How do I secure my wireless network connection with WEP or WPA?

I have just set up a wireless connection at home - whenever I log on it says that the connection is unsecure - how do I secure it? I have a new Toshiba Laptop and a Phillips Router. I saw something about a WEP key....where do I enter this?

Dave's Answer:

You are right to worry about this problem, actually, because any open wireless network is an invitation for neighbors and various unsavory characters to connect to your network as if they were on your local area network. This means that they'd be able to use your network-friendly printer, your networked hard drive backup system, and try to break into your computers too. In addition, they'd be able to use your network connection itself and if they were to download tons of illegal music, for example, the RIAA could get your ISP to shut you down, or if they downloaded porn or terrorism research data, well, the FBI could get involved. Not good!

Fortunately, it's pretty easy to secure a wireless network system: you need to log in to your router / base station (your Phillips unit), which is probably done by simply entering a special IP address in your Web browser (try 192.168.1.1 if the documentation that was included with the router doesn't explain). If that fails, you might need to hook the router directly to the computer via a USB cable, though those are definitely rare systems.

Once you've hooked up, you should find a multi-tab configuration tool that has one tab labeled "Security" or similar. Click on that and you should be able to find "Password" as an option or button. Click on that and it should give the options of WEP or WPA. I recommend that you choose WPA and use a long password - it's far more secure than WEP.

Here's an example from the configuration screen of my Linksys router:

Linksys Wireless wifi 802.11g router: configuration screen for security / WEP / WPA

As you can see, it's a bit complicated, but once you enter a password it automatically generates all the scary looking (hexidecimal) security codes: any of those will be what you would enter on your Toshiba laptop -- once -- to be securely connected forever.

I hope that helps you get your hatches battened down!

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Categorized: Computer and Internet Basics (Article 7525, Written by Dave Taylor)
Tagged: 802.11g, security, wep, wifi, wireless internet, wpa
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Reader Comments To Date: 52

Adam said, on August 21, 2007 5:27 AM:

Some other stuff I've heard, turn off the Broadcast SSID, though I couldn't seem to get this to work with my BEFW11S4....my Windows computers don't want to connect to it since they dont think it exists.

Also, WPA is the preferred encryption, I've heard WEP is easily cracked if your neighbor "really" wants to get in ;)

But yea, there's really not much to it.

Barry said, on August 21, 2007 9:53 AM:

Thankyou- very helpful!

pova said, on December 13, 2007 1:49 PM:

to be honest with u
i`m already useing wireless connection
and it has WEB codes or somethings like this
any way >> i`m looking for any way to
enter this network with these numbers that they use >> i mean any way
and for more imformation i have every this for the networks IP >>>>>

BUT MY PROBLIM IN THE CODES FOR SECURTY NUMBERS

hope i can find the answer in as soon as u can

my best wishes

pova

William McKenzie said, on February 14, 2008 9:48 AM:

I have a neighbor who has a router and a "secure wireless internet connection." He has given me the name of the wireless connection and the "secure password." However, I cannot make my Windows XP pc connect to the internet connection - there isn't a provision, when I click on the "secure connection," for entering the password. Any thoughts or advice?

mansur said, on July 12, 2008 12:27 AM:

my neibour is using wireless but its lock how i use the wiereless connection

Ralphine Troglia said, on October 26, 2008 1:19 PM:

I am networking but my connection says "unsecured", since it's already installed and working, how do I secure it? I don't need anyone looking in on me.

Jonna said, on January 16, 2009 6:34 PM:

Thanks, I have been wanting to learn how to do this and it was SO easy...can't believe I paid someone $50 to do this at my office.

Simon said, on June 2, 2009 7:38 AM:

Dave,
I have a new phillips wireless router which says 3 clicks and it is installed.
Having problems connecting using Windows Xp.
Could you advise on a typical installation please and any changes to be made to the settings.
Using BT as my ISP
THanks

Kieren Cattanach said, on July 26, 2009 1:28 PM:

hello i was just wondering if you could help me, i have got a wirless modem in my house for my laptop what i pay for each month and my friendcame the other day and said im onto your network, how do i put some kind of password onto the network so people can't hack my net

Gladys Pestano said, on October 5, 2009 8:54 AM:

Hi! I am having problem with my wireless connection on my laptop computer - for some reasons, it won't let me connect to the internet anymore. Can you please help me on what to do? I have no idea...

