Identity Theft Protection For Computer Savvy Individuals - Part IV

Technology, particularly computer and internet, has changed a lot in a very short span of time. Before, internet was only used by elite corporations and huge firms but nowadays, they can be accessed at home. Networking was a concept that was exclusively for the use of IT professionals but with the latest improvements in computer interface, these functionalities can now be easily set up at home by individual users.

Most homes nowadays have multiple computers. The most practical way of having all your computers connected to the internet is through a router and a wireless home network. This fourth article in the series will share how you can secure your wireless home networks thereby shielding you and your family against the dangers of identity theft.

Secure your wireless home networks.

There are various ways on how you can secure your wireless networks. Here's how:

1. Set up WEP/WPA Encryption. Most routers that are being shipped nowadays come with default configuration page that allows its users to easily make changes with their wireless computer networks. The first step in securing your wireless home networks against identity theft is to set up a WEP/WPA encryption. In layman's terms, this encryption is a password which you need to key in before you can connect to your wireless network. Tip: do not use passwords that are easily guessed and whenever possible, use a combination of both letters and numbers.

2. Change default user name and password. Router manufacturers have a universal user name and password (across all brands) that you can use to open the configuration page of the router and make changes. Immediately when you set up your wireless home network, you need to change this default user name and password so that you can be sure that even if someone hacks into your wireless network, they will not be able to make any changes. This way you not only protect your computers and network, you are also protecting your identity against identity theft.

3. Disable SSID broadcast. SSID is your network name. Often, the default SSID of your router is the manufacturer's name. On default also, this network name is broadcasted meaning when you open your laptop's wireless function, it will automatically pick up the signal that it detects from your wireless home network as it is broadcasted. "Sniffers" are people who detect wireless signals and they work closely together with computer hackers. Disabling SSID broadcast can protect your network from sniffers and you can sleep well knowing that no one knows that you do have a wireless network at home.

4. Enable MAC filtering. Each computer that you connect to your network has its own MAC number. With MAC filtering, you are simply registering each MAC number of your computers to your router so that it will only give internet access to those computers whose MAC numbers it recognizes. This is another form of security encryption that can significantly help you fight computer hacking and identity theft.