by Dan Borger

Created on: May 16, 2010

We love the convenience of home computer networks.  The ability to share connections and files between computers is common in many homes.  Equally common and convenient is the ability to share access to the Internet from anywhere in the home using a wireless signal.  Unfortunately, a home computer network can also place your computer and personal information at risk.  Identifying potential threats and taking a few steps to protect your computers and information will greatly reduce the chances of having your computer damaged or your personal information stolen. 

You can first reduce risk by restricting access to your local network.  The surest way to protect your home network from potential threats is to use a wired network which requires that all components of the network are physically connected with cables.  Many of us, however, will prefer the convenience of a wireless network.  It is important to recognize that an unprotected wireless signal can potentially give anyone within range access to any information on your computer including what you type and what you access on the Internet.  There are several ways to help protect your wireless signal.  One is not to broadcast the wireless signal.  By selecting “do not broadcast” when setting up the network, you can prevent your network from showing up on someone else's computer as an available network.  You should also set up your network using WEP or WPA encryption security.  Every computer, without saved credentials, attempting to log on to your network must input an encryption key (password).   It is also important to carefully select which folders on your computer you want to share with others on the network.  When setting up the network you can choose to turn off all file sharing or in the “properties” of each directory folder you can select whether or not to allow the file contents to be shared.  And don't forget to always have the firewall, accessed through Windows Security, turned ON. 

Your home computer network is most likely to be at risk when accessing the Internet.  To protect against on-line threats it is important to obtain good anti-virus protection software.  A good program will provide real-time scan protection.   To select software for download, it is beneficial to research on-line reviews and recent awards.  Fortunately, as a result of competition, the newest and best anti-virus software is free.  If you purchase items on-line, avoid sending your credit or debit card information to private companies whose security and confidentiality may not be adequate.  It is safest to route your payments through a secure site such as Pay Pal.  To avoid phishing scams by careful what you click on in e-mails and on websites that are not trusted.  If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is!   Finally, be careful what you download.  Pop-ups offering downloads are generally unsafe and to be avoided.  Use caution when deciding to download files from unsecured media or game sources; these are often infected with viruses.  It is safer to save an executable file to your computer and scan it with your anti-virus software before executing (running) the file.

Whenever you broadcast a wireless signal or access the Internet, there will be a potential threat to your computer and information.  If you take these precautions you can greatly reduce your risk and enjoy the benefits of your home network.

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