We all use Wi-Fi networks continuously, at all hours, in our homes, work, in a hotel and even in restaurants and cafes. However, there are several myths or false truths related to Wi-Fi networks and their use. In this guide we are going to explain some of the wildest ones, and by the way, we will clarify all the doubts about the main questions that users of wireless networks ask themselves. Some of these myths could even make you much more vulnerable to cyber attacks. Today, cybercriminals no longer differentiate between “big” or “small victims.” Just find the right time to do it and voila, don’t think twice.
No one would want to hack my Wi-Fi network if I am not someone important
More than ever, this is far removed from reality. This is a myth that has been present in millions of people around the world. So much so that, unfortunately, it is not yet a frequent practice to take the necessary measures to make our Wi-Fi network secure. As times go by, we spend more time in our homes than ever before, so cybercriminals find this an opportunity to carry out attacks on “small” victims like the average home network.
Probably, you will ask yourself again and insist: I do not have much money, I am not someone important who has a lot of fame and many millions in bank accounts . We must not forget that those who carry out the attacks have all the necessary knowledge to attack one hundred, thousand, one hundred thousand and millions of people at once. What’s more, you can do it in seconds.
Cybercriminals normally use very high-powered antennas that manage to collect the wireless signal from remote locations, and they will hack it. So this means that not precisely because you cannot connect to a network that is very far from you, someone else could not. In this case, a cybercriminal with the necessary tools can connect to practically any network. Let’s see a demo:
Although several years have passed since this case was published, it is still extremely important to reinforce the importance of having secure networks at home. Not only can they violate your network, but, at the same time, they can use yours to attack other people’s networks and / or accounts. The latter is done very often because, in this way, those who carry out the attacks hide under your identity to make tracking even more difficult, assuming that the victim has realized the fact.
If my ISP technician or private technician configured my network, I should never touch it
This myth especially affects those people who do not have much knowledge in technology , and who depend solely on technical personnel to set up and maintain their home network. However, this is largely believed by the fear that people in general have to learn to manage the router at least in a basic way.
Now, we must reinforce that the management that we should have is the Wi-Fi router, not the modem that provides the Internet signal in question. For example, the ONU / ONT of the fiber optic link. Some technicians do not provide this information to the customer, most likely because they are used to having them “master” the settings rather than the customers themselves being able to.
A tip that we give is that the next time you receive a visit from your ISP’s technical staff, for example, to renew the home Wi-Fi router or whatever, request that they provide you with the information to access the interface of the router with administrator permissions. The main advantage of this is that you can have more control over the security measures: change the network and administrator password, increase the security of the Wi-Fi network, or disable the dangerous WPS.
If my router works fine, I don’t need to update anything
Something we must stop believing is that one updates the software or firmware only to fix a problem or improve something. One of the great benefits of keeping, in this case, the firmware of our router updated is that it will be with all the patches and security settings up to date. Be sure to access your router manufacturer’s portal and catch up on the latest firmware updates .
However, we should not stay with the single update. At some point, we must replace our router. Not only for aesthetic reasons or for being up to date with the latest. But also because of what we recently commented: security. If you have a Wi-Fi router that is already around 4 or 5 years old, consider changing it because it is very likely that you will no longer receive any kind of update. In this article we have multiple recommendations of routers and Wi-Fi access points with a very good value for money and aimed at the home environment. No doubt, take a few minutes and you will make the best decision.
Since we have one or more old unused routers , what could we do with them? Fortunately, we can use it for a guest network, if we receive visits with certain frequency, we can configure a network that is exclusively for those guests. In this way, it will be possible to more effectively manage the bandwidth we have, see how many devices are connected, what bandwidth each consumes, among other considerations.
Another interesting use for not throwing away our old router is to use it as a home repeater . Remember that a single router many times cannot give full coverage to the house especially due to interference and obstacles, especially the walls. So we can locate this router in the place that we need to expand coverage, carry out the essential configurations and that’s it, we already have a signal in the problematic places.
