How to Protect Your WiFi Network

A few simple changes on your router can greatly improve WiFi security and reduce the risk of unauthorized access or abuse of your connection.

Use a Strong WiFi Password

Set a long, random password (at least 12 characters; mix letters, numbers and symbols). Avoid names, dates or simple words. In the router’s Wireless or WiFi settings, set the security to WPA2-Personal (or WPA3 if your router and devices support it). WPA and WEP are outdated and easy to crack; do not use them.

Change the Router Admin Password

Default logins like admin/admin are well known. As soon as you set up the router, go to System, Administration or Management and set a new admin password. Anyone who can log in to the router can change WiFi, see connected devices, or open ports. See Router Passwords for default IPs and logins.

Keep Firmware Updated

Router manufacturers release updates that fix security issues. Check under Firmware Update, System Update or Administration and install the latest version. You can also download the correct firmware from the manufacturer’s support site and upload it in the router interface.

Guest Network for Visitors

If your router supports a guest network, enable it and give visitors that WiFi name and password instead of your main one. Use a different, strong password. Guest networks are usually isolated from your main LAN, so devices on the guest WiFi cannot access your computers or NAS. Turn the guest network off when you don’t need it.

Disable WPS If You Don’t Use It

WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) can be convenient but has known weaknesses. If you don’t use the WPS button to add devices, disable WPS in the wireless settings. Rely on entering the WiFi password instead.

Optional: MAC Filtering and Access Control

You can restrict which devices are allowed to connect by adding their MAC addresses to an allow list (or block specific ones). This adds another layer but can be tedious to maintain. For details on blocking a device see How to Blacklist a WiFi User.

WPA2 vs WPA3

WPA2-Personal (AES) is the current standard and is secure when you use a strong password. WPA3 is newer and offers better protection against brute-force attacks and improved encryption; use it if your router and all your devices support it. Avoid WPA and WEP—they are outdated and easy to crack. If you have old devices that only support WPA2, keep the router on WPA2 or use a mixed mode (WPA2/WPA3) if available so older devices can still connect.