Unsecure wireless intrnet connection?

Question

Hi - I connect to the internet using my wifi latop and a Belking54g wireless router.
I've just carried out a search of networks in my area and they are all secure.
My connection however is being shown as unsecured.
I realise this is a problem as other people could connect to the internet via my router.

How can I/what do I need to do to make my internet connection secure???

Answer 1

Here's a list of what I do:

Change Default Password
Routers ship with simple default passwords like ‘admin’. Change the default password to something more difficult. Longer passwords that use a combination of letters and numbers are best.

Change Router IP Address
Most routers ship with a default IP address such as 192.168.1.1
Change the IP to something like 193.169.2.120 (each number less than 256). This with slow down intruders casually scanning the network.

SSID
The SSID is the name of your wireless network, choose a complex name up to 32 characters long. Set all your computers on the network to use the same name.

Then disable the broadcast of the SSID. Most wireless routers have a check box in the control panel for disabling the broadcast of the SSID. Broadcasting the SSID allows computers to easily find your network, so turn it off.

DHCP Server
One great security measure is to disable the DHCP server. This will require that all computers that are authorized to connect to the network be configured manually, but it will prevent unauthorized computers from obtaining an IP address automatically on your network.

Security
Set up WPA, or “Wi-Fi Protected Access,” it’s an improvement over WEP. All your pc’s must use the same settings.

Router Position
Wireless routers have a range of up to a few hundred feet in open space. When installed inside a home, this range decreases greatly due to walls, but the signal may still be strong enough to carry outside or to the next apartment. So put the router as close to the center of the house as possible.

Answer 2

Access your Belkin router through the web interface, goto the Wireless network portion of the router and enable encryption, select a password then save your changes. You will then have to setup the encryption on your laptop to access your network. For full step by step instructions look in your users manual or visit the Belkin website.