Is Your Wireless Router Secure?
It never cease to be amazed at the amount of people I carry out computer repairs for who have unsecured wireless routers and more worryingly are unaware of it.
It is essential that wireless routers are secure, which means that your network can only be accessed by someone who has your permission and your password or network key.
If a wireless router is unsecure it means anyone close enough with a wireless enabled laptop can use your network, by the way the range of a wireless ‘g’ router (which is what most people have) is up to 150 feet (46m) indoors and 300 feet (92m) outdoors.
This not only means that your broadband service, which you pay for, can be used by someone else but also that your computer can be compromised i.e. someone can have access to your emails, passwords and other confidential information.
I was contacted by a lady a few months ago who had an unsecured network and needed to have it secured, she had noticed someone outside her house using a laptop sometime earlier and had not thought anything of it until her bank account had been hacked.
So check now and if you’re not sure get an expert to check for you, it might cost a few quid but think what you’ll possibly save in money and aggravation.
For more information about this and general online safety there’s a really good website at www.getsafeonline.org