If my Wi-Fi network has WPA2-AES encryption, they will not be able to hack me
This is the same as thinking that because I don’t use a debit card associated with my bank account, there will be no way to empty my account. It doesn’t matter that we use the most robust encryption algorithm in the universe. If our Wi-Fi network password is amoamiperrito123 then, cybercriminals will not try too hard to gain access to your network. So, let’s go over what a strong password should have:
- At least 12 characters (even better if they are more than 12).
- It must contain letters, special characters and numbers.
- It doesn’t have to mean something to us, or have any particular meaning.
It is worth remembering that one of the facilities that cybercriminals have to violate networks and / or accounts. And this is that many times our password contains words or numbers that give information about us. A couple of classic examples are the inclusion of the birthday or identity document in the passwords.
It may not be entirely possible to prevent third parties from accessing our personal data. But, anyway, we must protect our wireless networks and of course, our accounts that we have created. For the latter, some more than others, contain even more sensitive or valuable data for us. That is why, even if we are not someone “important”, we must be aware of the importance of protecting what is ours, especially if it is online.
And remember to also disable WPS, because this is one of the most used input vectors due to the ease of violating it.
WPA2-AES, does my connection slow down?
No, in fact, currently the Wi-Fi Alliance has removed any other type of encryption, so if you want to take advantage of the latest improvements in Wi-Fi speeds, Wi-Fi standards etc, you must use WPA2 yes or yes -AES or the new WPA3, otherwise your wireless router will not be working with the latest available technologies, and therefore the network will work much slower.
By hiding the SSID, they will no longer be able to hack my network
When we configure our router, we have the option to hide the SSID . This is the name we give our Wi-Fi network so that we can easily identify it. However, the fact that it does not have it or is hidden, does not mean that a cybercriminal cannot locate your network. In fact, hiding the SSID creates more problems. Generally, the first time we enable the SSID what happens with this is that at all times our network is visible to anyone, within its range of coverage. Once it is hidden, the device that has previously connected to your network automatically searches for the last network it connected to.
Someone who carries out an attack, with the necessary tools, can also locate your network, even if you have the hidden SSID. In principle it seems complicated, but it is simpler than it seems, it is only necessary for a Wi-Fi client to be legitimately connected to that connection. Also, we must not forget that, once you know what the SSID is, you can create a malicious access point with the same name. Then, your computer will automatically connect to that network since it remembers that SSID and from there, it will have complete control of your activity.
If I have firewall and antivirus installed, I don’t need an encrypted connection
It is important to remember that the encrypted connection allows all data transmission over the network to be carried out with confidentiality, authenticity and integrity. This will allow us to be protected against potential attacks that occur in the medium of data transmission. Not only can they hijack our data thanks to attacks such as phishing or installing some type of malicious program, they could choose something more practical: take advantage of the unencrypted traffic on our protected networks and “sniff” everything that is being trafficked to through the network.
However, the practice of having firewalls and antivirus-antimalware solutions is one of the best and most essential. On the one hand, the firewall, with the necessary rule settings, will block potential malicious traffic that could put the user at risk, both inbound (from the Internet to our computer) and outbound (from our computer to the Internet). While antivirus-antimalware focuses on protection against programs that could appropriate our data or leave our files inaccessible, just like ransomware.
I am not a computer scientist, I do not need dual or triple band WiFi routers
Wi-Fi routers with simultaneous double or triple band help us a lot to separate the traffic generated by the different devices that connect to the network. We must not forget that mobiles, computers, televisions, even household appliances and other household accessories are connected. An example of the use of the bands is that one can be reserved for mobile phones, another for televisions or computers and another for household appliances, it is always recommended to connect equipment that needs a higher bandwidth to 5GHz networks, and those that They need a low speed (IoT devices) because the 2.4GHz band.
All this also applies to repeaters, depending on your needs and budget, it is recommended to have simultaneous dual-band or triple-band simultaneous Wi-Fi repeaters. If what you are looking for is greater coverage in your home and higher speed, a repeater with this feature will be very useful. Above all, so that people who connect to the network can take greater advantage of the available bandwidth.
