24
Aug, 2022
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Improve the Security of Your Wireless Network with these 4 Actions

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It’s not always easy to build a network that is both robust and secure, but this doesn’t make it any less necessary, not with so many of your critical business functions relying on connectivity. With so many devices accessing your network at any given time, you need to have a concrete understanding of how to keep your network secure while still keeping your network running efficiently.

Your Wireless is Not Simply About Wi-Fi Connectivity

Your business’ wireless connection is much different from your home connection, and this extends far beyond just the data it sends. Start thinking about it not as a tool but as a part of your business’ foundation, something that it stands on and relies on. This is a far cry from how some organizations view their wireless networks with many viewing them as a secondary network, sidelining it in favor of the actual company network. This practice can be fatal.

Even if you have yet to experience a true data breach, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t currently threats out there who have set their sights on you. Most employees will have smartphones allowing them to access your company’s data or Wi-Fi during the workday, and most important of all, they expect your network to be secure, as they don’t want to put their personal devices or data at risk. To help you build a network that is secure and reliable, we’ve put together the following actions you can take today to protect your network:

Keep Guests on Their Own Network

If you want to keep your network as secure as possible, start by isolating your guest network into a subnet. Subnets are partitioned off from the rest of your network, allowing you to keep them secure through different settings or access controls. Some companies keep their guest networks open so people can use them as they see fit, and while this is certainly a fine practice, be sure that it’s not operating too close to your employees’ network. You never know who could be using your network for nefarious deeds.

Secure Your Routers

If you want to secure your wireless network, you need to make sure that the hardware powering it is in an appropriate location that is safe and secure from just anyone. Businesses opt for commercial Access Point (AP) technology instead of the over-the-counter router, as they provide better coverage and are often placed out of reach, attached to the ceiling or elsewhere. If your business still opts for the router, however, just make sure that people can’t mess with it while they are walking around your place of business.

Reign In Your Signal

You’ll want to have total coverage for your entire office if you can, but you also need to keep in mind that if your network extends beyond your walls, an unauthorized user could be sitting in the parking lot or across the road, ready to use your wireless network for their own purposes. You can manage your signal’s strength by placing them in locations where you are comfortable with letting your wireless signal reach.

Keep Software Updated

Routers have their own operating systems that are updated periodically by software developers, and as such, they also come with their fair share of vulnerability patches and updates. You’ll want to make sure that the firmware is updated for all of your wireless technology so that it is kept safe as can be.

NuTech Services can help you make any and all necessary adjustments to the way you utilize wireless technology. To learn more about what we can do for your business, contact us today at 810.230.9455.

9
May, 2022
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Boosting Your Router’s Security in 3 Ways

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Your wireless router handles a lot of the tough work for your business, and as such, it’s important that it’s protected and secured as best as can be. If you want to secure your router, we recommend that you use the following best practices to make it happen.

First, let’s talk about the router. The router is basically a modern computer in its own right. They have their own operating systems and software, and as such, they can be susceptible to vulnerabilities. If you aren’t keeping in mind basic data security practices, then you are already behind the security curve.

Update Your Router’s Software and Check Settings

Your router runs on software that needs to be updated periodically. As your router ages, so too does your network security. When you update your router, you are updating the firmware and other software used to route the wireless signals. Here are some other settings you should consider changing:

  • Change network name or SSID – Make sure it is something that is unique but doesn’t necessarily identify you or your organization.
  • Turn on automatic firmware updates – As we described already, getting firmware updates is essential to maintain security for your router. 
  • Enable WPA2 wireless encryption (or WPA3, if your router supports it) – This ensures that only authorized users can access your wireless network. 

