ROUTERS - After the great deal you found when getting your computer, a router can be your next best buy. They are relatively inexpensive (under $90), provide added security, plus they allow multiple computers to use a single internet connection. They come in two basic versions,  either "hard wire" or a combination unit that provides both "hard wire" and "wireless" connections. If you have a laptop, wireless is the most common method used to connect to the internet. Another type of router provides the some newer features the main one being "Multimedia Services". If you have Verizon FIOS^tm, a special router is supplied as part of their service (Actiontec). A wireless router will provide service up to 300 feet from the box, but will be affected by the layout of your home, materials used, etc. A realistic distance is about 100 feet. Newer versions tend to have better signal strength providing for greater coverage, plus they are capable of higher speeds. At the bottom of this page is a list of popular router providers.

    Most routers are relatively easy to set up. You take it out of the box, hook one wire to your cable modem and one to your computer, turn the router on and when ready, turn on the computer. It is as simple as that;sort of. Most will come with an installation CD that will step you through the setup. If you are a novice, this will be your best bet. It will most likely install some software on your machine, then step you through to "success". When setting up a wireless router, the same steps are followed plus some special security settings. When using CDto set up your router, it is important to not connect anything until instructed to do so.

    Routers usually have a feature to allow for remote administration. This is feature usually disabled and should be left that way. Routers operate using a special operating system much like your PC. It will have a default login and password. This is the first thing you should change. Hackers know all of these defaults. They are often as simple as "admin" and "password".

    If you are setting a router up manually, follow the instructions that should be supplied with the product. You will need one cable to connect to the internet via the "Cable Modem" supplied by the provider. This connection is marked "WAN".  A second cable will be needed for each computer that will be hard wired to it. These cable are known as "Cat-5" ethernet cables and one or more may be supplied with the router.

 IP ADDRESS - Your {internet service provider (ISP)} will provide one {IP Address} for your computer, which you normally do not see. The IP Address assigned by your ISP is also dynamic, in that it can change periodically and if you use a  router, it will be assigned that IP Address. The router's firmware will configure an internal home network. An IP Address will be assigned for each device that is connected to the router. For a diagram of a typical network, select this; "Typical Network". These addresses do not appear on the internet, as they are reserved just for private network purposes. Normally your router can provide up to 256 addresses, minus one for the router's own internal address and one special you will not ever see (or use).

ROUTER SECURITY - During setup, wired or wireless, these parameters need to be set...

• LOGIN - The default may be blank or something like "Admin" or "Administrator" or even the brand name. Change it to something else, like your network name, your name etc.


• Password - Could be blank or something like "password", "passwd" etc. It is most important to set this to a proper password.


• Remote Administration - This is usually off or disabled by default. Unless it is really needed, leave it disabled or if enabled, disable it.

WIRELESS SECURITY - There are a several parameters you need to set up when using wireless connections. The main one is the actual security mode. A lot of people like to leave it off, but this is a big mistake. Without it, an outsider can then use your network, and even get in to your computer. There are three methods  used; WEP and WPA (personal) and WPA2 (personal) plus a special identifier (SSID), the name of the wireless network...

• WEP - Wired Equivalent Privacy - considered a weak  method, almost not worth being there, though It is better than nothing. For a complete technical explanation, see  WEP defined on Wikipedia.


• WPA -  Wi-Fi Protected Access - Considered the best method. For a complete technical                         explanation, see WPA Defined on Wikipedia.
  


• WPA2 - An enhanced version of WPA.


• SSID- Service Set Identifier - This item is a name you give to your wireless network. It allows you to make a connection when you turn on your machine and it is broadcast for all to see, thus you might consider turning the broadcast off. Those with a wireless computer within a few hundred feet of your router can see the SSID and if one of the above security protocols are not set, actually use your network, or even hack in to your machine. For a complete technical explanation, see SSID Defined at Wikipedia.

FIREWALLS - One function of a router is to act as a firewall. A firewall acts to block access to your network from unwanted external sources. Rules can be set to determine what can access your network. Specific web sites, or external computer networks can be blocked or allowed specific functions. The default rules of any router are usually good enough. The router thus protects all computers on your network.

    Firewalls can also be software that is installed on your computer. In fact, all Windows and MAC systems come with one already installed, automatically enabled and default rules set. One seldom has to change them. The software version can be disabled when a router is present. Some consider it overkill. I leave mine enabled all the time. When traveling and connecting through public networks, you should make sure it is enabled.