Tip #4746 - A Little More About Router Safety
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A
Little More About Router Safety
It seems like
everyday, I get at least one e-mail with a question about routers.
The questions range from “Which router is the most secure?”
to “What does wireless B, G, N mean?” and so on.
Well, it's pretty
obvious to me that a lot of you out there would like some clarification
on routers. I will do my best to answer as many questions as I can
here today. Here we go!
What do the letters
mean? About half of the e-mails I receive ask about the letters on
the end of the wireless router. Most routers you find today are listed
as Wireless B, Wireless G or Wireless N. Those letters indicate the
protocol the wireless router uses to communicate with the wireless
computer's network card. The letters also represent the speed and
range of the wireless router.
Wireless G routers
are the most common as of now. They are what most people get and they
are the most reasonably priced. They usually have a good enough range
to work inside your home or out on your patio. They support speed
much faster than what your ISP can supply as well. Even more, you
will never experience any slow downs when using a wireless G router.
Wireless N routers
are the new, long distance routers. They will connect more reliably
over a larger range and work better in homes with thicker walls and
through basement floors. They have three antennas and also cost quite
a bit more. If you feel like you will have signal issues in your home,
wireless N is the way to go. But, there's also a catch.
When it comes
to wireless G and N, they work the best when connecting to a computer
that has a network card of the same type. Most computers that come
with wireless cards have a built in wireless G card. That means if
you buy a wireless N router, you will not see the same dramatic increase
in range. When looking for a router, it's important to know what kind
of wireless card you have. If you're setting up a new network, you
should buy matching network cards and routers. If you're buying a
new computer with a wireless network card, you should ask the sales
person about the protocol for what the computer's card will support.
Which is more
secure? Well, there are many varieties of wireless routers on the
market today. I have written before about how to make your wireless
connection secure, but does it matter which type of router you buy?
Yes and no. In most cases, the brand of wireless router will not change
the security abilities of the router. Most companies make routers
with varying security standards. Some are easier to configure and
some are more advanced.
No matter which
brand you choose, you should look for a few things in a router when
it comes to security. First, check the box to see that it is a router
and firewall combination. That means it will provide security by blocking
ports that are not being used. That provides a great deal of security.
Secondly, make sure the router has the proper wireless security features.
The router should support wireless encryption, including WPA and WEP.
It should also support MAC filtering and it should have the ability
to turn off the SSID broadcast. Those features may not be listed on
the box, so you might need to do a little research before you buy.
There you go!
Until next time, stay safe
out there, my friends!
~ Gary
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