As many of us continue to learn and work remotely, practicing safe and easy steps to keep our home internet connections secure remains of paramount importance. Northwestern IT offers practical solutions for staying connected and tips for securing a home network to ensure that you are getting the most out of your remote connectivity – while keeping your own and University information secure.
Here are five best practices for home internet connections that everyone can follow:
- Optimize your Wi-Fi. For most, Wi-Fi is a convenient way to connect to the internet at home and allows for increased mobility. When using Wi-Fi, make sure your signal is strong enough to reach the necessary rooms without broadcasting to the neighbors. You can also place your router in a central location to better provide an optimal signal throughout your home. Alternatively, consider purchasing a repeater to extend your Wi-Fi signal to further areas of the home.
*Consider connecting your computer to your router with an Ethernet cord. Doing so prevents loss of signal strength and minimizes the possibility of losing connection.
Once you have a good Wi-Fi signal, you will want to secure your home network from unwanted visitors by following these tips:
- Rename your home Wi-Fi network. Use a generic name for your network that provides no personal information. Often, the SSID (name) of your network will broadcast what internet service and router model you are using, which can provide potential intruders with information on how to access your network. Each internet service provider offers instructions on their sites on how to change your network name.
- Create a strong password. A password is a powerful asset and gives access to your personal and potentially your work information. Securing your password means securing your data. Check out the tips for creating strong passwords which you can apply when setting a password for your home network.
- Create a guest network. If you plan to have guests in your home who will utilize your wireless network, consider creating a guest network that will have a unique SSID (name) and password. This way, your guests will never have access to your password. You can configure this option on your wireless provider’s website for your account. Make sure never to allow anyone you don’t trust to connect to your Wi-Fi.
- Connect using VPN. When accessing sensitive University information and systems, remember to connect using the Northwestern VPN (Virtual Private Network) to keep your online activity more secure. You will need to authenticate using Multi-factor Authentication, which provides another level of password protection. If you haven’t already done so, switch to the Duo Mobile App to ensure that you can you have the flexibility to confirm your identity while you’re in the US or anywhere in the world.
Finally, always remember to make sure your antivirus software is up to date. Northwestern provides antivirus software free of charge for students, faculty, and staff.