Disable Dangerous Accessibility Options

Most users utilize the Universal Plug and Play feature and keep their routers on the default settings, something which puts these wireless connections at greater risk of compromise. Another way that hackers will attempt to undermine the security of your router is by using the Wi-Fi Protected Setup feature on your router. It is an easy-to-use feature that helps you connect devices using a static eight-digit pin, even if the username and password have been changed. The PIN is printed right on the router, and if it’s on your router, then that makes it easier to get into. It’s far from the ideal scenario.

Set Up a Guest Wi-Fi Network

A great way to keep your wireless network secure is by limiting who has access to it. So, for example, let’s say you have guests come to the office, and you don’t want to give them access to your employees’ wireless network. You can instead have them connect to a guest wireless network specifically for them. Most commercial-grade routers and many personal routers provide this level of functionality. You can even set the network to turn off after a certain amount of time. 

This also helps if your organization operates with a lot of Internet of Things devices. The guest wireless network can keep them from creating security troubles. All you have to do is connect some of your IoT devices to the network so that they don’t accidentally leave anything exposed on your main network.

To learn more about how you can keep your wireless network secure, reach out to us at 810.230.9455.

15
Apr, 2022
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Setting Up Your Company’s Wireless System Should Be More Involved than Just Plugging in a Router

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We live in a world that is constantly connected, be it through a wireless connection or through your smartphone’s mobile data. This makes it especially important to practice appropriate cybersecurity practices while you’re connected to a wireless network. Let’s go over some wireless cybersecurity best practices you can keep in mind when using your wireless technology.

Change Default Router Passwords

Generally speaking, many users will keep the same network names and passwords for their wireless networks, something which can be dangerous and exploited by hackers. If a hacker knows the device type, they can look up the default passwords online, making it all the more likely they can compromise the network. Be sure to change your network names and passwords so they are as best protected as possible.

Restrict Access to Your Networks or Set Up Guest Networks

Don’t let just anyone use your wireless network! You should restrict access to your network to only employees or on an as-needed basis. If you must give guests access to your network, set up a separate wireless network for them to do so; this gives you greater control and privacy on the network where most of your data is moving.

Patch your Access Points

Any devices accessing your data over your wireless network should be kept up-to-date and secured. This means making sure they are all equipped with appropriate security measures themselves, and while it can be challenging to keep up with patches and updates, it’s something that must be done to maintain optimal security. For example, you need to ensure all computers, including laptops and desktops, as well as smartphones and other mobile devices, are kept secure while accessing your company’s wireless network.

Implement Comprehensive Security Measures

The same network security measures used for your in-house network apply to your wireless network. This means implementing antivirus, antimalware, and firewalls to keep threats off your network and promptly eliminate those that do manage to make their way through.

Use a Virtual Private Network

A VPN can help by encrypting data sent to and received by your wireless network, protecting it from unauthorized onlookers. Essentially, it can no longer be spied on or stolen, as it will be encrypted; without the decryption key, it won’t be useful to anyone.

Let Us Help!

NuTech Services can help to equip your business with all of the technology it needs to remain safe and secure while off the safety of your in-house network. Whether it’s training your employees on security best practices or setting up powerful mobile security solutions, we’ve got you covered; just reach out to us at 810.230.9455.

27
Sep, 2021
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The Correct Wi-Fi Setup Can Really Enhance Your Business

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Just about all modern businesses rely on the Internet—especially the wireless kind—for at least part of their day-to-day operations. This means that there is a direct correlation between the strength and speed of their connection and the amount of productivity they can experience as a result of this connection. As your business grows, it is incredibly important to think about your Wi-Fi setup and how you can support its continued growth. Let’s go over the process for properly scaling your wireless network to accommodate its growth.

Identify What Your Needs Are

Your business needs to scale its Wi-Fi solution in the way that best addresses its current shortcomings and limitations. Therefore, you must make a concerted effort to understand your current needs and goals. Consider factors such as how many users will need the network at any given time, how the traffic will be dispersed throughout the office space and across the network, and how much bandwidth these processes will take up.

