It can happen gradually, or you may realize all of a sudden that you experience frustratingly constant video buffering or that websites are taking longer to load. Chances are that you could have unwanted people and devices on your Wi-Fi network.
Slow speeds due to neighbours piggybacking on your Wi-Fi might be a major inconvenience, but there are even more dire consequences to allowing neighbours and anonymous devices onto your Wi-Fi network.
A neighbour or a foreign device might be performing malicious content or downloading or uploading content that might just get you in trouble. Since your Wi-Fi router and address are linked to your identity, whatever happens on the router’s network might be deemed your responsibility.
Neighbours can download malware via your Wi-Fi network, either intentionally or inadvertently, and it can spread and infect all devices connected to the network. Such malware can have further deleterious effects, the most common being making you a victim of ransomware attacks, data theft, and man-in-the-middle attacks, to mention but a few.
Some ostensibly innocuous activities like snooping on your security cameras and baby monitors can infringe on physical security or lead to even greater potential dangers like robberies when the snoop realizes they have a window of opportunity.
Apartment dwellers or people in fairly close proximity to neighbours or the general public are at a much higher risk of having neighbours and strangers piggyback on their Wi-Fi network as opposed to home owners who are further apart from their neighbours.
How to know if a neighbour might be stealing your Wi-Fi
A good practice is to always do an audit of all WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) devices on your network, whether or not you’re experiencing issues with your WI-FI or not. Some internet activities from neighbours can be harmless and require so little bandwidth that they would be imperceptible.
Doing an audit of not just currently connected devices but also a history of logs of previously connected devices can clue one into how the network is or has been vulnerable to foreigners. Some neighbours can be sly and only use your Wi-Fi during times when you might be least likely to notice, like deep in the night or when you’re out for work.
Lately, with the proliferation of smart wireless home devices, keeping track of all devices on the network can be a herculean task. At any one time, the network can be connecting a plethora of devices, like security cameras, speakers, TVs, and a slew of other wireless devices.
A simple way would be to get a network monitoring tool that can be quickly installed on your phone to help you conduct audits and notify you if an unrecognized or unauthorized device is connected to the network.
How to protect your Wi-Fi
Security is multi-layered; a combination of any of the following measures can help keep hackers and freeloaders at bay.
Passwords
This would be the first and most obvious place to start. Whenever you notice or suspect that a foreign device might be connected to your network, change your password immediately. The intruder will automatically be logged out and will be required to re-enter the new password to regain access.
While at it, use strong password practices like a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols, and avoid cliché password practices like birthdays, family members’ names, and such. Especially if you have multiple devices or visitors, a simple password might be easy to remember, but it’s also easy to guess.
It’s also good practice to change passwords often, just in case. And not just the Wi-Fi password, but the router’s password as well. Network devices usually come with standard default management usernames and passwords, and most people don’t bother to change them. For the not-so-tech-savvy, asking the ISP to do this for them is an option, as it should only take a few minutes after the phone call.
Hiding your SSID
While not 100% foolproof, hiding the SSID, which is the Wi-Fi name, can go a long way towards ensuring your network remains anonymous as it is not being broadcast. Note that people with some technical know-how can still latch onto hidden networks, but they will be in the minority and will have to be very determined.
Firmware updates
Updating the router’s or access point’s firmware is also important. Such updates usually come with security patches for enhanced security, and that’s why, in some cases, you might be asked to re-log in to your devices after such an update.
Wi-Fi encryption and Firewall
By default, most modern routers come equipped with a basic firewall and Wi-Fi encryption to help keep eavesdroppers at bay. These settings are usually turned on by default, but it’s good practice to always check to ensure they’re actually on. Someone might have turned them off, intentionally or inadvertently.
WPA3 security
While WPA2 is the most prevalent security protocol currently in use, its predecessor, WPA3, has more enhanced security features. If possible, choose a router that supports WPA3.
Guest Network
While your guests might not be a security risk, giving them a guest network protects your network from malware they might inadvertently download onto your network, which can wreak havoc later.
They might also share this password with other unauthorized individuals who might not have benign intentions.
Disabling remote access
Routers have a remote access feature, which is mostly off by default, but it would be a good idea to check and verify that this is the case. In special circumstances where you might need to remotely access the router or you have systems running that need remote access applications like port forwarding, the remote access feature will have to stay on, and you will have to rely on other stringent security measures.
Using VPNs
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) works by encrypting traffic you send over your network and hiding your IP address and browsing activity. All the traffic sent via the network will be undecipherable, and it’s a useful tool, particularly for sensitive transactions and communication. There are several options, like NordVPN and ExpressVPN, among others, and some are even free, like ProtonVPN.
Placing routers in central locations
While this is not necessarily a security feature, placing a router in the center of the house (though this would work for smaller houses) would not only ensure the signal hopefully reaches all corners of the house but that none of the signal strength is wasted outside the house, for instance when placed next to a window or wall bordering a neighbor.
When neighbours can hardly get a usable signal strength from your router, they’re less likely to try and piggyback on your network.
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