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Wireless Security

A wireless home network is a practical way to share internet access between a few computers, print from any computer to a printer and share files. The computer is also becoming the home entertainment hub to stream music to more than one room or connect gaming consoles for live online gaming.

However, the popularity of wireless access and the complexity of the set-up process could leave you exposed - even though you may not be aware of it. A secure network which uses encryption, a unique name and is hidden from other wireless users provides protection from the majority of would-be hackers or opportunistic neighbours.

Unsecured networks common

We located more than 600 discrete wireless networks with varying degrees of security during a 25-kilometre car trip from the Sydney CBD to Parramatta in the west.

Almost a third of the wireless networks weren't secure, which means the broadband internet connection could be accessed by anybody with a wireless device.
Just under a quarter of the networks still used the default wireless router name (see Dictionary). This is usually the brand name of the router or simply the word 'default'.

Lack of information

You may not realise your network is unsecured because many popular router models don't prompt you to change the default name and set encryption. The most popular models from the five major manufacturers - Belkin, D-Link, Linksys, NetComm and Netgear - don't include wizards to explain how to set the security. The most popular models have free technical support and manuals, although the latter are often avoided because they're considered too complicated, long and difficult to decipher. NetComm has an encryption setup video on its website, while Netgear has security tutorials as well as a wireless security guide on its website.

In the US, California legislators are about to enact a law that will force manufacturers to put security warning labels on Wi-Fi equipment. We'd like to see all routers come with wizards and online tutorials that clearly explain the steps and ensure users understand the importance of security.

Should I care?

The short answer is: yes.

Any extra email or internet activity created by another person could use up your monthly data usage allowance and incur extra charges or speed reduction.
If somebody's stealing your bandwidth, at best, they're stealing your money; and at worst, possibly engaging in illegal activity that could compromise your security or land you in trouble.
An unsecured wireless network has the potential to leave personal information, such as passwords, log-in details and bank account and credit card numbers, open to illegal use in identity theft or online banking or credit fraud.
An unsecured network could also be exploited to send spam, or infect the computer with viruses or malware.
It's also possible somebody could illegally download music and video files or images through your account.

How can I tell?

There are a few ways to tell if somebody's leeching your bandwidth.

The most obvious is that you may find extra charges on your monthly internet service provider (ISP) account, or you go over your monthly limit and have your speed slowed to dial-up speeds (a process called shaping).
You can monitor your monthly internet usage and look for any spikes or unusual usage patterns. Some ISPs offer an internet usage meter on your account log-in or home page. You can also download free internet usage monitoring tools from websites such as www.download.com.
If you want to be extra vigilant, some security software includes monitoring tools that can be useful, although we can't recommend any products as we haven't tested this part of the software.
Your router can identify the computers connected to your network. In some models, the status page in the settings will tell you the MAC and IP addresses (see Dictionary) of the computers connected to your network. If you don't recognise the addresses or your computer's not listed, then you could have unwelcome visitors on your network.

Secure your wireless network

You can alter the security settings listed below in the router setup window. (See the Dictionary for an explanation of terms).

Set a name: The default name of the network, known as the service set identifier (SSID), is usually the brand name of your router. Change it to something personal. A long name with letters and numbers is better for dissuading would-be hackers.
Hide your network: Turn off the 'Allow broadcast of name' option and keep your network private.
Encryption: You'll need to set WEP or WPA encryption.
Set MAC addresses: This will limit the devices that can connect to your network.
Password protection: Set a password on your router to control access to settings.

And don't forget two other computer security tips:

Downtime: Turn off the computer and/or the router when you're not using them.
File sharing: Don't allow unprotected file and printer access through the wireless network.