It seems that wireless networks are being setup everywhere – from companies to restaurants to car washes to childcare centers.

However, too many of these networks are setup in an insecure manner. In the next series of posts, I want to give you some guidance on several basic setup steps that you should implement immediately to improve WiFi security.

In fact, I want to you start over and re-configure your wireless access point (WAP) by following my recommendations.

My steps are generic and should apply to most situations, however you may need to consult your user manual or other online materials to decipher exactly how to perform a specific step on your equipment.

Notes before getting started:

• Each time you make a change to a setting, click the Save link to make the changes. Be sure to save the changes before moving on to the next page or tab of the management interface.
• This may cause the WAP to reboot, so be patient until it comes back up. If a change does not make the WAP reboot, you might want to have the WAP reboot anyway. Often there is a reboot command/button/link on one of the management interface pages/tabs or you could cycle the power.
• Every time the WAP reboots, you will need to re-connect to the management interface. I recommend getting started by plugging the WAP into its power adapter, then connecting a network cable from your computer’s NIC to one of the LAN ports on the WAP. Do no connect to the WAP port and don’t connect over wireless.
• You might also find that script blockers in your browser may prevent the management interface from working properly – if so, temporarily disable those features until you have finished WAP setup.
• Some management interfaces do not work well in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Opera – so be prepared to switch browsers if your preferred/primary browser gets in the way.

Stay tuned for my next post where I’ll begin providing the steps to re-configure your wireless access point.