1. Begin setup of your Netgear Wireless Router by first reading the instructions in the included manual, and following their guidelines for plugging in and initializing the access point. The first few steps in this guide should coincide with the information found in the manual, however we will follow up with important information on how to secure your wireless access point.
2. After powering up the router, use an ethernet cable to connect your computer to one of the ports on it marked 1 through 4. Next open a web browser window on the connected computer and type http://192.168.1.1 into the address bar and press enter. This will take you to the Netgear Smart Wizard welcome page, click OK to begin the configuration. The router will attempt to detect the type of connection you have and the next message you receive should be Dynamic IP (DHCP) Detected, click Next once you see this.
3. Next you will enable the wireless capability of your router. In the dropdown box for the region where you are located select United States from the list. On this screen you should also change the Wireless Network Name (SSID) from its default value to something unique so that your Base Station will not be confused with another. Click Next.
4. You should now see a message confirming that your connection is working and wireless is enabled. However, your are not secured yet. Read the notes and click Done. Then direct your browser to http://www.routerlogin.net to continue the configuration. A window will pop up prompting you for your login and password, enter admin for the username and password for the password, then click OK.
5. Once you have logged in you will see the main configuration page (shown above). Now click on the Wireless Settings at the left of the page. In order to password protect your wireless network select the WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) option under the Security Options and then under the Security Encryption (WEP) section that appears, select 128 bit next to Encryption Strength. Choose a password between 6 and 8 characters and type it into the Passphrase box under the Security Encryption (WEP) Key heading. Then click Generate. Finally click Apply. You may also select WPA encryption, however not all network cards support this, so check your documentation first.
6. Next look for the Advanced section heading on the left side of the page and click on this Wireless Settings section. Disable the SSID broadcast option by unchecking the second box in this section and then click on the Setup Access List button.
7. On this page (seen below) check the box to Turn Access Control On and click on the Apply button to save this setting.
8. Now click on the Add button, this will display a Wireless Card Entry heading. This is where you will choose a name and enter a MAC Address, also known as Physical Address, for each computer that you will be using to connect to your wireless network. Once you have finished, click the Apply button.
9. Finally click on the Set Password link on the left of the page under the Maintenance heading. Change the default password for accessing your wireless router setup pages by first typing the old one, password, into the appropriate field and then entering a new one into the New Password field and confirming it. This should be a different password than the one you setup for WEP encryption, but should also be at least 6 to 8 characters in length. Click the Apply button.
10. Your Netgear Wireless Router is now secure.

1. Begin setup of your Linksys Wireless Router by first plugging in the power. Give it 10 seconds or so to initialize and then plug an ethernet cable into your wall jack and into the port on the back of the router marked Internet. Next get another ethernet cable and plug one end into your laptop and the other into one of the ports labeled 1-4 on the router. Your computer is not properly connected to the router to begin its setup and configuration. 
2. Next open a web browser window on the connected computer and type http://192.168.1.1 into the address bar and press enter. A window will pop up prompting you for a username and password to access the configuration page for your router. Enter admin for both the username and password.
3. On this screen you should change the Router Name from its default value to something unique so that your Base Station will not be confused with another. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Settings then click Continue when the Settings are successful dialog is displayed.
4. Next, click on the Wireless tab at the top of the settings screen. Change the Wireless Network Name (SSID) from the default value to something unique (you can use the same name you set as your Router Name in the previous step. Then Disable the Wireless SSID Broadcast option and click Save Settings and then Continue when the Settings are successful dialog is displayed.
5. Now click on the Wireless Security subsection at the top of the page. In order to password protect your wireless network first use the Security Mode dropdown box to select WEP and then from the WEP Security dropdown box select 128 bits 26 hex digits. Choose a password between 6 and 8 characters and type it into the Passphrase box. Then click Generate. Finally click Save Settings and then Continue when the Settings are successful dialog is displayed. You may also select WPA encryption, however not all network cards support this, so check your documentation first.
6. Next click on the Wireless MAC Filter subsection at the top of the page. Then Enable the Wireless MAC Filter option and select the option to Permit only PCs listed to access the wireless network. Click on the Save Settings button at the bottom of the Filter List window and then Continue.
7. Now click on the Edit MAC Filter List button to pop up a new window (shown below) where you will enter the MAC Address, also known as Physical Address, for each computer that you will be using to connect to your wireless network. Once you have finished, click the Save Settings button at the bottom of the Filter List window and then Continue when the Settings are successful dialog is displayed. You may now close the Mac Address Filter List window.
8. Finally click on the Administration tab at the top of the page. Change the default password for accessing your wireless router setup pages by typing a new one into the Router Password field and then confirming it. This should be a different password than the one you setup for WEP encryption, but should also be atleast 6 to 8 characters in length. Click the Save Settings button at the bottom of the Filter List window and then Continue when the Settings are successful dialog is displayed.
9. If you encountered any problems during this configuration procedure, please consult the manual that was included with your router or contact the manufacturer.
10. Your Linksys Wireless Router is now secure.

