Wireless Security: Avoid Prying Eyes

Do you trust your neighbors--or passersby in the street--with the contents of your PC? If not, enable the security features of your wireless access point and change its default settings.

Use a new password: Don't leave the password field blank, and don't use the device's default password (if it has one).

Hide your SSID: By default, most access points broadcast the network's SSID so that clients can automatically configure themselves and connect. If your router allows you to disable this, do so.

Enable MAC filtering: Your desktop PC's network adapter, the wireless PC Card adapter in your notebook, and any other device connecting to the network have unique alphanumeric identifiers called media access control (MAC) addresses. Enter the address of each adapter on the network into the MAC filter feature in the access point's setup program so that only those adapters can access the network. To find an adapter's MAC address in Windows XP or 2000, click Start, Run and type cmd ipconfig /all. The MAC address is labeled 'Physical Address'. In Windows 98 and Me, click Start, Run, type winipcfg, and look for 'Adapter Address'.

Enable WPA or WEP encryption: Both the Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP) and the newer Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) standards encrypt data on wireless networks. To send or receive data requires the proper key or passphrase entered in the adapter's utility program.

Unfortunately, WEP can be hacked by determined snoopers. Look for routers that support the stronger WPA encryption scheme. If your current router offers only WEP protection, you may be able to upgrade to WPA via a firmware update.

Turn off Windows file sharing: Right-click the drive's icon in Windows Explorer, select Sharing and Security (in Windows XP) or Sharing (in other versions of Windows), and make sure that 'Share this folder on the network' is unchecked (you may have to click through a Windows warning to get to this option).

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