to log into the device’s web interface from the Internet.

Hello! I decided to prepare an article in which to collect all the basic and most importantly effective tips and answer your question, how to protect a Wi-Fi network. Who will we protect from? From neighbors, of course, but if you need to protect your Wi-Fi network in the office, then from colleagues from a neighboring company :). But seriously, the issue of protecting wireless networks is very relevant now, I drew conclusions from the article in which I described it. The article quickly became popular and received many comments.

Set a password to access the Wi-Fi router settings

This is the first thing you need to do when setting up security for your wireless Wi-Fi network. In the router settings, look for the “System Tools” tab, then go to the “Password” tab.

Enter the old login and password, then in the form below enter the new access name and the new password twice. Create a good and complex password. Consisting of letters and numbers. And most importantly, remember it yourself :). To save, click “Save”. We continue to configure Wi-Fi network protection.

Set a password for the Wi-Fi network and set the encryption type

It is imperative that you specify the type of encryption you will use for the network and set a strong password. Well, unless you have some kind of cafe and you want to provide open access to Wi-Fi for visitors.

Go to the “Wireless” tab, and “Wireless Security”. Next to the WPA/WPA2 – Personal protocol, put a check mark, set the settings as in the screenshot below and in the line opposite “PSK Password:” we come up with a good password. This password will be used to connect to Wi-Fi. To save, click “Save”.

The router will offer to reboot it, but if you are still making settings, you don’t have to reboot for now. But the new settings will only work after a reboot.

Another great way to protect yourself. We hide the name of the Wi-Fi network, and you can connect to it only if you know what it is called. Your network will not appear in the list of available networks.

We search and go to the “Wireless” tab. And in order to hide the SSID, simply uncheck the “Enable SSID Broadcast” item. That's it, it's simple. Click the “Save” button to save the changes.

Enable device filtering by MAC address

Enabling this function will allow you to connect to the router only those devices whose MAC addresses are specified in the settings and are allowed. This is very effective protection, but if you often connect new devices, it will not be very convenient to go into the router settings and enter the MAC address of the device every time.

First you need to find out the MAC addresses of the devices that you want to allow to connect to the Wi-Fi network. They can be viewed in the settings, read more. If this is a phone or tablet, then you can see the address in the settings, in the “About phone” section. And if the device is already connected to the router, then all the necessary information can be found on the “DHCP” - “DHCP Clients List” tab.

So, go to the “Wireless” tab, and go to “Wireless MAC Filtering”. First, enable this service by clicking on the “Enable” button. Then check the box next to the item “Allow the stations specified by any enabled entries in the list to access.”. This means that only devices that are on the list will be able to connect to Wi-Fi.

And click the “Add New...” button in order to add the MAC addresses of devices that need to be allowed access. Enter the MAC address, description (optional), leave the status Enable (allow) and click the “Save” button.

In this way we add all the devices that you want to allow to connect to your router.

Disable QSS (WPS) service

I wrote in detail about this service and how to use it in the article. But if you do not connect new devices very often and it is not difficult for you to enter the password for the Wi-Fi network, then it is better to disable this service.

To disable, go to the “QSS” tab; for you it may also be called “WPS”, or something like that. And click the “Disabled QSS” button.

This was the last point that I advise you to do to completely protect the Wi-Fi network on your router. All that remains is to reboot the router by clicking on the “click here” link, or do it with a button on the router itself.

That's it friends, that's all I wanted to advise you to protect your wireless network. I hope that the information I have prepared for you will be useful to you. Good luck!

Also on the site:

How to protect a Wi-Fi network? Basic and effective tips updated: February 7, 2018 by: admin

article

Kaspersky Lab blog article.
VPN Kaspersky Secure Connection
Microsoft support site.

(System Tools → Password).
article.
Click Save (Save).

Router interfaces vary depending on the manufacturer, specific model and firmware version. To navigate the router settings, use the user manual for your model. As a rule, it is included with the router, or you can download it from the device manufacturer's website.

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.
On the login page, enter your username and password. If you haven't changed them, they are located on the back of the router.
On the router settings page, go to the section ( Wireless → Basic Settings).
In field Wireless network name (Wireless Network Name
Click Save (Save).

