If your WiFi network isn’t secure, your network could be at risk of a cyberattack. No one wants to pay hundreds of thousands or even millions to repair your network following a cyberattack or data breach.
It is important to have your WiFi secure both in your home and at work to avoid your network from being compromised. Your WiFi network is your device's main outlet to the internet so making sure your WiFi is secure is important in protecting your network and devices.
Coeo has helped thousands of customers with their network security and knows the importance of making sure you can secure your WiFi network to avoid a cyberattack. We want to provide you with the information necessary to secure your network.
By the end of this article, you will know the main ways to secure your WiFi network.
5 ways to secure your WiFi network
There are at least five ways to manage your WiFi network to keep your network secure and your data safe.
1. Change default logins and passwords
When your WiFi router or modem is first turned up and working, it is run on default accounts and passwords usually set up by the service provider. It is important that these default accounts are deleted and passwords are changed immediately.
If you keep the default information, you will have a much higher chance of being a victim of a cyberattack and having your data leaked. Most times default passwords are something like “1234”; a weak password that is easy to log into if guessed correctly.
Additionally, the default information is something that is set up by someone outside of your home or organization. This means that someone has access to your account information and can log into your administrative account at any time if not changed.
The first thing to do when setting up your WiFi network and changing your default logins and passwords is to connect your new router to an ethernet cable.
It is not recommended to use WiFi to get administrative access as it can be easily compromised when using WiFi and not easily compromised while connected to ethernet.
Once you are in administrative access, you must log into the router using the default login credentials. After you log in, you may change the username and passwords.
After your usernames and passwords are set up, it is important you keep your login credentials safe from other people to avoid network exposure.
2. Hide your WiFi network’s SSID
An SSID is an identity attached to your WiFi network. If not set up properly, however, your SSID may show up for people to connect to.
In some cases, the default SSID may come up as the name of the router or the name of the carrier that the router is from.
This is dangerous for your network because it gives hackers information on your network making it easier for them to connect to your network based on the type of network or router you have.
You can change your SSID credentials to a different name that does not expose the type of router and network you have. You can also hide your SSID from the public internet so other people can’t connect to it.
3. Secure WiFi traffic
Your WiFi is, in most cases, encrypted. However, with some routers, it must be turned on in order to function properly. It is important that your WiFi traffic is encrypted to make sure your information, data, and network is secure.
It is also important that you check your router settings to make sure your traffic is encrypted. If you go to settings and check the security mode section, make sure it says “WPA2” or greater in order for your traffic to be encrypted.
4. Set up a guest network
Most organizations have a main WiFi network and a guest network. These are set up so your main network does not get compromised.
The main network is set up for employees within the organization to use and usually requires a password.
The guest network is set up for visitors and customers to use and usually does not require a password. However, a password can be required if appropriate.
A guest network can help you protect your main network from malicious actors by sending all outside traffic to the guest network keeping your main network secure.
5. Set up a firewall
A firewall is the first line of defense when it comes to network security. Because your router is where your inbound traffic comes from, a firewall securing it is important for maximizing security.
Setting up a firewall can be difficult to understand. However, it is important that you set up your firewall correctly and secure your firewall as well.
If you do not want to set up your firewall and manage it on your own you can rely on a managed service provider to deliver and manage this for you.
Next steps to securing your WiFi network
Now you know the five ways you can secure your WiFi network. These five ways will help you avoid being a victim of a cyberattack or data breach.
A cyberattack can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair your network. In addition to paying for your network to be repaired, your network could be down for a period of time resulting in even more lost revenue since your employees and customers will not be able to use it.
Coeo has helped thousands of customers with their network security. We want to make sure you have information on network security to allow you to secure your network and avoid being a victim of a cyberattack.
If you would like to speak with our team to learn more about securing your WIFI network or ask any questions you may have you can schedule an appointment. 
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