Wireless networks are great, and very convenient for multiple computers at home or office, BUT can be very dangerous at the "home" level, and even more dangerous, risky at your business.

• Control your broadcast area. Many wireless APs (access points) let you adjust the signal strength; some even let you adjust signal direction. Begin by placing your APs as far away from exterior walls and windows as possible, then play around with signal strength so you can just barely get connections near exterior walls. This isn't enough, though. Sensitive snooping equipment can pick up wireless signals from an AP at distances of several hundred feet or more. So even with optimal AP placement, the signal may leak. Keep reading.
• Lock each Access Point. Your router that is... A lot of people don't bother changing the defaults on their APs, and maintaining the default administrator password (like admin for Linksys products) makes your system a good target. Use a strong password to protect each Access Point. Don't use easily guessed passwords like "111111" or "abc123". A hacker can easily gain access to your wireless router, all router manufactures have VERY well known default admin passwords, if you don't change that default passwords, someone else can and lock you out of your own router, AND BLOCK your own internet connection.
• Ban Rogue Access Points. If an AP is connected to your home or office network, make sure you or the network administrator put it there. Bob in Accounting isn't likely to secure his rogue AP before he connects it. Free software like NetStumbler (netstumbler.com) lets you sweep for unauthorized APs.
• Use WPA, Not WEP. Passively cracking the WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) security protocol is merely a nuisance to a skilled hacker using Linux freeware like "AirSnort". Weak passwords, and "WEP" evcrytion can be fairly easily cracked with 60 seconds or less. Use WPA to encrypt your wireless network, and avoid buying or using any device that forces you to use WEP to accommodate it.
• Use SSIDS wisely. Change the default Service Set Identifiers (SSIDs) for your APs, and don't use anything obvious like your address or company name. For corporate setups, buy APs that let you disable broadcast SSID. Intruders can use programs such as "Kismet" to sniff out SSIDs anyway (by observing 802.11x management frames when users associate with APs), but again, every bit of inconvenience helps.
• Limit Access Rights. Chances are, not everyone in your building needs a wireless card. Once you determine who should take to the airwaves, set your APs to allow access by wireless cards with authorized MAC addresses only. Turn On MAC Filtering. Enterprising individuals can spoof MAC addresses, however, which brings us to the next tip.
• Limit the number of user addresses. If you don't have too many users, consider limiting the maximum number of DHCP addresses the network can assign, allowing just enough to cover the users you have. Then if everyone in the group tries to connect but some can't, you know there are unauthorized log-ons.
• Authenticate users. Install a firewall that supports VPN connectivity, and require users to log on as if they were dialing in remotely. The Linksys BEFSX41 router is a great choice for this. Tweak the settings to allow only the types of permissions that wireless users need.
• Make Sure your DMZ is Turned Off. The router's DMZ feature is usually turned off by default, but users sometimes enable it for troubleshooting reasons and then forget to deactivate it again afterward. Since the DMZ is an IP address (or address range) left open to the Internet, any system inadvertently placed there is completely exposed and at risk.
• Turn Off Ping Response. This setting allows your router to respond to ping commands issued from the Internet. It's usually turned off by default, but you should verify that it is because it can betray the existence of your network to potential hackers, which in turn is an open invitation to probe further.
• Avoid Using Remote Management. Most routers have this feature, which allows you to log in and manage the device from outside your network. There aren't too many situations where this is useful, so you should avoid using it unless absolutely necessary.
• Monitor Your Routers Security Log Reports. Even with all the security enabled above, periodically check, monitor, your routers security log reports for any strange unidentified IP connection addesses.

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