There are six main ways to protect your home network.

Firstly, ensure you hide your network’s SSID.

SSID stands for service set identifier and this is the thing that a router will constantly broadcast, which is picked up by the wireless enabled desktop, or laptop, and this is how they conduct a two-way conversation.

Routers tend to come with a default SSID which can be the same for literally thousands of models. So it’s not difficult for an intruder to guess a SSID.

So, you need to do two things: change the SSID of your router and because that can be picked up by someone eavesdropping on your network, you must tell your router to stop continually broadcasting its SSID.

You do this by going to http://192.168.1.1. which should bring up the log-in screen and basic information for the router to which you are connected. Bear in mind that the steps described here are illustrative and routers will vary in their set-up and features.

Once you have the log-in open, leave the username section blank and type admin into the password box; then press Enter. Then click the tab Wireless. In the box entitled Wireless Network Name (SSID), put in a jumble of letters and numbers. This is more secure than calling it something obvious like Main Network. Also, select Disabled in the Wireless SSID Broadcast section.

Now, before you leave this section, you can do something else to help matters. Choose a new wireless channel from the drop down list. By choosing the channel on which your routers transmit, if someone had already tapped into your network, then they wouldn’t get it again using the same information.

Once you’ve saved all your settings, you then have to go to each PC in the network and break the news to them. Each computer needs to be told which network name will get them connected to the router.

In the Windows XP, you do this by going to the Notification Area and clicking the small wireless icon. Then click first the View Wireless Networks, then the Change Advanced Settings and in the left-hand column, click the tab Wireless Networks. In the Preferred Network section, type the chosen network name (the jumble of letters and numbers), and click OK twice.

And that’s it. Your network will be more secure from prying eyes.

Secondly, consider your network IP address. Bear in mind that a computer, when it connects to a network (such as the internet), labels it with an IP address.

The problem with the router, is that it is not discerning. IP addresses will be handed out with abandon. Now, the thing you want to happen is to tell your router to only give out as many IP addresses as there are computers in your network. Thus, if a new computer comes a looking and asks for a new address, the router won’t have anymore to give and an intruder will have fallen at the first hurdle.

So, repeat the initial process of the router sign-in discussed above and access the set-up screen. Once there, scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will se a Number of Addresses box. In there, type the number of computers that will be using your network. Click Save Settings and there you are; you will have controlled your router’s exuberance in handing out IP addresses to all and sundry.

Thirdly, consider MAC addresses.

A unique MAC address is given to every item of networking hardware and this gives you an added opportunity to introduce a further layer of security. Most routers give you the choice of who you let onto the network. So you can instruct it to allow your computers in, but no other.

To do this do as you did with the SSID and IP. Once you have the router log-in screen before you, keep the username box blank, type Admin into the password box and then press Enter.

Once you’ve done that, choose Wireless, Wireless Network Access. A screen should then appears with grayed-out boxes labelled MAC 01, right up to MAC 20. To make the boxes active, you choose the Restrict Access option .

Okay so far. Next, you have to go down to the bottom of the screen, looking for Wireless Client MAC List. This should list every PC which is connected to the network by means of a wireless link (MAC addresses aren’t listed when computers are connected by wire). Next, click Enable MAC Filter box for all the computers on the network and click Save.

And once you’ve pressed Save, you will go back to the Wireless Network Access Screen and you should find that all the relevant MAC addressees will have been loaded. Don’t forget to click Save Settings and there you are, when another computer tries to muscle its way in, it won’t have its MAC address recognised.

Fourthly, encryption using Wireless Equivalent Protocol (WEP) technology.

Home networkers really should consider encryption, as then if someone breaks into your network, all they will see is a lot of meaningless characters. This first method of encryption is called Wireless Equivalent Protocol, or WEP for short.

Now, again, what follows is an illustrative method, as hardware differs as to the exact settings, but it will give you a guide as to what you must do.

Once again, type http://192.168.1.1 into your browser bar. Once you have the log-in screen of your router, don’t put anything into the Username and where it asks for the password, type Admin, or use the username and password you might have already created.

Once the Set-Up screen appears, choose Wireless, Wireless Security and click the option entitled Enable which is next to Wireless Security. You then choose WEP from the Security Mode drop down list. When you see the Default Key Section, you can choose any key from one to four.

It then gives you two choices of encryption level: 64 bits, or 128 bits. As logic suggests, 128 bit encryption is more secure than 64 bit encryption; the choice is yours. The problem with the higher level is that it might slow down your network, which shouldn’t be a problem for a business, but might be an inconvenience on a home network.

Now, if you have chosen 64-bit level encryption, you type a phrase in the Passphrase book. You then click on the Generate button and four keys will be created. You choose one, but you can always choose another from the list when the fancy takes you, further improving your security by constantly changing your settings.

If you’ve opted for 128-bit, you’ll be given one choice of key.

Make a note of the key you have generated, as you will need to configure each computer on your network with this key (obviously this refers to wireless connections, not wired connections). Take each computer in the network and in the Notification Area, click the Properties button and click the Wireless Networks tab.

Then, you highlight your network and click the Properties button. When you click the Association tab, up comes the Association screen. Look for the Network Authentification drop-down box, you choose Shared. In the next box below, labelled Data Encryption, you go for WEP. Look for the box entitled The Key Is Provided For Me Automatically, and ensure that that is not checked. Finally, enter your generated WEP key into the Network Key box and do the same in the Confirm Network Key box. Click okay and out you come. All done.

Fifthly, encryption using Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). This second form of encryption is actually more modern and more secure than WEP, but not all hardware supports it. As this can vary significantly from manufacturer to manufacture, it is best to consult with the router’s instructions, or go to their website and make a note of the instructions.

Finally, be occasionally proactive when it comes to keeping the barbarians away from your network and don’t forget file sharing.

You’ve taken all the measures described above, but you still feel that you’d like to check regularly on who might be trying to hack into your network. You can download programmes, or buy special software that will keep an eye open for you, constantly monitoring and warning you against attack.

And don’t forget file sharing, especially when you are out and about and using ‘public’ hotspots says in hotels and cafes. This is an easy ploy for hackers to relieve you of your computer’s files. If they are able to network with your computer and your file share facility is turned on, then they can quickly transfer there files from your computer to theirs. So, when away from your own network, turn off file sharing.

In Windows XP, you can switch file sharing off by opening Windows Explorer, then right click the folders, or the drive that is in shared mode, click on Sharing and Security, and look at the option Sharing and Security box; uncheck this.

This will mean you are not vulnerable to nefarious file share swapping tactics.

Home Networking Dangers – Recap

• hide your network’s SSID;
• remember the router gateway IP address http://192.168.1.1;
• limit release of IP addresses;
• don’t recognise all MAC addresses;
• use WEP, or WPA encryption;
• consider software that monitors network intrusion attempts;
• switch off file sharing when travelling around.