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.
On the login page, enter your username and password. If you haven't changed them, they are located on the back of the router.
On the router settings page, go to the section Wireless mode → Basic settings (Wireless → Basic Settings).
Uncheck Enable SSID Broadcast (Enable SSID Broadcast).
Click Save (Save).

Disable WPS

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.
On the router settings page, go to the section Wireless mode → WPS (Wireless → WPS).
Click Disable (Disable).

Enable encryption

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.
On the login page, enter your username and password. If you haven't changed them, they are located on the back of the router.
On the router settings page, go to the section ( Wireless → Wireless Security).
Select WPA/WPA2 - Personal.
In field Version (Authentication Type) select WPA2-PSK.
In field Encryption (Encryption) select AES.
Click Save (Save).

article.

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.
On the login page, enter your username and password. If you haven't changed them, they are located on the back of the router.
On the router settings page, go to the section Wireless Mode → Wireless Security (Wireless → Wireless Security).
Select WPA/WPA2 - Personal.
In field Wireless password (Wireless Password
Click Save (Save).

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.
On the login page, enter your username and password. If you haven't changed them, they are listed on the back of the router.
On the router settings page, go to the () section.
Click Add (Add New).

Included (Enabled).
Click Save (Save).

Click Turn on (Enable).
Select ().

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.

In the window Network connections press twice.
In the window State click Wireless Network Properties.
In the window Wireless Network Properties go to the tab Safety.
Select security type WPA2-Personal article.
Click OK.
Close the window State.

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When you connect to a public Wi-Fi network, such as in a café, the data is transferred unencrypted. This means that your passwords, logins, correspondence and other confidential information become available to attackers. Email addresses may be used to send spam, and information on your social network page may be changed.

Home Wi-Fi networks are also at risk. Even the highest level of security for wireless networks: WPA2 encryption, can be “cracked” using a key reinstallation attack (KRACK). For more details, see the Kaspersky Lab blog article.

Always follow these guidelines when connecting to any Wi-Fi network:

Make sure that you have Firewall installed and enabled. This security component inspects network traffic and protects your computer from network attacks.
Firewall is included in the Kaspersky Lab programs: Kaspersky Internet Security, Kaspersky Anti‑Virus, Kaspersky Total Security, Kaspersky Security Cloud and Kaspersky Small Office Security.
Use a secure HTTPS connection. Make sure there is a green or gray padlock icon in your browser's address bar. For more details, see the Kaspersky Lab blog article.
Secure your connection with a VPN, adding another layer of encryption. To do this, install Kaspersky Secure Connection on your device and enable a secure connection every time you connect to the Internet.
If you use the Windows operating system, turn off file and printer sharing for any public networks you connect to. Instructions on the Microsoft support site.
If possible, use mobile Internet instead of public Wi-Fi networks.

Create a strong password to access the router

As a rule, a standard login and password are used to access the router settings. An attacker can find out the login and password for your router by downloading the user manual for the device from the manufacturer’s website. To prevent this from happening, change the router password.

For example, we show the configuration of the TP-Link TL-WR841N router. To change the password to access the router:

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.
On the login page, enter your username and password. If you haven't changed them, they are located on the back of the router.
On the router settings page, go to the section System Tools → Password (System Tools → Password).
Enter your username, old and new password to access the router. Recommendations for creating a strong password are in the article.
Click Save (Save).

The password to access the router will be changed.

Create a unique name (SSID) for your Wi-Fi network

Rainbow tables are often used to crack passwords. Pre-built rainbow tables for popular SSIDs store millions of possible passwords. If your SSID and password are in such a table, an attacker can instantly recover your network password using special programs.

To increase the security of your home wireless network, come up with an uncommon SSID.

For example, we show the configuration of the TP-Link TL-WR841N router. To change the Wi-Fi network name:

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.
On the login page, enter your username and password. If you haven't changed them, they are located on the back of the router.
On the router settings page, go to the section Wireless mode → Basic settings (Wireless → Basic Settings).
In field Wireless network name (Wireless Network Name) come up with and enter a name for the Wi-Fi network.
Click Save (Save).

The name for the Wi-Fi network will be changed.

Make your Wi-Fi network invisible

In the router settings, hide the network name. Your Wi-Fi network will not appear in the list of available wireless networks. It will be impossible to detect it without special software.