Thanks,
Gladys

Ronald Corum said, on January 15, 2010 12:03 PM:

Dave, I have followed your instructions about connecting to a wi-fi, but I have a Belkin wireless router and when my PSP scans to connect I get a message that says Not Supported, and show 100% signal strength. When I try your method to connect it shows not recoginised error. How to I access?

Susan said, on February 15, 2010 11:00 AM:

Thanks Dave! You made it a piece of cake!

Daniel Merideth Jr said, on February 19, 2010 10:25 PM:

i cant get my psp on wifi my dad has it and has a password and i can get on it my dad gave me the password and i still cant get on it.

Ricki said, on March 8, 2010 12:19 AM:

When I try to secure my network, my computer disconnects from the internet and the only way I can get on to the internet is by unsecuring my network. Why is that and can anyone help me.

sudeep said, on March 26, 2010 8:07 AM:

i want to know how to configure wpa in my broadband modem

Jessica said, on April 20, 2010 4:57 PM:

I already created a password and all that when I first got my computer but since then I have given someone the password. I am not feeling so friendly anymore and I dont want them surfing my net all the time. However, everytime I go in and change the password it kicks me off and says that I have an incorrect Network Security Key. How can I simply CHANGE the pw?

Leah said, on May 18, 2010 6:58 PM:

Hi Dave Taylor,
It's nice of you that you help out people like me that have NO idea how to make their computer related problems go away :)
I read your solution for securing a wireless connection and have tried several times to make this work, but to no avail. Very frustrating. I have a Dell Inspiron running XP and a Linksys WRT300N Router and I am trying to secure my wireless but whenever I go tot he router site and change my wireless security to WAP, I lose my wireless completely and have to change it back to unsecured and then re-set my wireless connection on my laptop to get the connection back again. I havae cable internet in a small town and have another computer hardwired to the cable and a wired cable connection as well. I am using Norton Internet Security. Could it be causing the problem or the fact that I have 2 other things connected to the modem? Thanks for any suggestions you may make. Leah

Dave Taylor said, on May 18, 2010 7:45 PM:

Hi Leah! You do realize that if you change your network device to require a password then reboot it, you will need to reconnect *with the password* to get back online, right? Sounds like it's working normally, you're just forgetting to take all the steps necessary to get from here to there. :-)

Heather said, on May 19, 2010 9:53 AM:

I need to figure out how to secure my network connection- i'm kind of an air head when it comes to this stuff-I have a linksys router and they want to charge me $40 to secure my network- no thanks- i was curious if you could help me?

Kimberley said, on May 21, 2010 1:16 PM:

Hi, recently my computer has been saying that the secure wireless network I usually connect to, is connected, but in brackets it says (unsecured). Then about a minute later it disconnects and I have to manually reconnect to the network. Do you know why it does this and how to fix it?

Rhiannon said, on June 10, 2010 2:57 PM:

What should I use as the password and user name upon trying to gain entry to the 192.168.1.1 site?

Nikki Taylor said, on June 10, 2010 9:27 PM:

Hi Dave Taylor,
Thanks for helping us techo-idiots with our issues. I have a D-Link VWR-VD Router (I used to have Vonage) running on an HP Pavilion Desktop. My wireless is unsecure and I really want to change that. I was able to get into the Vonage site, but have no idea what to do after that. Can you help?

Mike said, on June 15, 2010 1:05 PM:

Hi Dave,

I need to setup a wireless network using both a secured access for the office and unsecured access for the clients just to be able to access the internet only. How can I go about this?

Caryn said, on July 5, 2010 8:42 AM:

I'm usually not this dense, but I can't figure out how to GET to the configuration tool to do this. Help? Thanks so much.

drea said, on July 15, 2010 1:27 PM:

Please help me. I have followed the instrustions up to the point where I'm in my router but my screen looks different from your screen and I'm lost as to how I'm supposed to create a password to keep other people from connecting to my wireless.

There was an option to change the router login from login:admin and password:admin to something different... I changed this... But how to place a security password to keep others from connecting to my wireless?

I've searched all over the net. All sites seem to say this:

) Access the router through the internet browser. Enter the following in the address window and hit enter: http://192.168.1.1

2) Enter a user ID and password. If this hasn’t been modified, the default password is “admin”

3) Click on the “Wireless” Tab and then the “Wireless Security Tab” just below in the second row

4) In the Security Mode box, select WPA2 Personal. If there are additional boxes for selecting WPA2 and disabling other encryption methods, do so. WPA2 is the most recent and secure version of WPA.

