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Would you say your private network is safe compared to public Wi-Fi?
Public Wi-Fi networks are now widely available, often saving the day when we need to get online but have no other options. Despite their convenience, though, they can be quite risky. Cybercriminals frequently target public Wi-Fi, waiting for us—the unsuspecting users—to connect so they can hack our devices and steal our data. That’s why some of us use tools like NordVPN to mitigate such risks.
The situation looks different when we’re at home or at work, where we generally feel more secure with our private Wi-Fi. But is it truly as safe as we believe? Just because a network is called “private” doesn’t mean it is. Therefore, it’s worth taking another look at your Wi-Fi’s security and making sure it’s up to the task. Let us explain how.
What is Wi-Fi security?
Wi-Fi security (or wireless security, as it is also called) is about keeping your wireless network safe from unauthorized access. Essentially, it’s about everything we, as network owners, can do to make sure that the data we’re sending and receiving stays private and secure. This includes using things like encryption, multi-factor authentication, and firewalls, as well as other security tools and measures.
The goal is to make it as difficult as possible for outsiders to connect to our private Wi-Fi. Basically, the more security layers you add, the harder it is for someone to break in. Some security tools are more effective than others, so it’s important to understand what each one does and how to use them. That’s what we’ll dive into next.
Six things you can do to secure your Wi-Fi
Though improving your Wi-Fi security might sound complicated, in reality, it’s not that difficult. Just follow these few key steps, and you’ll cover a lot of security grounds:
Change your Wi-Fi router's default name
Most routers come with a default name that can give away their model and make them an easier target for hackers. By switching to a unique and less obvious Wi-Fi name (SSID), you’ll make it much tougher for intruders to figure out what you’re using. Just remember to pick a name that doesn’t include any personal info.
Create a really strong password for your Wi-Fi network
A strong password is crucial for keeping unwanted users out of your network. Therefore, it should consist of letters, numbers, and special characters in a random order, and be at least 16 characters long. When created this way, it is much more resilient to brute-force attacks.
Use WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) encryption
Encryption is key to protecting your data while it’s being transmitted. It also makes it a lot more difficult for anyone to access your network without permission. For the best protection, set your router to use WPA encryption, as it offers superior security compared to some other standards (more details on WPA below).
Turn on firewall
In simple terms, a firewall acts as a security barrier for your network, blocking harmful traffic from the internet. You can also think of it as a filter that keeps out unwanted visitors. So, make sure to turn on your router's firewall to give your network an extra layer of protection against potential intruders.
Use a VPN to connect
By routing your connection through a VPN server, you ensure that your data stays secure and your online activities remain private. This means that anyone trying to snoop on your network traffic will only see encrypted data, making it nearly impossible for them to access your sensitive information.
Keep everything up to date
We don’t need to tell you how crucial it is to keep your software and devices updated for security. Updates often fix vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit, so be sure to install them regularly to keep your system protected from new threats.
Which encryption is best – WPA, WPA2, or WPA3?
WPA is arguably the most popular wireless encryption protocol, with most computers supporting some version of it since 2023. The different versions, however, are what really set them apart in terms of security. WPA (sometimes referred to as the TKIP standard) became available in 2003, while WPA3 was released in 2018. So, as you might expect, the higher the number next to the version name and the later it was released, the more advanced it is.
This means that WPA3 is the most secure encryption standard among all WPA protocols, offering enhanced protection with stronger encryption. WPA2 is still widely used and considered secure, but it is more vulnerable compared to WPA3. WPA, being the oldest, is outdated and not recommended due to its weaker security features.
How NordPass can help protect your Wi-Fi
As an advanced yet easy-to-use password manager, NordPass Business makes it effortless to create, store, and manage strong passwords, including those for Wi-Fi. So before you resort to scribbling your password in a notebook or settling for a weak one that's easy to remember, you can use NordPass’ built-in Password Generator to create a complex, 16-character password for your Wi-Fi, which will then be automatically stored and protected in an encrypted vault.
Additionally, NordPass can assess the security of your existing Wi-Fi password by evaluating its strength. Should it find the password weak or compromised, it will trigger an alert, allowing you to easily update it to something stronger.
Of course, NordPass has a lot more to offer when it comes to enhancing your online security. For example, if your organization is looking for a password manager for IT teams to improve control over digital access and ensure that employees use strong credentials, NordPass could be just what you need. Start with our free 14-day trial and see for yourself how NordPass can elevate your cybersecurity game.