Wireless Router Tutorial

I wanted to start off the month of March with a feature of the “how to’s” of Wireless Routers. I am still amazed at how many people are not taking advantage of the wireless router, for making your entire home or business a working/playing zone. So, let’s get at it.
Wireless routers with Internet connection sharing, networking and firewall features are an alternative to Wired routers or Networking Software. Wireless routers are actually wired routers with wireless access points built in so you can have wired and/or wireless at the same time. Another choice is a wireless router with a built-in DSL or cable modem. Finally, you can consider a hardware and software security combo box to connect and protect your home network, see our Broadband Gateways page for more information.
 Security – Wireless routers are not as secure as hard wired. If you want wireless and security, read the security articles on this page and be prepared to spend some time setting up the security features of your wireless network. To make this easier, look at getting started and wireless utility software. A big deal here, though, is the ability to set keywords to block unwanted content from your router, especially if you have kids at home.
Testing – We recommend that you test the firewall features of a wireless router after installation and setup using an online service like Security Space.  This can help you figure out the vulnerabilities of your system pretty quick.