Once you have these details ironed out, you will be in a much better position to make the appropriate changes to your network. This might include access points, bandwidth, or connectivity.

Establish Your Current Capabilities

Before making any other changes to your Wi-Fi network or adding any access points, you should first determine what you can accomplish with your current setup. A site survey should give you a decent idea of where you stand in this regard, and with this baseline for your existing technology’s performance, you can move forward with intention. You should have information on how many devices you can expect to host at maximum capacity, as well as where the dead zones in your office are located.

While adding access points can help address dead zones, it is considered a best practice to minimize the number of access points your business’ Wi-Fi connection has. This is done for the simple fact that it cuts down on interference and decreases the security risks. A Wi-Fi analyzer can help you place your access points in a way that maximizes coverage without interference.

Furthermore, if you can use wired connections, it might be worth doing so to further minimize your bandwidth challenges.

Adjust Your Existing Connections

You can also adjust the range that your access points can reach, providing your business with enough signal without extending it into the surrounding areas. Proper use of these features can keep unauthorized users from accessing your wireless network. You can also slightly extend your wireless signals just beyond your location’s walls, such as into your parking lot, a secondary building, or other locations as needed.

Do you have any questions about extending your wireless network? NuTech Services can help. Just give us a call at 810.230.9455 to learn more.

25
Sep, 2020
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Partition Your Network to Prioritize Network Resources

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Wi-Fi can be found in many homes and businesses alike, as it is perhaps the simplest means of connecting your various computers and mobile devices to the Internet without installing networking cables or risking going over any data caps you may deal with. Of course, some devices may take priority in such a setup, so it could be very useful for you to partition your Wi-Fi.

Let’s go over what this means, how you can go about doing so to your business’ benefit.

Your Wireless Network and its Bandwidth

When you sign on for Internet services from your service provider, you’re effectively subscribing to a preset amount of bandwidth—hopefully, enough for your staff to do everything they need to do. However, once some people start a few resource-intensive tasks, they could potentially pull network resources away from your other users… not the ideal situation.

For example, take a point-of-sale system as it collects customer data and efficiently processes payments. If network resources are being expended in other places, the POS system could experience some challenges, and negatively impact the customer experience. Internet-hosted communication systems, like email or VoIP, are also vulnerable to this.

Fortunately, partitioning can help avoid these hold-ups.

Understanding Partitioning

To understand partitioning, it helps to look at your Internet bandwidth as the wait to be seated in a restaurant. Regardless of whether there are ten people waiting to get in, or two, the restaurant can only hold so many people. Bandwidth is like the number of seats available—once it is filled up, some will have to empty before operations move along. When it comes to your data, running out of bandwidth causes a bottleneck.

To continue this comparison, partitioning is a little bit like reserving a table at our metaphorical restaurant. When you place your reservation, a table is set aside for your specific use. When you partition your bandwidth, that section of bandwidth is reserved for a specific use as well. So, returning to reality for a moment, partitioning your bandwidth essentially just means you’re reserving some of your Internet resources for a certain task. In the case of a POS system, whether you partition your network could potentially be the difference between having the necessary reliability for your payment terminals, or not. This is also used often for VoIP systems, offline backup, and other bandwidth-intensive systems.

What Does Partitioning a Network Require?

When you partition a network, the first step is to establish how much of your network could be partitioned for specific tasks without causing an issue for your business.

Then, it’s just establishing what processes should be partitioned. If you were trying to ensure that a VoIP platform would remain functional, you could partition your network at the router, specifying that so much bandwidth is meant for VoIP processes, and protect this bandwidth with an authentication system. As a result, your telephony would remain crisp and clear, as its bandwidth wouldn’t have other processes borrowing from it (or the other way around).

For assistance with partitioning your business network, or with any other aspect of your business’ IT, NuTech Services is here to help. Reach out to us today for predictable and professional managed IT services and support by calling 810.230.9455.

