The router is a fundamental piece for our connection. It is the device that allows us to connect multiple devices to access the Internet. We can connect both by cable and by Wi-Fi. The point is that sometimes we make mistakes that can compromise us. In this article we are going to show some things that we should never do to the router.
Errors that we should not make with the router
Some bugs can affect performance and others affect security . We could see how the connection becomes slow, problems to achieve maximum speed and that the devices can connect correctly to the network.
But we can also run into some mistakes that we make that could expose our security and privacy. This results in intruders who can access our network, personal information is leaked, etc.
Don’t change the password
Without a doubt, something that we should never do in a router is to keep the password that comes from the factory . It is true that better than nothing, but it does not protect us properly. It is essential that we change the password.
The fact of using a password that already comes by default means that if an intruder tries to attack us, they will have a greater probability of success simply by knowing the router model (many times the name of the wireless network already reveals it).
Therefore our advice is to always change it, create one that is strong and complex , containing letters (upper and lower case), numbers and other special symbols. It also has to be random and unique.
Have it out of date
Of course another failure is never updating the router . This is something that happens in many cases. Users never update firmware and that can lead to major problems.
We are not only talking about performance, since by keeping the latest versions we can achieve better speeds; we also talk about security. Sometimes flaws arise that can be exploited by hackers to carry out their attacks.
Place it next to other devices
This failure can cause interference , the signal does not arrive well and, ultimately, the speed and quality of the wireless network is not the best. We can have problems trying to connect from other computers.
Therefore, it is best to try to place the router in a place away from other devices. It is also interesting that it is in an elevated area. We should never put it close to the ground, for example.
Use outdated ciphers
Another very common mistake that compromises security is using outdated encryption . We already know that there are different options in routers. Some, such as WEP encryption, are outdated and there are tools to crack passwords.
Therefore our advice is to use only current encryption, which are really guarantees.
Keep default settings
One last very present mistake that we should not make is to keep the factory settings . By this we do not mean only the password, but also aspects such as the name of the wireless network.
If we keep the same name that comes from the factory, we can show what router model we have or what company we are using. In this way, possible intruders would have greater knowledge to carry out their attacks.