It is possible to notice that the main benefit of using this type of routers or repeaters, is that even when there are several devices connected, all will be able to enjoy high speeds simultaneously, and even streaming video in 4K resolution without any problem. Fortunately, there are accessible Internet connection offers with very high bandwidth. What better than to take advantage of this through the appropriate equipment.
Years go by and technology is becoming increasingly accessible to everyone. Regardless of whether one has computer skills or interests. So, of course, this myth does not make sense at all because if we consider it, well, many people should not have modern phones, not even computers. That is why it is important that we all see technology as an ally so that we have a better quality of life , in every way. Not as something that is reserved only for people with technical knowledge.
Which band suits me? 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz?
Each of these frequency bands has its advantages and disadvantages, so they also differ based on two essential aspects: speed and range . The frequency value directly affects the speed of the Wi-Fi network. So the higher the frequency, the higher speeds will be obtained, mainly because we have 80MHz or 160MHz of channel width in these bands, thanks to Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-FI 6.
If we opt for the 5 GHz band, we will enjoy higher data transfer rates. Which makes us enjoy much more of our Internet connection in general. You can download large files, stream services and other actions that require more bandwidth. On the side of the 2.4 GHz band, this is aimed at carrying out lighter activities such as general navigation and the use of applications that consume little bandwidth.
However, the appearance of the coverage should not be neglected. Although if the priority is to go further, to achieve wider distances of wireless coverage, you should opt for the 2.4 GHz band. Therefore, with a higher value of the frequency band, the coverage range will be less and will have less ability to pass through materials like the one we quote.
Wi-Fi networks cause disease
It is not possible to finish an article about Wi-Fi networks without mentioning the myth that, unfortunately, is still believed by millions of people around the world. This is so despite the fact that many of them also continue to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi. There is no sustainable scientific evidence that can indicate that the spread of Wi-Fi signals can cause diseases such as cancer. These types of signals operate through non-ionizing frequencies. Consequently, they are not able to penetrate our body, they do not have the power to cause any alteration that leads to any disease. The same can be applied to other wireless networks, such as 4G LTE wireless networks or the future 5G.
As much as you read millions of texts that can tell you and even “demonstrate” that wireless networks, and telecommunications in general, were designed to make us sick or control our thinking, think twice. If all conspiracy information about it were real, we could also think that the Earth is flat.
It is almost impossible to prevent people from believing these and other myths regarding Wi-Fi networks. We emphasize the fact that fortunately we have enough information on the Internet to clarify any questions we have and, of course, virtually any problem we have. Wireless networks are far from becoming obsolete, especially due to the practicality of applying them on a daily basis.
If I’m going to play, I should never opt for Wi-Fi networks
One of the activities we enjoy more than ever is playing online. One of the main requirements for the best gaming sessions is to have an Internet connection that has high data transmission rates. Furthermore, the transmission quality must also be high. If the latter is overlooked, we will run into problems like the much-feared lag . One of the tips you are used to giving is to connect to the Internet by cable. It is known that connecting in this way, in general, guarantees that there are less packet losses. However, isn’t there supposed to be more progress regarding Wi-Fi today? Is it really not convenient to use it to play?
Wi-Fi networks are not reliable for online gaming
With all the advances that we have witnessed over the years, this myth has less and less weight. We may have as much bandwidth as possible, but if we don’t have network teams that really help us make the most of our link, the problems will remain. Gaming routers have been designed, precisely, to satisfy needs focused on people who take the matter of games very seriously. Despite the fact that there are no very marked differences in relation to a regular router, they do have some features that allow giving priority to the traffic generated by games and reducing the much-feared bufferbloat.
One of the lines of gaming routers that we recommend the most in this article is ASUS ROG . One of the models that we have analyzed, the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 , is characterized by being triple-band and supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 standards. In the classic 2.4 GHz band it can reach speeds that reach the 1 Gbps, and if we refer to the 5 GHz band we can go even further thanks to the ability to transmit at speeds of more than 4.8 Gbps theoretical. There is no doubt that advances in wireless data transmission technology have become increasingly consolidated. It is good to recognize that it is almost impossible to match the quality of cable connectivity, but gaming routers like the ones mentioned have features aimed at maximum speed. The final benefit of this? Fluid gaming sessions, without even thinking about lag.
