The most important security features that you should activate in your router now!
Routers have a lot of security features that are meant to make your wireless network more secure, but you may not know about them and do not use them. Some of you may have paid a large sum for this little device or received it for free after subscribing to your Internet Service Provider.
In any case, you should make sure that you are taking advantage of all the security it offers you. Depending on the age of the router, it may include more or less security features. You may need to upgrade the firmware to ensure that you have the latest features offered by your router manufacturer. And if the router is really old, you may need to buy a new router because it is no longer secure to keep your network away from intruders and hackers.
So, let us tell you through this article what are the most important security features that you should activate now to reach the highest level of security, taking into account that the availability of these features depends on the age of the router, so you may find two or three of them in your router, and you may find all the features available. So, search the control panel page and activate the mentioned features if you find any of them.
1- Activate encryption using WPA2
Enabling WPA2 encryption is one of the most important things you should do right away while setting up your router to protect your Wi-Fi network from hacking. In fact, it is the current standard for keeping Wi-Fi networks and access points protected from hackers and intruders. If you don’t know anything about network encryption standards, WPA2 is simply a technology for securing wireless networks, which was designed as an alternative to the old and less secure WEP system. I suggest you review our previous article on the difference between Wi-Fi encryption types Wep, Wpa, Wpa-2, Wpa-3 and what to choose for more details.
In general, this step is important to keep your network secure and you will definitely find this feature in your router if it is new, noting that the activation method will differ from one router to another, so go to the network settings from the router control panel, then search for Authentication Type and you will find it in the list, so select it and then choose the password you want to protect the network with.
Read also: 5 things you should do immediately to protect your Wi-Fi network from hacking
2- Guest Mode
Do you have guests or visitors who need internet access but you are careful not to tell them your wireless password, perhaps because it is complicated or may cause you embarrassment? Let me tell you that this scenario is common among many, which is why some routers are equipped with a special mode called "Guest Mode" that allows you to broadcast more than one Wi-Fi network from the same router, one for your personal devices that you use at home or work, and another for the devices of guests and visitors.
Each network has different settings like a different name, a different password, and even the ability to specify the number of devices allowed to connect to this network, with the ability to hide the network . So, it is a very useful feature and you should know how to activate it - maybe you will need it one day. All you have to do is go to the control panel, then search for the Guest Mode option under the Wireless section, then activate it so that it gives you the name and password for the new network.
This is for modern routers, but in the old ones you will not find any trace of guest mode, while there is a trick that performs the same task, which is by going to the SSID Settings section under Network, then choosing SSID 2 from the Choose SSID list, then specifying the settings for this second wireless network in terms of the maximum number of devices, the network name, and whether you want to make it hidden or visible, and then the router will broadcast another Wi-Fi network that any device can connect to without problems.
3- Activate the built-in firewall
Yes, your router may have a built-in firewall but you may not even know it’s there. It’s a great tool for preventing port-based cyber attacks and is a powerful defense against hackers and pirates. A firewall can also prevent a virus-infected computer on your network from spreading to all other devices connected to the same router by blocking malicious connections from leaving the infected device’s network.
Let me tell you that there are several different types of firewalls, those for operating systems like Windows Firewall are software based, while the firewall built into the router is hardware based; that is, there is a part in the motherboard of the router dedicated solely to handling the functions performed by the firewall.
So, you should make sure to take advantage of this feature and activate it. It is very simple, just go to the router control panel, then go to the Security section, there click on the Firewall Enable menu and select On, then click on the Firewall Level menu and select High to get the maximum level of protection. We repeat again, the method differs from one router to another. But you will definitely find it in your router if it is new.
Read also: The meaning of WLAN, DSL, and WPS in the router and other router lights
4- Restrict network connection by time
Instead of having your Wi-Fi available all day and all night, what if you could restrict your internet connection every day to prevent hackers from connecting to your network or your kids from surfing the web late at night? Fortunately, routers have a feature that does just that: disable Wi-Fi at a specific time and turn it back on automatically at a specific time of day. You don’t have to buy an expensive router to get this feature; even the devices that your ISP delivers to you have this feature.
For example, in the T-Data router, model ZXHN H108N V2.5, you can activate the feature by first going to the control panel, then to the Network section, then to the WLAN page, then to WiFi Restrictions, and from there you can select the Off Time and On Time wireless network broadcasting time, taking into account that the time is set in 24-hour format. Generally, once you set the time and save the settings, the Internet will be automatically disconnected when the Off Time comes and then return to work again at the time specified in front of On Time.
5- Allow only specific devices to connect to the network
This method is the best when it comes to protecting your network from intruders who steal your internet connection without your knowledge. Through the filtering feature in the router, you can specify only certain devices that are allowed to connect to the network. Any other device that is not listed - even if it knows the password - will not be able to connect to the network. So, it is excellent for avoiding network hacking.
Fortunately, this feature is available in a large number of routers, including the old ones. If you own a T-Data router, all you have to do is go to the Network section, then to WLAN, then to Access Control List. From there, click on the Mode menu and select Permit, which devices are authorized to connect to the network, then write the MAC address of each device you want to add. You will usually find this address in the device’s network settings, and once you have added them all correctly, you can rest assured that the network is in good condition and that it is not being stolen by intruders.
You may also be interested in: How to convert a router into an access point (T-Data or Orange)
6- Activate parental control features
Most modern routers come with parental control features that are a great way to protect your kids or family members while they are online. Since you are often unable to supervise your kids all day long, you can take advantage of parental control features that allow you to filter out unwanted content, block visits to certain websites, restrict internet access time, and monitor your kids’ online activity. They generally help parents a lot in teaching their kids about internet boundaries. As we mentioned, they are not available on all devices, but look for them in the control panel, and if you find them, enable them immediately.
Did we miss anything? Are there important features and benefits that we didn’t mention in the article? You can always share them with us in the comment box below.