Netgear WiFi router comes with a host of security features that no one of you is making use of. The latest series of Netgear routers proffers everything right from multiple wireless frequencies to mobile-management tools. A majority of Netgear router security settings that once required comprehensive networking knowledge can now be easily set up with a single mouse click.
However, prior to customizing the settings, keep in mind to perform the reset process on your router. It will restore all the default factory settings on your Netgear WiFi router so that you can now easily make the setting changes.
Here, we are going to ring up the curtains from the most important Netgear router security features which are well worth the time and effort to configure and utilize. Check them out!
Note: In order to change all the below-mentioned Netgear router security settings, you must have the access to www.routerlogin.net – the default web user interface.
Best Netgear Router Security Settings
1. Built-in Firewall
Infiltration into your home WiFi network mostly comes from the internet. Therefore, a built-in firewall becomes the most important. The Netgear router’s firewall allows you to block traffic that is coming to your network from an unauthorized source. You can even utilize the firewall to monitor what traffic leaves your wireless network.
2. Time-Based Access Restrictions
When you go to sleep at night, you ensure to lock all the doors of your home, don’t you? But have you ever done that with your WiFi connection? A variety of users leave their WiFi network connected all day and all night. It is suggested you to turn off your WiFi connection every night so that no unknown user connects to it. Doing so will also put a stop to the late-night browsing activities for your kids.
3. Set up a Guest Network
Despite the fact that what type of your WiFi network (home or business) is, the Netgear router enables you to use the welcome mat for visitors with free WiFi. One of the great Netgear router security settings is to set up a guest network. It is a separate WiFi network that you can enable to disallow entities to access the main home network. In the event that you set up a guest network, remember to change the guest password on a regular basis.
In case you own a dual-band Netgear WiFi router, you can also choose to restrict guest access to a slower 2.4 GHz only. This way, you would be able to save the higher-performance access for internal connections only. Bonus, you can even limit the number of hours and times of day when the guest network is available to use.
4. Parental Controls
In simple words, parental controls are specially intended to prevent children from accessing unsavory websites on the internet. The latest Netgear routers come with advanced parental controls such as content filtering DNS. For example, Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Smart WiFi router offers integration with content filtering provides such as OpenDNS to provide malware, phishing, and adult content filtering.
5. Enable WiFi Encryption
Hijackers love unsecured WiFi networks. They are often in the hunt for poorly configured wireless networks that can be used for unauthorized activities. Hence, it is crucial to secure your Netgear router with strong encryption. In case you are asked to enter a password for connecting to your WiFi, then you already have some sort of encryption enabled on your Netgear WiFi router. But is this encryption right? There are various types of WiFi encryption and you need to ensure that it is the most secure one you can use for your network.
WiFi Protected Access 2 or WPA2 is the most widely-used WiFi security protocol. So, if your Netgear router is using any other encryption method, change that to the WPA2 one.
So, these were the best Netgear router security settings you should enable right now. Should you come across any sort of issues while making setting changes, contact our highly-experienced technicians for prompt solutions.
