Wireless Network Security

Change Factory Default Username and Password on Wireless Router

This is the first task you must do to better secure your wireless router. Factory default username and password must be changed when you start to configure the router. Those username and password are known publicly, so don’t leave it as default setting.

If you don’t believe, download some router manuals from vendor website, you would be able to find all these information…

Here are some examples of default username and password of wireless router from different vendors:

Linksys default username:(leave it blank) password:admin
Dlink default username:admin password:(leave it blank)
Netgear default username:admin password:password
Orange Livebox (dan moris la) default username:admin password:admin

Note: A good password is composed of number, alphabet (upper case/lower case) and symbol. If urz is still as default, make sure to change it right now by using the livebox console..


Change Factory Default SSID on Wireless Router

N make sure also to change da factory default SSID of ur wireless livebx. Same as default username and password, it would be easy for people to know the default SSID even though you have disabled SSID broadcasting. The only information they need is your wilreless router model (b presker zot tou ena orange mem dan moris! )

Again, here are some examples of default SSID of wireless router from different vendors:

Linksys factory default SSID:linksys
Dlink factory default SSID:default (po sure)
Orange Livebox: Usually router's name or sometime "WRT54G"
Netgear factory default SSID:NETGEAR



Disable SSID Broadcast

By default, most wireless router will broadcast the SSID to all wireless devices. That means your neighbour can detect the SSID you use in your network and gain access to your network with a computer equipped with wireless network adapter.

If you really want to broadcast the SSID, please make sure you enable WPA2 encryption and MAC address filtering (1 encryption WEP mem sa!! presker mem standard..) to limit the access to your network.

Note: Windows XP's wireless zero configuration will have difficulty to detect and join non-broadcast (hidden SSID) wireless network, so you can enable SSID broadcast on wireless router to fix this issue. Don't forget the encryption!!


Enable WPA2 Encryption

Don’t forget to enable WPA2 encryption to encrypt the network traffic and improve wireless network security. For most of the latest routers, WPA2 encryption is supported, but am not sure it is included in our orange livebox.. So far, WAP2 is the best and strongest encryption among WEP, WPA and WPA2 encryptions.

If you are using old wireless router that only support WPA/WEP encryption, try to upgrade the router firmware (ale dan advance confuguration dan livebx) to have WPA2 support. Just go to the vendor website and check what’s the latest firmware for your router. This is because WPA/WEP encryption is not secured and can be cracked after gathering enough network traffic using A & C.

Note: If so bad that no WPA2 support even after upgrading to latest firmware, then use WPA or WEP encryption. It’s better then no encryption at all. )


Enable MAC Address Filtering

You can enable MAC address filtering to allow the computers with specific MAC address (it's wireless adapter's mac address) to join the wireless network only. This is one of the methods to enhance wireless network security from unauthorized access.

In order to make it work, you need to define a list of MAC address that are allowed to join the network. Howeverz zis also is crackable!!


Disable Wireless Router Administration by Wireless Client

It’s advisable to disable wireless router administration by wireless clients. This means you can only access and change the router configuration after wire connecting your computer to router. However you can use this along with remote desktop, bt i don't think its intergrated in the old version of teamviewer.. try upgrading, or use remote assistance!

Note: You should also use HTTPS (with encryption) method to access your router administration webpage instead of http (without encryption). The "s" is for encrypting all the packets(information/data) u r sendin.. however zis also can b sniffed using BK3 or C & A.. bt it usually prevents small packets sniffer to sniff ur network!



Disable Remote Wireless Router Administration

Don’t enable remote wireless router administration from Internet unless you really need it. Other Internet users would be able to find and hack your router through bruteforce (rainbow attact is not efficient in this type of hijacking) password cracking or security exploits.

Note: Have a check on this feature although it’s usually disabled by default.