Most small businesses have a router plugged in somewhere, a Wi-Fi network the team connects to, and not much thought given to either beyond the initial setup. That’s understandable, networking isn’t the most glamorous topic. But your network is the foundation everything else sits on, and some simple improvements can make a significant difference to your security.
Your router: the forgotten device
Your router is the device that connects your office to the internet and manages traffic across your network. It’s also, for many businesses, a device that was set up once and never touched again.
Routers run firmware, software that needs to be kept up to date just like any other. Manufacturers release updates to fix security vulnerabilities, and running old firmware leaves known weaknesses in place. Most modern routers can update automatically if you enable it. It’s worth checking.
Change the default login
Every router ships with a default admin username and password, usually something like ‘admin’ and ‘admin’, or printed on a sticker on the device. These defaults are publicly known. If anyone on your network (or someone who can reach your router’s admin page) tries them, they’re in.
Changing the default admin credentials is a quick, one-time task that removes a significant vulnerability. While you’re in the router settings, make sure your Wi-Fi password is strong too.
Set up a guest network
If clients, visitors, or contractors come to your office and connect to your Wi-Fi, they should be on a separate guest network rather than the same one your team uses for work.
A guest network is isolated from your main network, which means a guest’s device, or a device that’s been compromised, can’t see or communicate with your business devices and shared drives. Most modern routers support guest networks and setting one up is straightforward.
Use WPA3 encryption if you can
Wi-Fi encryption protects the data travelling between devices and your router. WPA3 is the current standard and offers better protection than the older WPA2. If your router supports it, make sure your network is using it.
If your router is old enough that it doesn’t support WPA3, it may be worth considering an upgrade, particularly if it’s also not receiving firmware updates from the manufacturer anymore.
Think about who’s on your network
Most router admin pages will show you a list of connected devices. It’s worth taking a look periodically. You should be able to recognise everything on there. If you can’t, it’s worth investigating.
Some businesses also benefit from network segmentation, keeping different types of devices on separate parts of the network. Printers, smart devices, and guest devices on one segment; work computers on another. This limits the potential damage if any one device is compromised.
You don’t need to become a networking expert
The good news is that the most impactful network security improvements are also the simplest ones: updated firmware, changed default credentials, a guest network, and a strong Wi-Fi password. None of these require specialist knowledge.
If you’d like someone to take a proper look at your network setup and make sure everything is configured correctly, that’s something we can do as part of our IT support service.
Want to make sure your network is properly set up and secured? Get in touch and we’ll take a look.