16
Sep, 2020
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Tip of the Week: 2 Wi-Fi Tips for Your Home or Office

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The COVID-19 pandemic has a lot of people spending a lot of time at home. As a result many people are getting more out of their Internet service. With school starting back up and people still working from home, the Internet needs to be available for everyone in the house. One of the best ways to make this happen is through Wi-Fi. Oftentimes, however, setting up a Wi-Fi connection can be troublesome. Today, we thought it would be useful to give you a couple of tips that can help you get the most out of your Wi-Fi network at home or in the office. 

Strategic Placement

Wi-Fi depends on a couple of pieces of hardware and a couple of other factors. Firstly, ensure that your modem is connected correctly and that your router is connected securely to your modem. Nowadays, they are typically found in the same unit for home use. A key factor to setting up your router is that it has as few obstructions between devices as possible. Wi-Fi is just wireless radio waves, so ensuring it has a clear path will help the reliability of the signal that gets to your devices. 

To make this happen, you will want to choose a centralized location in your house or office to install the router. You will also want to elevate it over most obstructions. If your modem is on the floor there are many more obstructions close to the floor than there are near the ceiling. Setting up your router up high will work to keep your coverage relatively consistent throughout the environment. 

Utilize Wi-Fi Extenders Where Necessary

Some places have too much “place” for your Wi-Fi signal to effectively reach all ends of a property. When this happens, installing a Wi-Fi extender may be your best option. Effectively, these devices just repeat the frequency coming from the router to a larger area. If that doesn’t do the trick you could outfit your home or office with additional routers that will do a better job broadcasting Wi-Fi signals. 

If you are having problems setting up your Wi-Fi connection, or you would like to get some expert advice before networking your home or office, call the IT professionals at NuTech Services today at 810.230.9455.

11
May, 2020
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How to Safely Use Wireless Internet to Work from Home

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While remote work has gained an understandable boost in popularity, many business owners and technology specialists may still be concerned about how secure the Wi-Fi connections that workers are using in the home are. To waylay those fears, you need to be sure that your employees are using their networks as securely as they can.

To help, we’ll be going over a few best practices that you and your team can implement to improve the security of your remote work when using a wireless connection.

Password Best Practices are a Must

Whether at home or in the office, everyone who works within your business needs to subscribe to good password standards. For instance:

  • Don’t rely on easy-to-guess passwords, passwords that rely on predictable patterns, or other passwords that might be found on “insecure password” summaries.
  • Use a passphrase, or a combination of unrelated, randomly chosen words, instead of a password. Not only are these more secure, they are often easy to remember.
  • Update your passwords regularly, including your network access password. Don’t give out the password to your network if you can help it.

Optimize and Update

While many are in the habit of postponing updates until the performance of their tools begins to suffer, remote access requires the use of secure and effective solutions. 

Here are a few tips:

  • Each employee needs to have a sufficiently secure suite of solutions to protect the devices they are using, as well as their network as a whole. This should include a firewall, antivirus, and a virtual private network (VPN) connection.
  • Each employee should also take additional steps to protect their solutions, such as adjusting and updating their networking hardware and changing the SSID it is known by.
  • Furthermore, all devices themselves should have the latest security updates and patches installed.

Making sure that your entire team is aware of these guidelines–and abides by them–is crucial to your security, regardless of whether they are operating in-house or remotely. For more assistance with your business’ technology and the security that protects it, reach out to NuTech Services by calling 810.230.9455.

9
Jan, 2019
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Tip of the Week: Improve Your Business’ Wi-Fi

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For many businesses, a wireless network connection plays a large role in what they do. The people who make your organization work require access to a continuous Internet connection to ensure collaboration can happen with minimal trouble, but it also means that more productivity can happen throughout the workday on your employees’ terms. Therefore, the problems that come from a poor wireless connection can present a considerable hurdle for your business to overcome.

We’re here to help your organization make better use of its wireless connection.

