Whether you use the internet at home or at the office, you need to remember that your WiFi network is not always secure. The signal does not end at your walls, so anyone within signal range can potentially access your connection. Some WiFi signals can extend up to 100 metres away, so in a busy office building or a house near the street, this opens up your internet connection to certain threats.
It is vital that you secure your network and install certain software or hardware to add extra layers of protection. There are some smart people out there with malicious intent, so they may gain access to your computer through your WiFi and view your files, plant a virus, monitor your passwords and login credentials, or simply send spam to your email address.
How to secure your internet connection
Your chosen internet service provider (ISP) can act as your first line of defence. WonderNet works in partnership with some of South Africa’s leading fibre network operators (FNOs), including SEACOM. We offer our customers access to world-class networks and data centres that are secure and have a number of protection features, such as firewalls. This can reduce threats to your connected devices through your internet connection.
Next, your WiFi router can be set up with a network address translation (NAT) software, which prevents incoming connections from unknown sources, but still permits outbound connections. NAT can be configured on a home or office router to stop random people from accessing the network. A NAT can also be installed on a computer, but this only protects the device, so it may be more effective to use it on the WiFi router itself, to protect all connected devices.
In addition, a firewall should be installed on the main fibre optic line to your house or office. Again, this will restrict access to unknown websites and devices and protect your entire WiFi network. A software firewall can be just as effective in creating a highly secure connection that blocks all sorts of threats, including spam, phishing, viruses and hackers.
Obviously, we’d recommend installing anti-malware on your devices, including anti-virus, anti-spyware and anti-ransomware. These programs are coded by cyber criminals with the intent of damaging your computer, gaining access to files, spying on your webcam or revealing passwords and banking details stored on your device.
Use a WiFi Password and check access points
It goes without saying; your WiFi should be password protected. To prevent hackers from accessing your network, you need to use WiFi Protected Access (WPA) and a random long password – the longer and more nonsensical, the better. In addition, you should check for rogue access points on your network. These are unauthorised access points that may have been brought in by visitors, friends or employees. Delete unknown access points to keep your connection secure.
If your WiFi is being used for work, especially if you run a cafe or a BnB, then make a separate network available to guests. This will allow patrons and paying customers to access the internet, but keep them out of your internal primary network. Sometimes people can infect an entire network with malware on their phones or laptops, without even realising it.
Having a secure WiFi network is essential. Too many people think that they’ll never need these programs until it’s too late. Keep your phones, laptops and tablets safe by bolstering your wireless network. For more information about our fibre offerings or to get a quote for an internet upgrade, please contact us today or check if we’re connected to your address.