14 Home Networks
Routers
Many people have Internet service at home, and their Internet Service Provider (ISP) usually provides a router with Wi-Fi. Although there are many things to consider with securing your home network, two of the most important are enabling encryption, and having a unique password to access your router’s settings. Note, the password to access your router’s settings is likely (and should be) different from the password to join your Wi-Fi network.
Having encryption on your home Wi-Fi network is important for reasons we’ve discussed above, and once it is turned on (usually it’s installed turned on), we don’t want some unauthorized person to be able to turn it off; hence, the importance of having a good password on your router, as features such as encryption can be turned on & off in the router’s configuration.
Some routers come with an unique password configured by the ISP; however, some routers (as well as many other devices that connect to the Internet such as smart doorbells, cameras, etc.) come with a default password that is the same for every device the manufacturer makes. This password is listed in the device’s user manual, and the word “admin” is a common choice. If your device has a standard manufacturer’s password, you should change it. As this is a password that you will not use often, be sure to record the changed password in a logical and secure place. If you were given a user manual with your device, locate where in the documentation the default password is listed, and make a note there about your new password.
Whole Home WiFi Coverage
In many homes, a single router will provide a Wi-Fi signal to all parts of the home. In large homes, or homes (apartments) with concrete construction, sometimes the Wi-Fi signal is weak in certain parts of the home. The weak signal can be strengthened by either a:
- Range Extender. If it’s just one room in the home with a weak signal, an extender may be the way to go. It extends the existing Wi-Fi network, so it’s a less expensive option than a mesh network, which will involve replacing the existing router.
- Mesh Network. This is newer (and typically more expensive) technology that can provide whole home Wi-Fi coverage using 2 or more nodes. It provides a more seamless Wi-Fi connection when moving from room to room, and faster speeds.
If you search the Internet, you will be able to find many news articles comparing Wi-Fi range extenders to mesh networks, and you can do some additional research to determine what the best solution would be for your particular case.
Firewalls
Firewalls are hardware and/or software that inspects the Internet traffic coming into and out of a network or computer. It uses a set of rules (that can be configured) and it is designed to block malicious communications to your computer.
Your home router (hardware) likely provides some firewall capabilities.
Additionally, the Windows and Mac operating systems have built-in software firewalls. In general, it’s a