How to Lock a Wireless Router

It's important to secure your wireless internet and prevent people from pirating off of it by locking the router with a personal password. Here's how to do it.

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Identify and fix your Internet and wireless network problems with the instructions in these Howcast videos.

You Will Need

  • Computer
  • Wireless router with instruction manual

Steps

  1. Step 1

    Open your browser

    Open your web browser. Type in the URL address that is specified your router's instruction manual. You should see a window pop up requesting a username and password.

  2. Step 2

    Type in default info

    Use the username and password listed in your manual to sign in. The configuration page will appear.

  3. Be sure to change the default password once you reach the configuration page.

  4. Step 3

    Change your password

    Click on administration. At the top you'll see a place to type in a password, and then a place to re-enter your password to confirm. Choose your network's name, called your SSID. Enable Wi-Fi protected access encryption, called WPA2 or WEP. Save your settings.

  5. Choose a name for your network that doesn't reveal your name or address.

  6. Step 4

    Enable MAC filtering

    Most wireless routers come with an option to enable Media Access Control -- or MAC address -- filtering, allowing you to specify that only computers that have a particular MAC address are allowed access to the wireless network. To enable this feature, refer to your router's manual.

  7. Wi-Fi, a term coined by the Wi-Fi Alliance, stands for wireless fidelity.

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