It is essential to maintain security on all our devices and avoid making mistakes that may affect our data. But when it comes to the router, we can say it's even more important. In this article we are going to teach everything you must take into account so that you Wi-Fi router is well protected. This will make the operation optimal and avoid problems that affect your devices.

Why you should protect the router
You may wonder if it really is necessary to give importance to the router security. The truth is that yes, since it is a key piece to navigate and we are going to connect many other devices to this device. It is important to make it work well, to have good speed and stability.

But security is also essential for prevent intruders. If we have the router unprotected, a neighbor, for example, could break the Wi-Fi key and access it. That could put our privacy at risk and also have legal consequences in case they commit a crime using our network.

Also, protecting the router is, in part, protect other devices that you have connected on the network. If there is a fault and an attacker can exploit it, it could access other equipment that we have connected, such as a computer, mobile or any other system with access to the local network.

Therefore, protecting the router is essential. It is important that you take into account certain recommendations that we are going to give you to ensure that the device is protected, in good condition and also ensure that this is maintained over time without problems appearing in the future.

How to maintain security
We can say that there is no single method with which to maintain the Wi-Fi router security, It is going to be the sum of several that will make the device really protected. The goal is to make it work as well as possible, avoid intruders, and reduce the risk that other devices may be affected.

Update firmware
Something very important and that many users overlook is having the updated router firmware. In the same way that we update Windows, the mobile operating system or any installed program, the router is also important to have the latest versions available.

This way you will make it more protected. Sometimes vulnerabilities can arise that can be exploited by hackers to attack. For example, a failure that exists that allows the password to be stolen or attacks to stop working. But it is also important to take advantage of the latest news and features.

Here it should be mentioned that the router can be updated alone, you may have to enter the configuration or you may have to manually download the firmware from the official page and install them. Everything will depend on the exact model you have, so it is best that you inform yourself in that specific case and see what you should do. Generally you will have to enter the router settings, through the default gateway that is usually 192.168.1.1, you go to Firmware Settings, System and Update. But this, as we say, can vary according to the model.

Change factory settings
Another factor to keep in mind is that it is convenient to change the factory coming configuration. The router usually brings a generic key to access the configuration, a password and name of the Wi-Fi network. Our advice is to change all this, since you will avoid security and privacy problems.

A clear example is the key to entering the router settings. It is usually of type 1234 or admin123. It is the same for any router of that model, so an attacker could take advantage of it if they manage to have access to log in. Therefore, change that key, as well as the name of the network. Although changing the SSID doesn't really improve your security in case an intruder wants to attack you (, they can find out by other means ) at least in front of less experienced users, you could hide and keep your privacy if you use a generic name that does not relate you.

Use strong passwords
The password you choose must be strong. It is not enough to put any key, either for router settings or for Wi-Fi network. First there is the router access key. The one that in a generic way is usually very simple. There you must put another password and make sure it is secure.

The same goes for the Wi-Fi password. You should never keep the one that comes from the factory, but you should also choose one that really protects your wireless connection. This is essential to avoid intruders and to make that network fully protected and function as well as possible.

Now, what should the password be like? Ideally, have these points that we mention:

Must be unique and totally random
Contain letters ( both upper and lower case ), numbers and other special symbols
Adequate length ( the longer it is, the harder it is to find out )
Use current encryption
But it is not enough just to have a good Wi-Fi password, since it is equally essential that you have good encryption. If you use outdated encryption, an attack could exploit it and find out the password. That will make the router unprotected and you should take action as soon as possible.

You should avoid old ciphers such as WEP or WPA. The most current are WPA 2 and WPA 3. However, the latter is not yet compatible with many routers and devices, so you may not be able to use it at this time. If you have the router well updated, using WPA 2 encryption is equally safe.

Disable remote administration
One more tip to keep in mind is to disable the remote administration. Some routers allow you to enter settings from anywhere. You simply take the mobile or computer, enter the credentials and you can change the Wi-Fi key, eject a device that you have connected and, ultimately, anything you can do if you enter physically.

However, this could be done by an intruder who can find out that key to enter. So if it is something you will not need to use it is a good idea to disable it. You will further increase security and avoid problems.

Disable WPS
WPS is another feature that comes with many routers. It is used to automatically connect to other devices without having to put the access key. You will see a physical button on the device and, for example, it comes in handy to connect a Wi-Fi repeater easily and quickly. But of course, that has the counterpart of security.

Again, to fully protect your Wi-Fi router is a good idea disable WPS function. You will avoid risks and make it more protected. You will have to enter the configuration of the router and, depending on the model you have, search for the WPS section and deactivate it. Of course, as long as your router has this option.

Tips for guests and other gadgets
After explaining some essential points to protect the Wi-Fi router, We are also going to talk about what we must do to avoid problems if other users are going to connect or even to avoid attacks with other devices that we are going to connect to the network.

Use a guest network
One of the options you have available is that of create a guest network. What you are going to do is configure a network parallel to your Wi-Fi, with another name and password, to which your guests will be able to connect. In this way you will not put at risk the main network, the key you are using to enter.

You can activate or deactivate that network of guests at any time. Even in some models you can easily enable it from a mobile application. If you are going to receive visitors and you want them to connect without compromising security, you can enable that guest network and that's it. Then you close it again.

Change password frequently
Also, if people connect to your network and you want to keep security constant, a good idea is to change from time to time the Wi-Fi key. This way you can avoid problems in case there are leaks. You will always maintain a safety barrier, thus reducing the risk of attacks.

It is always good to use new keys for the accounts we use on a daily basis, devices and equipment. But especially when it comes to something as exposed as the Wi-Fi key, this is even more important.

Check connected computers
You can also check from the router the connected devices to the network. One more way to verify that there are no intruders and to be able to take action in case you see that there is something strange. For example, if you see that a team should not be there, you can take the precaution of changing the password as soon as possible and expelling that intruder.

On the other hand, checking the connected equipment is also checking its security. Always keep computers, mobiles and any device properly protected. Install a good antivirus, keep the systems up to date, etc.

In short, as you can see it is important to protect the security of the Wi-Fi router. You can take into account these recommendations that we have shown to prevent intruders and ensure that proper functioning is ensured, without any computer attacks of any kind against the network.