The Router
Your router will determine the general range of your wireless network, as well as its security. Depending on your business’ specific needs, a router can be a tricky investment. You have to consider several aspects, including how much range you need and what kind of options are available for it. Here are some of the variables you’ll need to consider:

  • It is within your budgetary constraints
  • It supports Internet speeds you pay for
  • The space your router needs to cover
  • The devices the router has to support
  • Ensure that any router you choose supports WPA2 encryption

Once you’ve determined which router you’re going with, you can set it up in a place that is most effective for your purposes. If you want your router to broadcast a signal through your entire office, you’ll need to test it out and see how the location works. Try to find a nice central location. If the router doesn’t work as intended in specific parts of the office, you might need to include a Wi-Fi repeater to get the range you’re looking for.

The Repeater
If your signal isn’t extending as far as you’d like, a repeater (or extender) can be used to extend the wireless signal to reach a larger area. This way, the signal will reach any area you need it to reach. A Wi-Fi repeater contains two wireless routers. One of them picks up the wireless signal coming off of your network’s central router, while the other picks up the signal and transmits it in much the same way as your network’s central router. Thankfully, the wireless repeater only needs to be in a location within the broadcasting range of the central router. Just plug it into an average outlet and you’re good to go.

Security
Security is another important part of your business’ wireless network that requires you to think about it during the setup phase. The router doesn’t necessarily have to be hard to set up, though. First, make sure you have WPA2 encryption turned on. Some models don’t default to this and instead use the ineffective Wireless Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption that can be broken through easily enough. With WPA2, you’ll be much more secure.

Next, you want to name your wireless network to something that can help you identify it, as well as assign a complex password to defend it. This ensures that only those who need the network for work will be logging onto it, and that they will know which network belongs to your organization if multiple are available. Once you’ve finished with this task, you want to enable the router’s firewall. Doing this provides an additional layer of protection against potential threats.

One more thing: be sure to change the admin’s password on the actual router, as most default passwords can simply be looked up online.

For more information on how to optimize the use you get out of your business’ wireless connection, reach out to us at 810.230.9455.

8
Nov, 2017
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Tip of the Week: Improving Your Wi-Fi May Have Something To Do With Your Router

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While many may want their Internet to be faster, not many realize that their router may be contributing to the problem. For this week’s tip, we’ll discuss how to configure your router for a faster Internet connection.

Gaining Access to the Administration Console
Of course, before you can make any changes to your router, you need to access the place where those changes can be made. With your router connected to your device (either a wired or wireless connection is fine) access your web browser. In the address bar, enter your router’s IP address, which can be found in the router’s user manual. Alternatively, you can check for your router’s IP address by clicking into the Control Panel and then, under the Network and Internet category, View network status and tasks.

To make this easier, you should use the dropdown menu in the top-right corner of the window to view your options by category.

In the Network and Sharing Center, click into your current network connection. An Ethernet Status window will appear. Once you click on the Details… button, your router’s IP address will display under IPv4 Default Gateway.

Once you have the IP address of your router, enter it into your browser’s address bar. Before you can access your router, you will need to enter your username and password. This could actually be one of the factors causing your problems: if your router’s access credentials have been left to the factory defaults, anyone can access your Internet connection without your knowledge and eat up your bandwidth. This is why it is important to change your access credentials to something more secure.
Once you have secured your access to your router, you should also look for Wireless Settings or Advanced Wireless Settings. This is where the rest of the changes to help speed up your connection will be made.

Checking the Bands
Based on what gigahertz your routers use for their signal, they come in different types–also known as ‘bands.’ Today’s routers will often support multiple bands, identified by the letter at the end of the router’s protocol. Older routers will often have a ‘G’ denoted at the end, while new ones are denoted with an ‘N’ or ‘AC.’ Even newer ones might end their protocol with ‘AD.’

