How to keep others from hijacking your home wireless network

Another very common question I get asked is around wireless security and will my neighbours or other businesses in the area be able to "hijack" my network and use my bandwith, steal my information etc... in a way this is possible, however there are ways & means of securing your network. Most modern day routers have the security features built-in, like WEP, WPA-PSK and a host more that you can use, another example is MAC Address filtering & hiding your SSID (Security Set Identifier).

I have managed to find some tips for you and added them to my blog to ensure that you can secure your wireless network or even better understand the terms used with wireless networking... However I do wireless network installations, including security setups so contact me if you require a setup. (Leave a comment with your details and I will get back to you)

Leaving your wireless network unprotected could be an open door for nosy neighbors—or worse—mobile malicious attackers searching for wireless networks to break into, a practice known as wardriving.
It's not uncommon for a home user with a wireless-enabled computer to pick up a wireless network signal, often inadvertently, from a next-door neighbor's access point.

What is "wardriving"?

This term means to cruise down streets with a wireless computer or other radio-enabled device attempting to locate, identify, and infiltrate wireless networks.
A wardriver who accesses your network could anonymously hijack your Internet connection, steal personal information stored on your network, intercept file transfers, or even use your computer as a "zombie" to send out spam or malicious software that could be traced back to you.
Fortunately, by following a few best practices you can significantly decrease your vulnerability to these attacks.

Tips to help protect your wireless network

If you aren't sure how to do some of these, ask someone with computer experience, like ME that you trust to help or visit Microsoft Support, or drop by our friendly Security Community.

•Encrypt all information transmitted through your access point.

•Specify the computers your access point will only recognize using Media Access Control (MAC) addresses & filtering as I mentioned earlier.

•Add a firewall to your network access point and to each computer on the network and keep all of them current (note that the latest version of Windows XP SP2 features a built-in firewall).

•Avoid storing passwords, social security numbers, credit card numbers, details about family members, or other personal information on your computer.

•Place the wireless access point away from windows and near the center of your house to decrease the signal strength outside of the intended coverage area.

•Keep Windows and related security tools current using Automatic Updates.

•Install antivirus software and Windows Defender and keep them up-to-date. Consider using a comprehensive security service like Windows Live OneCare.

•Revisit established and trusted computer security organizations and sites to stay current with the latest security technologies, methods, alerts, and related information.

•If you are unable to use encryption, connect to your wireless access point with a network cable when sending financial or other critical information over the Internet.

Although no method is 100% secure, you can help deter or prevent unauthorized access by applying these basic steps to deter others looking to steal personal information, Internet access, or even send out spam e-mail in your name.