Most people understand that the first thing to do with a new Wi-Fi router is to set a unique administrative password. Or so you would think. According to a report from Broadband Genie, the reality is that more than 80% of users never change their router’s admin password and 47% never change factory settings. It sounds simple: a plug-and-play router comes in and comes online, already secure, but that’s not true. Changing a few minor settings can significantly improve security and put you ahead of the average consumer, especially if the survey numbers are accurate.
Whenever you buy a new router (even if you’ve been using one for years, this still applies), you can take advantage of some fairly simple settings to protect your network from potential hackers. Step One: Change your default administrator password. You can even change the default administrator account. Your router’s administrator account and password are separate from the Wi-Fi password you use to connect your devices to your local network. With the administrator login, you unlock access to a private page with advanced router and network settings, many of which are security-related.
If an attacker has this information, they could take control of your network and everything connected to it. That’s why the US ban on foreign routers is so important, even if it’s more of a built-in backdoor access. The problem with the default account details is that manufacturers tend to use the same or very basic information, like “admin” for the account and “password” for the password, and most people don’t change them.
More Router Security Settings You Should Consider Changing
Once you’ve changed the administrator account and password and confirmed that you now have access to the system’s advanced settings, you should consider adjusting a few other things while you’re at it. You should change the default SSID or your local network name to something impersonal. A Linksys router might use “Linksys5G” or a variation, for example. Instead, your SSID should use something like “Wi Believe I Can Fi.” You can also disable SSID broadcasting so that other people can’t discover the network without already knowing the name. Also use the highest level of WPA security available, at least WPA2, but most modern routers have WPA3.
Next, enable automatic updates if it is a setting available in the advanced menu. TP-Link, Netgear, ASUS, eero, Google Nest, and a wide variety of router manufacturers support automatic updates; The system will automatically download, install and restart the device when an update is available, provided it maintains an active Internet connection. This is important because system updates often include up-to-date security patches for potential vulnerabilities as well as other improvements such as small performance tweaks.
Updating as soon as possible can protect you and your network from these risks. It’s also really not safe to use a router that no longer has firmware support. You should upgrade if this is the case. You should also make sure you understand the difference between a modem and a router and what they actually do. They are not the same; although there are combination units, they always merge two separate devices into one.
Some Even Better Security Steps You Can Take
If you really want to dig into the administrative dashboard, there are a ton of additional tools. Keep in mind that not all of them will be useful and not all of them will apply to your personal network, depending on how you use it. You can use the guest network as intended, so anyone visiting can access your Wi-Fi securely, but you can also treat it as a separate 2.4GHz network for other functions, like segmented smart home technology. If a smart device or something connected to the guest network is compromised, it will not compromise your primary network.
Use strong passwords for your accounts, especially for your Wi-Fi account. Additionally, go through the administrative settings and turn off any additional features you don’t use. If you are not using the guest network, turn it off. You should also disable remote management features, Universal Plug-and-Play (UPnP), WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup), USB file sharing, and port forwarding rules or Host DMZ if you are not using them. Many of these steps are some of the easiest ways to make your router more secure than ever.
It takes a few minutes to log into the administrative dashboard and adjust most of these settings. Usually you have to restart your router for the changes to take effect as well, but this is also a quick and minor interruption. Ultimately, it’s a simple task for a significant security boost.
