Encryption is key in WiFi

Wireless networks are mushrooming, and WiFi offers added convenience to browse the Net without being teetered to a particular workplace. However, as much as the Internet is perilous, WiFi Internet is even more so.

Part of a problem is that most people configure their wireless connections without adequate attention to encryption. Encryption is a way to scramble communication between a client computer (your laptop, for instance) and the Internet gateway (your WiFi router or Access Point) so that it becomes hard or impossible to decipher by any intermediate party while it is in transit. Without proper encryption, not only unauthorized users can connect to your network and use it to stage attacks on its behalf, but intercept traffic and extract valuable data from it.

The solution to this pressing issue is to enable encryption for wireless signal. This is done through your router’s WiFi settings menu (although the location may vary). Choose as high-grade encryption as possible, with the highest and so far uncompromised encryption standard being WPA2. You should assign a strong encryption key (eight or more characters) and provide this key to every connecting device that you intend to pair with your router. You might need firmware/driver update to enable WPA2, but it’s worth it. It pretty much ensures your connection channel stays secure and intact.