Another characteristic of the special routers for gaming is the possibility of choosing, also, the connection via Ethernet . These devices tend to have at least a couple of dedicated and prioritized ports. So, if you connect through these ports, you will have priority when playing and guarantee even higher speeds. In addition, you can take advantage of these ports for NAS servers, so you can enjoy the control and management of your files on the network as if you have them locally on your computer.
On the other hand, we must highlight that practically all the offer related to gaming routers is characterized by having a very complete dashboard, thanks to this administration panel of our router, it will allow us to have complete control and in real-time connection. In addition, we can make a wide variety of adjustments to get even more juice out of the router. Again we can mention the GT-AX11000 which is characterized by having a super complete dashboard where we will find options such as Gaming Private Network (a kind of VPN but reserved for gaming sessions) to further reduce lag , although we should not forget to NETGEAR with its DumaOS, and that routers like the NETGEAR Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR700 incorporate.
Gaming router must have large antennas
In particular, this myth is easy to believe because a good part of the gaming router options have large antennas or, which look extremely striking. We must bear in mind that this is not decisive for the propagation of the signal in its coverage area. The router antennas must have the capacity to transmit the signal with the necessary power so that the devices can receive it properly. Also, according to the location where it is, we must adjust the orientation of the antennas so that the signal does not end up going to the ceiling or the ground.
Wi-Fi standards have come a long way in terms of how the signal is propagated. Beamforming is one of the most important features, it is a signal propagation technique that focuses on transmitting the signal in the direction of the receiving device. Or at least, that it is oriented to him. This is done instead of spreading the signal everywhere and that the device that achieves it receives the signal. The direct benefit of this is that the link between sender and receiver is more direct, resulting in much higher connection speeds.
So is it crucial that you have huge and eye-catching antennas? No. You can have ten antennas that make the router look aesthetically very nice, but if they don’t have the ability to distribute signal propagation properly, it doesn’t do any good. Here we can infer that one of the reasons why we find gaming routers with a rather striking aesthetic is that it is basically marketing. There is nothing wrong, let’s be honest, nobody can refuse to have a nice device in their house or apartment. Likewise, and it is good to emphasize, that putting the router and antennas in the right place is one of the determining factors for a high connection quality.
We should always opt for the most expensive and / or the latest routers
This is not an exclusive myth in the field of games, but in technology in general. If I buy the most expensive gaming routers, the latest to be launched on the market, I will have it all. This is not so because the main risk is having lost money on purchases that probably have not been necessary to make from the beginning. The essential question is, do I really need a 500 euro gaming router?
If you are a person who spends a considerable part of their time playing. If you care a lot about the fluidity of the sessions, especially if you are going to compete at a professional or amateur level, you may. Reasons like this make buying one a valid decision. Also, we must bear in mind that, in general, the prices of these devices are somewhat higher in relation to the traditional ones, so we must not forget the economic aspect. One of the wisest tips is to invest in technology only if you are going to get the most out of it.
A gaming router is difficult to configure
As we have mentioned, a router with these characteristics does not differ much from the traditional one. So its configuration and set-up should not represent major difficulties. What you should consider is taking the time to review all the features that your potential gaming router has so that you can make the best decision. And if you already have it, make sure you have gone through all its features and thus, you will guarantee the coolest gaming sessions. One of the facilities available to configure the gaming router is the built-in dashboard. This is simply a web panel where you will find several sections. The configuration of most of its features only needs a few clicks and in a few minutes, everything is ready.
Surely, you will have heard some or all of these myths. There is no doubt that you can trust Wi-Fi connectivity when playing. What does this depend on? From the router you use or plan to use. Likewise, the peripheral by itself will not do the magic, it is necessary that you know the device and configure it so that your needs are covered effectively, in addition, the Wi-Fi network card used also has a crucial role to have a good connectivity.
Being able to be connected without depending on cables is one of the greatest technological advances that we have witnessed. And you, have you believed in some of these myths? Do you have others in mind?