These bands will tell you what devices will play nice with your router, but the multi-band capabilities of many routers will allow a single router to support numerous devices with different protocols.

Selecting a Channel
A connection can also be made slower if the router is set to a channel with higher traffic. If set to the 2.4GHz frequency, for example, your router has to compete with common devices like cordless phones, Bluetooth speakers, and others. Switching to a less busy channel may improve your connection speed and overall quality.

You can check which channels are available to you with some utilities for Windows devices and applications for Android devices. After running your scan and identifying a promising channel, use your Administration Console to switch over and test for any improvements.

Optimizing the Security Settings
As referenced above, it is important that your router is secured for the sake of your network security, but even the way it is secured can influence the speed of your connection. Setting your router to WPA2 with AES should give you fast, yet secure, connection.

If this all seems like a bit much, don’t worry–the IT professionals at NuTech Services are ready and willing to help you with your networking. Reach out to us at 810.230.9455.

10
May, 2017
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Tip of the Week: Netflix Now Lets You Download Videos for Offline Viewing

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The development of Netflix was revolutionary for its time, allowing users to stream a plethora of great television shows and movies on a whim. Nowadays, Netflix continues to innovate and create ways for users to take their services to places where they never thought possible. One example is taking Netflix on a flight, where the Wi-Fi is either completely unavailable, or too slow or expensive to be worth using. Netflix now allows users to download videos for offline viewing via its mobile app.

Keep in mind that this will only work if you have the official Netflix mobile app installed on your device. You can’t just download videos through the web browser on your smartphone or tablet. Also, keep in mind that not every video is immediately available for download, but the library is likely so large that you might not even notice. First, you’ll need to download the app.

If you want to filter the videos you see by availability to download, just tap or click the button in the top-left side of the screen. Next, select Available for Download. For the videos that are available for doing so, you’ll see the word Download.

If you just want to view the videos that you’ve downloaded in the Netflix app, click the menu and select My Downloads. Selecting this option will give you all of the details about the files, including how much space they take up on your device. This is important to know, especially since you’ll have limited storage space and you never know what you might run into while out of the office.

Deleting a video from your downloads is also quite simple. All you have to do is select the show and click the Downloaded button. This will present to you a window that lets you Delete Downloads. Once you’ve found it, you select the videos that you no longer want by checking the boxes in their corners. To finish the process, click on the trash can and delete your selected videos.

Where will you take advantage of Netflix’s download feature? Where else could you use this feature to save yourself from boredom? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to subcribe to our blog.

30
Nov, 2016
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Tip of the Week: What to Do When Your Device Won’t Connect to Wi-Fi

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Wi-Fi deadspots are very real, and tend to be annoying, fickle things. Despite maybe a wireless signal being strong enough for everyone else in a room to receive it, something may be interfering with the device. As a result, the Wi-Fi simply isn’t sufficiently strong enough to connect the device to the Internet. Fortunately, there are a few troubleshooting steps that may be taken to resolve the connection’s cutback.

Step One: Check Your Positioning
The first step to any Wi-Fi troubleshooting is to make sure that the router is located far enough away from any other electronic devices, as these devices can negatively influence the strength of the signal. This is especially true when these devices are positioned between the router and the workstation it is connecting to. Walls and floors can also affect the signal–the thicker the obstruction, the weaker the signal.

A relatively simple fix, especially when the router needs to be shared by multiple floors, is to elevate its position on the lower level. This reduces the amount of space the signal will have to cover before passing through the ceiling/floor (ideally without issue), as well as the amount of obstacles it has to contend with to reach the users on the level it is on.

Step Two: Antenna Adjustments
If a router (or PC) has an external antenna, it may be beneficial to adjust the antenna’s position until the signal’s sweet spot is found. Opinions of optimal antenna orientation vary, so it’s likely that the user will need to find the ideal alignment through some good, old-fashioned trial and error.

