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Journalism of Courage
Ken Haywood had no clue that the WiFi connection in his Navi Mumbai flat was being used to send terror threats. With the use, and misuse, of WiFi networks on the rise, ARJUN JASSAL explains how to save yourself from a similar predicament
The convenience of Internet connectivity across your house without the tangle of wires is indisputable. WiFi lets you roam across its range, while being connected to the Internet at all times. Setting it up is quite easy: all you have to do is get a router, a device that connects to the wires of your Internet connection and converts data into packets that are transmitted through radio waves inside your premises. Your computer catches these packets whenever it is within this area, interprets them as web pages, takes data from you and retransmits them to the router, which then sends this data over wires to the Internet. This technology lets you connect seamlessly to the Web.
But as US expatriate Ken Haywood found out after the serial bomb blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad, this convenience needs to be monitored, ensuring that it doesn8217;t fall into the hands of people who could misuse it. Here are some tips to ensure that your WiFi connection isn8217;t used on the sly by anyone outside your house:
Like all devices in a network, your router too has an IP address. This IP address lets you configure passwords that every user needs to enter to access your WiFi network. Usually, routers have default passwords that are easily known and hence can8217;t be secured. Ask your service provider for your router8217;s IP address phone help can be a boon here, and change it. This password should only be shared with people who live in the same apartment as you.
Encrypt your network
Most WiFi routers and computers let you encrypt data sent over your wireless network. This scrambles the packets sent between the two devices, making it unreadable to others. Encryption has two problems8212;all devices that connect to your network must accept the same encryption method, and setting up encryption isn8217;t everyone8217;s cup of tea. Ask your computer technician to do it for you.
Go static
Most users now have Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol DHCP or dynamic IP addresses. These addresses are automatically assigned to every device that connects to your network, making it extremely convenient. This means that anyone who attempts to connect to your network will be given a valid address. Instead, set up a range of addresses, say starting from 123.0.0.1 to 123.0.0.9, and make sure you give your devices one of these addresses. Since an outsider won8217;t know your addressing system, he won8217;t be able to get into your network.
Turn it off
Although most Internet providers now give you unlimited download and 24X7 connectivity, you don8217;t have to leave your connection on all the time. Once you know that you won8217;t be using the Internet for a certain time, switch off your router. This helps cut electricity costs, and ensures that people aren8217;t using your network when you8217;re away.
Firewalls
Firewalls have been created to keep unwanted users out, use this to your advantage. Make sure that you set up firewalls in all computers that connect to the network.
These little changes can ensure that only you and others in your apartment are able to safely access the Internet. Yet computer security, like its physical counterpart, can8217;t give you cent-per cent coverage. It is imperative to keep an eye out for new security solutions, and upgrade where necessary.