For example, we show the configuration of the TP-Link TL-WR841N router. To make a Wi-Fi network invisible to other devices:

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.
On the login page, enter your username and password. If you haven't changed them, they are located on the back of the router.
On the router settings page, go to the section Wireless mode → Basic settings (Wireless → Basic Settings).
Uncheck Enable SSID Broadcast (Enable SSID Broadcast).
Click Save (Save).

Your Wi-Fi network will be invisible to other devices.

Disable WPS

WPS technology is designed to make it easier for devices to connect to Wi-Fi networks. Using WPS you can connect to your router without a password. We recommend disabling WPS in your router settings.

For example, we show the configuration of the TP-Link TL-WR841N router. To disable WPS:

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.
On the login page, enter your username and password. If you haven't changed them, they are listed on the back of the router.
On the router settings page, go to the section Wireless mode → WPS (Wireless → WPS).
Click Disable (Disable).

WPS technology will be disabled.

Enable encryption

When working on a network with weak encryption, your data can be intercepted by attackers. If you connect to your home network and receive a message about weak encryption, change the encryption type to a stronger one. Common wireless encryption types: WEP, TKIP, WPA, WPA2 (AES/CCMP).

The main difference between them is the level of protection. We recommend WPA2 as it is the most secure available.

For example, we show the configuration of the TP-Link TL-WR841N router. To change the wireless encryption type:

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.
On the login page, enter your username and password. If you haven't changed them, they are located on the back of the router.
On the router settings page, go to the section Wireless Mode → Wireless Security (Wireless → Wireless Security).
Select WPA/WPA2 - Personal.
In field Version (Authentication Type) select WPA2-PSK.
In field Encryption (Encryption) select AES.
Click Save (Save).

Wi-Fi network encryption will be enabled.

Create a strong password for your Wi-Fi network

Without a password, your Wi-Fi network will be accessible to everyone. A strong password will not allow strangers to connect to it. Recommendations for creating a strong password are in the article.

For example, we show the configuration of the TP-Link TL-WR841N router. To create a password:

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.
On the login page, enter your username and password. If you haven't changed them, they are located on the back of the router.
On the router settings page, go to the section Wireless Mode → Wireless Security (Wireless → Wireless Security).
Select WPA/WPA2 - Personal.
In field Wireless password (Wireless Password) create and enter a password for the Wi-Fi network.
Click Save (Save).

A password for the Wi-Fi network will be created.

Enable MAC Address Filtering

Each device that has a network card or network interface has its own MAC address. Create a list of MAC addresses of trusted devices or deny connections to devices with specific MAC addresses.

For example, we show the configuration of the TP-Link TL-WR841N router. To configure MAC address filtering for trusted devices:

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.
On the login page, enter your username and password. If you haven't changed them, they are listed on the back of the router.
On the router settings page, go to the section Wireless Mode → MAC Address Filtering (Wireless → Wireless MAC Filtering).
Click Add (Add New).

Enter MAC address, device description and select status Included (Enabled).
Click Save (Save).

Click Turn on (Enable).
Select Allow access to stations specified in enabled rules from the list (Allow the stations specified by any enabled entries in the list to access).

Only those devices whose MAC addresses you added to the list will have access to the router.

Reduce Wi-Fi signal range

In the router settings, reduce the transmission power to a value where the network signal can only be received within your premises. The reduced radius of the Wi-Fi signal will not allow strangers to connect to it.

For example, we show the configuration of the TP-Link TL-WR841N router. To reduce the Wi-Fi signal range:

Enter the router's IP address into the address bar of your browser. You will be taken to the router settings login page. The router's IP address is listed on the back of the device and in the user manual.

In the window Network connections double click Wireless network connection.
In the window State click Wireless Network Properties.
In the window Wireless Network Properties go to the tab Safety.
Select security type WPA2-Personal and change the network security key. Recommendations for creating a strong password are in the article.
Click OK.
Close the window State.

The Wi-Fi network key and security type will be changed.

After changing your home Wi-Fi network settings, devices will not be able to automatically connect to the network, so you will need to reconnect to the wireless network. See detailed instructions on the Microsoft support site for Windows 10, Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10.