5) Enter a unique and substantially long Personal Key using an unpredictable combination of numbers, letters and characters. Make certain you write this key down and store it in a secure area.

mmm k... so where is this "wireless" tab and the "wireless security tab" on my screen?

Thank you

Justin_S said, on August 4, 2010 6:17 PM:

hey i found this very informative and easy to follow. thank for the well done job. one question though, in you're tutorial you say that once you put a pass phrase you actually use the hex generated pw to get in you're wifi network. is there a way to use just one 10 digit number that i come up with so it's memorable? thanks.

Jessica said, on September 2, 2010 10:06 AM:

I have an IBM THINKPAD running windows xp I keep trying to set up a secure connection. When I get it secured through the Linksys page (like you showed above) I try to conect but it wont let me. I enter the password I set on the linksys page but it never actually connects.
I get this intel pro page that wants me to set the wep personal and things of that nature. I am so lost ! Can you help me please?
Thanks,
Jessica

kate said, on September 27, 2010 8:43 PM:

hello dave! i am networking and curious too if someone's using my connection too. where can i see the user? is it visiible here in my pc?

cathy said, on September 28, 2010 1:00 PM:

theres been a few times where i click on my internet connection and theres one or 2 additional places i could connect to why is this and why am i only seeing these things occasionally....could they be connecting to me too?

jen said, on December 10, 2010 2:33 PM:

When I try to secure my network, my computer disconnects from the internet and the only way I can get on to the internet is by unsecuring my network. HELP

Pat J said, on December 29, 2010 7:38 PM:

I have put security settings on my NetGear Wireless Router on my Desktop, now I cannot get a connection on my Dell wireles laptop? Please advise what I MUST do to get on-lne again on my laptop. It is my primary source for work.

jackie said, on January 2, 2011 2:13 PM:

Hi Dave,

Happy New Year!

I need help. My laptop can connect to the wifi unsecure internet connection but can't in a secure one? What to do?
Hoping to hear from you...

Thanks!

Jackie

Sinopa said, on January 13, 2011 7:46 PM:

You will never be secure if you use WEP. It will take someone like me under 5 min. to get the WEP key and that's without brute-forcing because WEP actually hands me they key. You should ALWAYS use WPA/WPA2.

I wrote a tutorial on how you can secure your network.

http://www.hannacam.net/tutorials/network-tutorials/5-easy-steps-to-securing-your-wifi/

Hope it helps :)

logic said, on May 20, 2011 4:55 PM:

I have an lg-IPS8000 wixx mimo router which has a korean language i wish anyone could help me to be able to configure it to suit my security means as well as be able to defend my shop against future security hacks from bad IT guys! thank you any help would be appreciated

Nnamdi Uzoigwe said, on June 15, 2011 2:31 PM:

My internet service was lost and would like to know how to get it back?

Frank said, on July 14, 2011 8:43 AM:

Hi Dave,

Your article called "How do I secure my wireless network connection with WEP or WPA", was the helping hand I needed.

I had to look for the WEP Key on my Philips Wifi router, but had forgotten the IP addrress: 192.168.1.1 .

The WEP Key was needed to connect my sons SONY PSP to the internet.

Thanx for your help,
Frank

prince amankwah said, on September 9, 2011 5:44 AM:

Please help me to make illegal connection for my modem, because my airtime runs fast.

Sieb said, on September 11, 2011 7:08 PM:

Dave, thank you for being here for us who at one time or another took a bad hit.
My main computer is hooked up to cable and has Norton anti virus. My wifes new computer (wireless) came with a 60 day trail of Norton. Do I have to install Norton on her machine also, or is there a way to set it up to just have the main computer have the anti virus?? Thank you!!
Sieb

Douglas said, on October 5, 2011 11:20 AM:

The network connection is broken
The PC says secured
The network says unsecured
So they will not connect
I have no idea what the password is
Is there a way to delete the PC and create a new one

Windows vista

John said, on October 19, 2011 8:53 AM:

Hi Dave,

I tried putting a password admin for my linksys router wrt54g-tm but it won't take?

