How to protect router and home network

With each passing day it is more necessary to protect the router and our home network at your home. And it is that many users do not realize but the Router is the most important Internet device that they have at home. Why? Because it links most of its other devices with each other and with the world, so it has a very privileged position that hackers can exploit.

How to protect your router and home network

Unfortunately, many consumer and small router businesses come with insecure default settings, exposing many bugs, and firmware that is riddled with basic bugs. Some of these issues cannot be solved by users, but there are many actions that can be taken at least to protect these devices from large scale attacks.

Therefore, don't let your router be a vulnerable network to hackers. Therefore we bring you a total of 14 basic recommendations to protect your router .

Avoid using routers provided by ISPs

These routers are typically less secure than those sold by manufacturers to consumers. Often they have rigid remote credentials that users cannot change and the patches for their firmware customization have the same flaws.

Change the default administrator password

Many routers come with the default password manager settings, and attackers constantly try to log in through these credentials to your router. After connecting to the router's administration interface for the first time through your browser, you will need to change the password, which is often the default IP address of the router.

The router's web-based administration interface must not be accessible from the internet

For most users, managing the router from outside the LAN (local area network) is not necessary. If remote administration is necessary, consider using a VPN (virtual private network) to establish a secure channel to the local network first and then access the router interface.

Enable HTTPS access from the router interface

This is what the URL of a secure website looks like

If available, and always log out when you're done. Use the incognito or private browser, so when you work with the router it does not save session cookies and never allows the browser to save the username and password.

Disable WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)

This is rarely used. It is a feature designed to help users easily set up Wi-Fi networks by using a PIN printed on a sticker. However, a serious vulnerability is found in many providers of WPS implementations that allow hackers to break into networks. Because it is difficult to determine which of the router models and firmware versions are vulnerable, it is best to disable this feature on routers that allow it. Instead, you can connect to the router via a wired connection and access its website based on the administration interface and, for example, configure Wi-Fi with WPA2 and a custom password (WPS is not necessary).

Keep the router firmware updated

Some routers allow checking for firmware updates directly from the interface, while others have an automatic update function. Sometimes these controls may be out of date due to manufacturer changes. It is a good idea to regularly check the manufacturer's website to download firmware updates manually.

Avoid default settings

Most routers are sold with special instructions for changing default settings, and manufacturers are creating increasingly simple management interfaces so users don't go crazy. But, if in spite of everything you are not very proficient with computers, you can ask the technician to change the parameters at the time of installing the wireless network or contact the operator that supplies the router to help you in this process.

It is not just about changing the password of the wireless network, but also protecting access to the router itself. In this sense, it is also good to disable the administration and management services of the router in order to prevent them from being accessible from outside your network. Ultimately, it is about changing all the parameters of the device default configuration. As for the password, this change, apart from increasing network security, makes it easier to "invite friends" and family to connect to it .

We recommend reading our guide to the best routers on the market.

Firewall and sophisticated password

If there is a company that perfectly knows all corners of the internet and can help us in this task, it is without a doubt Google. The Californian company adds some tips on its official blog, among which the importance of enabling the firewall on the router itself when entering the configuration stands out . It also remembers that the password for the wireless network must be as complex as possible: the combinations of alphabetic and numeric characters in lowercase and uppercase should be used and not use the same password that you use for other services on the network. Google suggests that you should protect the wireless network in the same way that we protect our home.

Turn off the router in prolonged absences

The United States agency, FCC (Federal Communications Commission), also proposes to change the network identifier or SSID. Better yet, it is invisible. Although if there is a definitive way to protect the wireless network from other people's hands is to turn off the router. Yes, the FCC proposes that you disconnect the wireless network when you are away from home on vacation or on weekends.

Controls that computers connect to the network

One of the first warning signs of a hacked network is a decrease in connection speed. It is possible that a neighbor or someone on the street has managed to access the network and is occupying a good part of the band with downloads. How to be sure of that?

The easiest way is to use applications like Fing. This free application for mobile phones connects to the router and indicates all the equipment that is currently connected or from the IP Scanner software.

Use the router's administration website to determine if unauthorized devices entered or attempted to enter your network. If an unknown device is identified, a firewall control or MAC address filtering rule can be applied on the router. For more information about how to apply these rules, see the documentation supplied by the manufacturer or the manufacturer's website.

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Use hardware to protect the network

If you don't want to be crazy about changing passwords and settings, you can always turn to a device that protects the home wireless network and actively ensures that the connected computers are all known and there are no remote attacks. The Israeli company Dojo Labs presented a device that is responsible for monitoring that unauthorized computers connect to your network, and warns through an application if any suspicious event occurs. The device also learns from your habits and is thus more effective in warning of a potential danger. This additional layer of security is connected to the router via bluetooth or cable or also to mount its own firewall as IPCOP, but this is more recommended in small or high-ranking companies.

Configure WPA2 with AES for data confidentiality

Some home routers still use the WEP protocol which is not recommended. In truth, if your router supports WEP, it must be replaced. A newer standard, WPA2-AES, encrypts communication between the wireless router and the end device, providing stronger authentication and authorization between devices. WPA2 with AES is the most secure router configuration for home use today.

Disable UPnP when not needed

The Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is a very useful feature that allows networked devices to transparently meet and communicate with each other. Although it does facilitate initial network setup, it is also a security risk. For example, malicious code within your network can use UPnP to open a breach in the router's firewall. So disable UPnP, unless there is a specific reason not to.

Disable remote administration

This will prevent intruders from establishing a connection to the router and its configuration through the Wide Area Network (WAN) interface.

It's not an obsession, nor a whim: making sure that your home's Wi-Fi network is accessible only to devices authorized to connect to it can avoid many problems. And some of them serious. Any user who gains access to your Wi-Fi network can take advantage of the connection to download illegal content, directly carry out cyber attacks or send spam.

All these activities are criminals, whose sole responsibility, for the purposes of justice, would be the owner of the network. For this reason, it is worth taking a few minutes to follow a series of steps to try to protect your router as much as possible.

What do you think of our tips on how to protect the router and your home network? As always we recommend reading our tutorials and if you have any questions, you can contact us. We hope your likes and comments.