Setting Up Encryption For Your Wireless Router

Once your wireless router is configured to broadcast your high-speed connection you can begin to enjoy the internet from anywhere within the router's broadcast range. This is convenient for you, but can also be convenient for unwanted users who happen to be nearby. For this reason it is imperative that you enable security in order to prevent others from taking up your bandwidth or worse, using your connection for malicious purposes.

In order to set up security for your router's wireless connection do the following



1.  You will have to be at the computer that is hard-wired to your router ie. your desktop.

2. Open a browser window and surf into your routers dashboard by typing HTTP://192.168.1.1. in the address bar. Notice there is no www in the URL. (some routers may use a variation of the address, but this is the most common address by far.

3. Enter the username and password for the router's settings dashboard. This is usually "admin" (with no quotations) for both.

4. Find the section of your settings for wireless security and rename your connection to something you would like (this is your ssid).

5. Now select an encryption type that you prefer. Keep in mind some security settings restrict the router to wireless G broadcasting (won't broadcast as far). WPA2 is probably the most common and easy to manage setting and won't restrict you to G.

6. Set up a passphrase that you will use when you attempt to connect wirelessly. This can be anything you would like but can have requirements such as a specific number of characters. Usually the router will tell you the requirements for whatever you select.

7. As a further measure it is a good idea to select NOT to broadcast the ssid (the name you'll see when you search for your router). if you do this you wont be able to search up your connection and will have to add it manually on devices you want to connect with.

8. Save your settings taking note of your ssid and passphrase. You will need them to connect.

9. Go to your wireless device and tell it you want to set up a new connection. Choose wireless network, type in your ssid,  choose connect and enter the passphrase you set up.

At this point you should be online wirelessly without having to worry that your neighbor is doing the same. At least not on your connection.