Dave Taylor said, on October 20, 2011 8:37 AM:

Have you seen this Linksys page? http://ui.linksys.com/files/WAG200G/1.00.09/Setup.htm Might help you out...

Maggie said, on November 18, 2011 12:07 PM:

Help please Dave!
My Iphone ticks the connection to our secure DLink router at home (I have put in the password and it was accepted) but the wifi symbol does not appear on the home screen so it is obviously not using wifi. We have three Mac computers that all work fine on the secured wifi so what am I doing wrong?
I am a complete novice in all of this so a simple explanation would be great - thanks
Maggie

Gini said, on December 21, 2011 8:30 AM:

I am not having any trouble securing my new wifi. I am; however, having trouble figuring out where to enter my new password in order to get on once it's secure. I click to connect to the secured network and it simply tells me I can't get on, without ever asking to input a password. I know I'm missing some simple step, but please help! I'm running unsecured right now, and it makes me nervos.

Greta said, on December 22, 2011 5:47 PM:

I moved and have a different account for conecting to the internet. My router is secured, however, when I pull up wireless internet connections, it says my connection is unsecured...what's up?

Sam said, on December 29, 2011 7:06 AM:

I wanted to know , how can I view the web pages of the computers that are connected to my modem , using my PC and modem..??just for spying purpose..

Mefer said, on January 15, 2012 8:44 PM:

My router doesnt let me create a password at all! each time i try to select a type of security mode it just refreshes...ive tried manually resetting it and nothing, im pissed because my neighbors have been using my unsecured wifi...
ive done this before but i dont know why now!?
help please!

Morgan said, on January 17, 2012 10:04 AM:

I just wanted to say Thank You 100x. This solved so many problems I was having and I could never be Thankful enough!!!!

Doug said, on January 19, 2012 12:22 PM:

Hi Dave .
I have an IBM Thinkpad g40 and I cant get it to go online ? When I put the cusor on the wirless icon it sya I have an excelent connection but when I go to to connect to the inernet explorer it wont connect . I checked all the setting and all seems to be correct but it tells me I have a wep key error and I know its right as im using the same connection right now on my dell laptop . Im at a loss any ideas on what I might be doing wrong ? Thank you for your time . Doug

Elmer yanga said, on February 9, 2012 4:25 AM:

I'm using Linksys router and access point, I do basic setup for password and I though I successfully done it, but testing it on laptop or mobile laptop, it automatically connected even thought there's a sign of lock icon, kindly help on on this matter.

Jay said, on June 4, 2012 5:15 PM:

I totally agree, WPA is the way to go. It's surprising how many ISPs still ship their routers with WEP though!

There's few other things a user can do to secure their wireless network, like MAC filtering for example. You can read about it at http://techod.com/how-to-secure-a-wireless-network/ if you don't know what it is.

Marla said, on February 6, 2013 3:25 PM:

I have an APC router that I bought on ebay with no manual. My family and I (two middle aged ladies and a child) use three laptops (a HP Pavilion using Windows 7 with McAfee security, a brand new Toshiba using Windows 8, and a Panasonic Toughbook using Windows 7). In the list of wireless connections, our laptops connect to the APC router automatically, but it says "unsecured." We need to secure our network, and we need very basic, step by step, "securing for dummies" instructions that are written in the most basic and simple way possible. I tried to look on the APC site and couldn't find anything. I don't know how to login to the router - there is no screen to enter information, etc. Could someone please help? Thank you.

Marla said, on February 7, 2013 1:58 AM:

PLEASE HELP. I have gone through step by step instructions, chose WPA-2, came up with a 15 character key, ran ipconfig, browsed to the 192.168.2.1 that it showed, got into the APC screen, logged in, started doing exactly what the instructions I found said -- and suddenly - no internet connection at all. And now I can't browse to the IP at all. I can't connect to my router. I am online desperately through a neighbor apparently -- shocked that it worked - but now it is saying my security types don't match. One configuration allowed me to choose wpa-2 but then another on the router itself only listed wep, and now it doesn't match, and it wants a shorter key, and NOTHING I am trying is working. I've managed to lock myself out of my own router --PLEASE HELP - please email me soon. I even tried System Restore, and manually reset the router by unplugging it for 10 seconds - and it STILL won't connect. When the rest of my family gets up in the am they are going to be super pissed at me for messing it up. :(

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

How do I secure my wireless network connection with WEP or WPA?

Reader Comments To Date: 52

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!

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