BEST WAY TO SECURE HOME NETWORK

INTRODUCTION

It is most importantly to Protect your home network to keep your sensitive data and device in a safe side and from unauthorised access. Therefore here are some best practices steps or tips to safeguard,secure or enhance security to your home network.

1. Change the Default Router admin password

Most of the home network routers come with default login credential username and password. Use strong and unique password with the combination of upper and lower case, special character, and number different from your Wi-Fi password to protect your network from potential threat. never use default login password because this is the one of the most importance security measure regarding authentication of your network.

2. Disable Remote Management

Remote management feature it allows you to access and change your router setting anywhere on the internet. Use specific Ip address to access your router, enable this feature if it is necessary to allow it with VPN capability but it advised to disable so as to reduce entry point for hackers to your network.

3. Change default Wi-Fi network name (SSID)

When you purchase a wireless broadband router, it comes with predefined default SSID network name according to manufacturer brand. Changing router’s name, it is more important as it will be difficult for bad actors to determine your router’s manufacturer brand or model. Avoid to use

4. encrypt your network

Secure your home’s Wi-Fi network with latest security protocols such as WPA3 Personal or WPA2 Personal protocols by doing this you will prevent your network from bad actors or other people to get your personal information’s

5. Use Strong Passwords

To protect your network the router login interface should be set with strong and unique password this will prevent bad actors to modify your network settings, when we say complex or strong password, we mean that something that can be ease to remember but strong one. for example, “v3roN1c@” this password is complex and unique because it has uppercase and lowercase letter, special character and numbers but this password it easy to remember and hard to guess. Thus, we say password should be complex and unique but should be easy to remember. This network password should be differed from your Wi-Fi password

6. Enable Two-Factor Authentication(2FA)

Two factor authentication is the mechanism that add another security layer on top of your password by enabling another method for verifying your identity, when you enable two factor authentication in your account, when you login you will be asked to set your first method which is something that you remember (your password) and the second method you will be asked to produce something that you possess which can be phone.so no one can login to your account without to have your second authentication method.

7. Enable firewall

Every home network router comes with built in firewall, for security purpose you have to enable it so as to provide additional protection layer to your data. Firewall monitor every incoming traffic, it blocks or filter out all unwanted traffic, unrecognize sources and access gain attempts to your network.

8. Update Your Router Firmware regularly

Your router must keep your router updated with latest firmware patch so as to increase security and performance of your network. Often network device manufacturers they release firmware updates to fix vulnerabilities addressed by the security team.

9. Secure Your Smart Devices

When you have smart device connected to your network, they must be secured with strong password by changing their default login credential to strong one. example of smart devices is Ip cameras or smart TV’s voice assistance

10. Set Up a Guest Network

Create a guest network with a limited access separate from your primary network, this network will have their own username and password different from your primary network. this setting will prevent your visitor to access your personal data while they still get internet access

11. Limit Access to Your Network

Most of the wireless broadband router has a MAC address filtering feature so by enabling this filtering mechanism it will allow only specific devices to connect to your network as it adds extra security mechanism layer to your network, although you have Wi-Fi password but router will check your device’s MAC address against to the list of defined addresses if found you will be allowed to connect to the internet.

Originally published at https://davinno.com on July 6, 2023.