Topic: Protecting a wireless router

[Clive]

I've installed a wireless router in an apartment which is surrounded by other apartments in the same building.  I'm using a capped Plusnet connection for £5.99 a month which is adequate for my occasional needs and anyone else who may stay for a few days.  How do I prevent occupiers of other apartments from nicking my bandwidth?  When I set it up I had to provide a password which is the WEP key marked on the Thomson router.  Is that sufficient to protect my precious bandwidth?

[Simon]

You should be using WPA or WPA2, Clive, which is far more secure, especially if the router is in close proximity to others. 

You can use https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm to generate a secure password (ASCII), which you copy into the router settings, and into the wireless settings on the PC.  It should then be as secure as you can get it, but obviously, if it's not going to be used for some time, the best security is to power it off. 

[Clive]

Is it wise to keep turning it off?  I thought that it may cause lower speeds if I keep doing that.  Obviously it would be my preferred option.

[Rik]

It's fine to turn it off when not in use Clive, just don't do it more than 10 times in an hour.

[Clive]

That's brilliant news and that will be the method I shall use. 

[Simon]

I'd still recommend switching to WPA, as well. 

[Rik]

Oh definitely.