Home network security is essential. If your network isn’t secure, hackers could break in and control your devices, use keyloggers to steal your personal data, or even hold your work documents and family photos hostage for ransom. Networking is an essential skill for leaders and managers. Your network not only supports and sustains you in good times, but it is also critical to your survival in bad times. But what if you’re doing everything you can and it’s still not working out? Don’t let home network blunders slow down your internet. Learn the top mistakes to avoid for optimal internet performance. You could be making one of the five most common networking errors.
Using an Easy-to-guess Password
A hacker’s easiest way to gain access to your personal information is to steal your password. Furthermore, it is not always difficult for hackers to guess your password. You must use distinct, strong passwords. It’s best to use a password manager to generate strong, unique passwords for each of your online accounts.
Poor Router Positioning
Many homeowners keep their home wireless routers in a corner, on a shelf, or even inside a metal cabinet. This can severely limit the router’s wireless performance. The solution: Most vendors advise placing the router in an open space – hallways are ideal – and as close to the center of the home as possible. The greater the height of the antenna, the better. Determine where you’ll need the most wireless network coverage and, if possible, place the router there.
Staying With The Original Settings
When configuring your router, network security should be a top priority. However, many people fail to change the router’s default settings. The router’s default password and username are simple to guess, leaving your network vulnerable to hackers. Because the default Wi-Fi frequency channel may be contributing to performance issues, it’s worth investigating alternative channels. While these environments may be intimidating to those who are unfamiliar with networking, you can always leave it in the hands of professionals.
Blaming the ISP for Slow Internet
Before you spend 30 minutes on hold trying to reach your Internet Service Provider, determine whether your network is designed to handle the amount of data you’re attempting to transfer. Slow internet could be caused by an insufficient or obsolete router, a firewall breach, patchy Wi-Fi coverage, or issues with the device itself. None of the above options are likely with a professional network installation, so it could very well be an issue with your ISP. If everything else fails, you may have to make that phone call.
Taking the “Hard Reset” Option Too Soon
Most routers have a “hard reset” button, which is a small area on the back that can be accessed with a pushpin or paper clip and returns the unit to its factory settings. While this is sometimes a user’s only option if something goes wrong, far too many users resort to the hard reset before attempting something else. The issue is that when a device is reset, all information entered by the user during configuration is lost, including the ISP username, password, IP addresses, security keys, and opened ports/services.
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