| Running a business from home has its advantages, | | | | be available on all equipment.Setup your home wireless |
| including no commute, a more accommodating work | | | | network router to block anonymous internet requests |
| schedule, fresh coffee and home-cooked meals at | | | | or pings.On each computer having a wireless network |
| any time you want.But running a business from home | | | | card, network connection properties should be |
| using a home wireless local area network (WLAN) | | | | configured to allow connection to Access Point |
| with your computer may lead to thievery of | | | | Networks Only. Computer to computer (peer to peer) |
| confidential information and hacker or virus penetration | | | | connections should not be allowed.Enable MAC filtering. |
| unless proper actions are taken. As WLANs send | | | | Deny connection to wireless network for unspecified |
| information back and forth over radio waves, | | | | MAC addresses. MAC or physical addresses are |
| someone with the right type of receiver in your | | | | accessible through your computer device wireless |
| immediate area could be picking up the transmission, | | | | network connection setup and they are physically |
| thus acquiring access to your computer.Here is a list of | | | | written on network cards. When adding new wireless |
| things that you should consider as a result of | | | | cards / computer to the network, their MAC |
| implementing a home wireless network setup used | | | | addresses should be registered with the router |
| your business:Viruses could be loaded onto your laptop | | | | access point.Your home wireless network router |
| which could be transferred to the company's network | | | | should have firewall features enabled and demilitarized |
| when you go back to work.Up to 75 per cent of home | | | | zone (DMZ) feature disabled. Periodically test your |
| wireless network WLAN users do not have standard | | | | hardware and personal firewalls using Shields Up test |
| security features installed, and 20 per cent are left | | | | available at All computers should have a properly |
| completely open as default configurations and are not | | | | configured personal firewall in addition to a hardware |
| secured, but are made for the users to have their | | | | firewall.Update router/access point firmware when |
| network up and running ASAP.It is recommended that | | | | new versions become available.Locate router/access |
| home wireless network router/access point system | | | | points away from strangers so they cannot reset the |
| setups be always done though a wired client.Always | | | | router/access point to default settings. Also, locate |
| change the default administrative password on your | | | | router/access points in the middle of the building rather |
| home wireless network router/access points to a | | | | than near windows to limit signal coverage outside the |
| secured password.Enable at least 128-bit WEP | | | | building.You should know that nothing is 100%. While |
| encryption on both card and access point. Change | | | | none of the actions suggested above will provide full |
| your WEP keys periodically. If equipment does not | | | | 100% protection, countermeasures do exist that will |
| support at least 128-bit WEP encryption, consider | | | | help. The good collection of suggested preventative |
| replacing it. Although there are security issues with | | | | actions contained herein can help you deter an intruder |
| WEP, it represents minimum level of security, and it | | | | trying to access your home wireless network. This |
| should be enabled.Change the default SSID on your | | | | deterrant then makes other insecure networks easier |
| router/access point to a hard to guess name. Setup | | | | targets for the intruder to persue.Greg Lietz is an |
| your computer device to connect to this SSID by | | | | internet business man, freelance writer and computer |
| default.Setup router/access points so as to not | | | | enthusiast. His websites provide information on |
| broadcast the SSID. The same SSID needs to be | | | | wireless internet networking and personal computer |
| setup on the client side manually. This feature may not | | | | hardware that may be of interest to you. |