| g from home has its advantages, including no | | | | make sure you're fully informed about wireless |
| commute, a more flexible work schedule and | | | | network, keep reading. |
| fresh coffee and home-cooked meals whenever | | | | Block anonymous Internet requests or pings. |
| you want. | | | | On each computer having wireless network card, |
| But working from home while using a wireless | | | | network connection properties should be |
| local area network (WLAN) may lead to theft of | | | | configured to allow connection to Access Point |
| sensitive information and hacker or virus infiltration | | | | Networks Only. Computer to Computer (peer to |
| unless proper measures are taken. As WLANs | | | | peer) Connection should not be allowed. |
| send information over radio waves, someone with | | | | Enable MAC filtering. Deny association to wireless |
| a receiver in your area could be picking up the | | | | network for unspecified MAC addresses. Mac or |
| transmission, thus gaining access to your | | | | Physical addresses are available through your |
| computer. | | | | computer device network connection setup and |
| They could load viruses on to your laptop which | | | | they are physically written on network cards. |
| could be transferred to the company's network | | | | When adding new wireless cards / computer to |
| when you go back to work. | | | | the network, their MAC addresses should be |
| Up to 75 per cent of WLAN users do not have | | | | registered with the router /access point. |
| standard security features installed, while 20 per | | | | Network router should have firewall features |
| cent are left completely open as default | | | | enabled and demilitarized zone (DMZ) feature |
| configurations are not secured, but made for the | | | | disabled. |
| users to have their network up and running ASAP. | | | | You can test your hardware and personal firewalls |
| It is recommended that wireless router/access | | | | using Shields Up test available at |
| point setup be always done though a wired client. | | | | All computers should have a properly configured |
| Change default administrative password on | | | | personal firewall in addition to a hardware firewall. |
| wireless router/access point to a secured | | | | Update router/access point firmware when new |
| password. | | | | versions become available. |
| Enable at least 128-bit WEP encryption on both | | | | Locate router/access point away from strangers |
| card and access point. Change your WEP keys | | | | so they cannot reset the router/access point to |
| periodically. If equipment does not support at least | | | | default settings. |
| 128-bit WEP encryption, consider replacing it. | | | | Locate router/access point in the middle of the |
| Although there are security issues with WEP, it | | | | building rather than near windows to limit signal |
| represents minimum level of security, and it | | | | coverage outside the building. |
| should be enabled. | | | | While none of the measure suggested above |
| Change the default SSID on your router/access | | | | provides full protection as countermeasures exist, |
| point to a hard to guess name. Setup your | | | | a collection of suggested measures will act as a |
| computer device to connect to this SSID by | | | | deterrent against attacker when other insecure |
| default. | | | | networks represent easier targets. |
| Setup router/access point not to broadcast the | | | | Of course, it's impossible to put everything about |
| SSID. The same SSID needs to be setup on the | | | | wireless network into just one article. But you |
| client side manually. This feature may not be | | | | can't deny that you've just added to your |
| available on all equipment. | | | | understanding about wireless network, and that's |
| Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To | | | | time well spent. |