Running head: CONFIGURING AND PROTECTING WIRELESS ROUTER’S NETWORK 1

Configuring and Protecting Wireless Router’s Network

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Configuring and Protecting Wireless Router’s Network

Introduction

Wireless routers or Wi-Fi routers have become common gadgets in homes as people

realize and embrace the need for modern technology in their lives. Today, the internet is

available in almost all parts of the world and at affordable prices and enhanced speeds. Wireless

routers enable people to connect to the internet easily and quickly and enjoy all the benefits

associated with the internet, smartphones, and computers. Unfortunately, these benefits come

with risks such as cyber threats, viruses, phishing, spamming, malware, and others. This

discussion examines how users can run the setup program of configuring, protecting, and

optimizing wireless networks using the Wireless Router.

The Wi-Fi Router

After purchasing the right router for home or office use, users have to decide whether

they want the Wi-Fi 6 router or a Wi-Fi mesh system. Sometimes users may decide to use both in

one. Users may decide the type of Wi-Fi router they want to buy depending on the number of

users, volume of work, internet speed, cost, location and availability of the network, and

compatibility with other devices at home or in the office. A typical Wi-Fi router contains the

router device, a short internet cable, user manual, and power cable as shown below.
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Placement and Setup

Before setting up the Wi-Fi router, it is necessary to scan the house and even conduct

some tests to see where the signal will be strongest. Transmission of internet signal is poorer

where there are many barriers such as walls, floors, doors, glass, and other objects. The first step

is to connect the router to the power cable and ensure the power light is on. Then connect the

Ethernet or modem that provides a source of internet. When connecting the Ethernet, this cable

should be connected at the back of the router in a port that is colored differently from the rest. In

most cases, this port is labeled WAN (wide-area network) as shown in the image below. The

antenna must also be in a vertical position.

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Setting the username and password

Some wireless routers can be configured using smartphones. However, most of them use

the dedicated website URL that is found by connecting a computer to the router's LAN port

using an Ethernet cable and typing 192.168.1.1. Sometimes, this address is different and users

should consult their device manufacturers if the default one does not work. For a new router, the

default username and password is admin and admin respectively. However, for a used one, the

password and username can be reset to default settings by pressing and holding the reset button

located at the back of the router. The password set must be secure to protect the user's account. A

strong password is one that has a combination of randomized upper and lower cases, letters,

numbers, and symbols.

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Configuring the router

After setting the password and username, it is now time to configure the router according

to the specific needs of users. The configuration process differs depending on models and

manufacturers. However, using the easy setup wizard is the easiest way of configuring a wireless

router using the SSID (service set identifier) provided by the manufacturer and the password set

by the user as shown below.

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Connecting to the Wi-Fi devices

When the Wi-Fi router is on, all devices that use the internet and that have been enabled

to detect available networks will show the router’s SSID. Clicking on this available network will

prompt the user to enter the network security key which is the router’s password. Users can use

the auto-configuration tool to quickly move through this stage. Using the Dynamic Host

Configuration Protocol (DHCP) that is contained in the router's settings will automatically assign

IP addresses to all devices connected to this router. It is highly recommended to go with the

automatic settings instead of trying to change everything and mess with the settings.

Connecting to the 2.4GHz or 5GHz or both

For shorter ranges, users should consider selecting the 5GHz connections since the

connection is faster but cannot travel as far or transmit through barriers since it has a shorter
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wavelength. On the other hand, the 2.4GHz travels far and is not easily interfered with by

barriers although it is slower. Before choosing which wavelength to use, conducting an

automatic band test will instruct the device to check both and select the strongest.2.4GHz has 11

channels and channel 6 being the default one. It is recommended to choose the channels on the

extremes of 1 and 11 to avoid spillover. The Wi-Fi network is now set up and ready to connect to

other devices.

Advanced settings

While most users ignore this section in any setup procedure, there are user details and

information that users can find in this section to tweak their internet settings to their desired

specifications and controls. Some of these issues include the quality of service, guest networks,

monitoring traffic, FTP servers, MAC address filtering, and parental controls.

a. Quality of service (QoS)

This feature enables users to select both the downstream and upstream of networks;

hence, boosting the performance of their networks. While most routers have tabs in their

configuration pages to monitor traffic, the QoS option may also be located under this section. By

turning the QoS on, users can prioritize some tasks including video streaming and online games.

Although in the past it was possible to prioritize devices based on the unique MAC address today

manufacturers use more intuitive and graphical guides such as the ones provided by Netgear as

shown below.
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At the same time, QoS options allow users to monitor how each device is using the

internet and restrict this depending on the users' preferences as shown below. QoS is also used to

manage to buffer and ensure that there is a smooth flow of the network across all connected

devices.
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b. Guest networks

Most routers enable users to decide whether they would like to have guest networks on

their platforms. To protect personal data from unauthorized access, the default setting for this

option is usually disabled so that guest networks do not access users’ networks. To activate this

option, visit the router's application or configuration page and go to the wireless settings where

the option is located. It is important to first confirm the guest network's username and password

before adding it to a network. It is highly recommended to use the WPA2 encryption that

protects regular networks from unauthorized access. Also, it is important to limit guest network

access privileges so that visitors do not have excess freedoms to use the network. Limiting

visitors' network usage to either 2.4GHz or 5GHz but not both is a good strategy for controlling

visitors’ use of the network.

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c. Monitoring traffic and FTP servers

Most routers offer the option of limiting the amount of traffic that moves across a

network. This option enables users to see the type and volume of traffic moving across a network

so that users can control them. The option is available at the advanced settings menu at the traffic

monitor or traffic meter section. Users can control the amount of data downloaded or uploaded

by all and specific users, limit their speeds, and block some sites or applications from running on

their networks. In the absence of these features, users can use online applications such as

Solarwinds RTBM or PRTG. FTP servers available in routers that have USB ports enable users

to transfer many large files while bypassing the cloud services. Once a USB device is plugged

and enabled, all users can access its content unless the main user changes the settings to admin-

only.
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d. MAC address settings and filtering

Wireless routers have the option of filtering and blocking devices from accessing and

using a network. The MAC (media access control) is a unique code associated with all devices

that can access the internet. Users can add the MAC address of devices that they want to allow or

block from accessing their networks through the MAC address filtering option in the advanced

settings page as shown in the image below.

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e. Parental controls

The parental control option in the advanced settings page performs three important

functions. First, the option filters devices that are allowed to connect to a network. Secondly, the

option filters the websites that are not supposed to connect. Thirdly the option allows the admin

to allocate specific hours within which devices are allowed to connect to the network. With these

options, parents do not have to worry about their children spending all night online or visiting

adult-rated and irrelevant sites online.

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