If that still isn’t effective enough to resolve the deadspot issue, there’s always the option of replacing the antenna itself. By simply unscrewing the included antenna and replacing it with a stronger model (or if absolutely necessary, a stand-alone antenna and extension cord combo), you can hopefully extend your reception out of your poorly-placed dead zone. After these adjustments are implemented, a device can pick up a signal that–under normal circumstances–would be out of reach.

If the equipment in question doesn’t have an adjustable antenna, there are USB adapters available to plug into a device that can work similarly to how the standalone and extension cord setup can, thanks to their longer USB connection cords.

If these adjustments still don’t deliver satisfactory results, it may be worth it to consider investing in a Wi-Fi extender. Rather than trying to maneuver a router and receiver to make a better connection, using a Wi-Fi extender means there only has to be a clear signal to each device from the extender’s position. This is a very effective solution if an immovable obstacle (say, for example, a wall) is blocking the signal, as the extender can create a detour around the obstacle, preserving the signal quality.

Step Three: Upgrades and Updates
Finally, check the router and adapters themselves. While age shouldn’t have too much effect on their performance, it could eventually develop into a problem if left unaddressed. Therefore, like all other office solutions, the costs associated with regularly upgrading equipment will likely be well worth the investment. However, if the equipment in question is too new to warrant a complete replacement, or hasn’t had its firmware upgraded in a while, it’s worth checking with the manufacturer or online for any updates that have been made to the device’s firmware or drivers.

With these practices at your disposal, your Wi-Fi isn’t likely to cause many problems in your office again. If you still can’t get your Wi-Fi to work as intended, NuTech Services would be happy to help. To learn more, reach out to us at 810.230.9455.

14
Sep, 2016
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Tip of the Week: Why You Should Be Wary of Using Public Wi-Fi

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Wireless Internet connections, often referred to by the moniker Wi-Fi, have become a popular offering from public businesses. Even organizations that have no real need for an Internet connection to conduct business, like restaurants and coffee shops, now offer Wi-Fi for their customers. However, public Wi-Fi can be dangerous, especially for the business professional.

The biggest problem, however, is that most people who use public Wi-Fi are fully aware of the risks, yet, still continue to use it. The Identity Theft Resource Center claims that 78.5 percent of users who connect to free Wi-Fi understand that there are major risks involved, and only 26.7 percent use a VPN to keep themselves safe. Free Wi-Fi is dangerous, and we’ll show you how using a series of examples.

Anyone Can Access It
Unless the Wi-Fi router is protected with a passcode, chances are that the network is vulnerable to hacking attacks and other threats. Even then, if the router isn’t configured properly, the passcode doesn’t necessarily help. Since anyone can access it at their leisure, nothing is stopping a hacker from connecting to the router and spying on others who might be connected to the network.

It’s worth mentioning, although we use the term ‘hacker,’ even a mischievous child with a bit of curiosity and know-how could get access to your files if the connection isn’t secure.

Free Wi-Fi is Highly Used
This goes without saying, but the more people who use an Internet connection, the lower the quality of the connection, and the more likely it is that a hacker will be on it. Hackers know that free Wi-Fi draws crowds, so they use the search for the convenience to find new targets for their treachery.

Data Isn’t Encrypted
You can think of encryption as an extra layer of protection for any data that’s sent to and received from the Wi-Fi connection. When routers have encryption, hackers have a more difficult time stealing data of substance.

What You Can Do
While unsecured public Wi-Fi routers aren’t something that you have direct control over, you can certainly take steps to be mindful of using them when you’re out and about. Here are three best practices for avoiding a potentially risky Wi-Fi network in a public place.

  • Only connect to networks that require security codes.
  • Set your phones and devices so that they don’t automatically connect to any new Wi-Fi network.
  • Use a virtual private network (VPN).

If your business needs its employees to stay safe while on the move, reach out to us at 810.230.9455. We’ll help your team understand the best way to work around potentially threatening situations.