CHECK your Wi-Fi router to make sure you’re not making a big mistake.
Cyber-experts have told The U.S. Sun that a simple fix can save you from a Wi-Fi nightmare.
Your Wi-Fi network is extremely personal, but we often hand out our passwords to other people.
However this can be dangerous – so you should consider using a different trick instead.
We spoke to consumer privacy champion Chris Hauk, who warned Wi-Fi users to boost their security.
“Common home WiFi security mistakes include not creating a separate WiFi access point for guests,” Hauk, of Pixel Privacy, explained.
“If you provide access to your WiFi network without first creating a guest access point, you’re providing access to your private network and the resources connected to the network.
“A guest access point keeps the guest’s access limited to the internet.”
The problem with giving guests access to your home Wi-Fi is that it could lead to unknown devices connecting to your internet.
This could allow them to conduct illegal activities on your network.
But it may also give them the ability to spy on your activity.
That Wi-Fi password will also be stored on their phones, so if their device was compromised, it could be exposed more widely.
It’s especially dangerous if you’re handing over your Wi-Fi password to someone you don’t know very well.
The safest way is to create a guest network for other people to access.
You could change your main Wi-Fi password every few months.
Sadly that means having to reconnect all of your “smart” devices to the router using the new password.
Setting up a guest network is an easier way to get around it.
How to set up a Wi-Fi guest network
Typically you’ll find the option to do this in your router’s settings.
Google Wi-Fi customers can simply create a guest network through the Google Home app.
But for most routers, you’ll need to log in to your router settings.
First, find your router’s IP address: a series of four sets of numbers separated by dots.
On an iPhone, it’ll be in the Wi-Fi details for your network.
If you’re on a Windows PC, go to the Start menu, search for CMD to open the command prompt, type in ipconfig and hit enter. Your IP address will appear next to Default Gateway.
Once you have the IP address, type it into your browser URL bar and hit enter.
Then log in using the details on the back of your router.
Usually this will give you an option to set up a guest network, including choosing its name and security types.
Once that’s done, share the new guest network name and password with guests that are visiting.
But that’s not the only thing you should check while you’re in your router settings.
You can also check the security system you’re using for your Wi-Fi.
“Users should also make sure their network is secured with WPA2,” Hauk advised.
“Using other network security methods is less than secure, leaving your network open to attack.”
You may already be on WPA2, but you can select it in your settings if you’re not already.
Featured Image Credit: Unsplash
