For All Baby Boomers - How to Browse the Internet Securely?

 Internet is a big revolution that changed everything from the way we communicate to how we work, entertain and live our life. While millennials and GenX has adapted itself to the change nicely and quickly, baby boomers are still not confident when it comes to technology. They are trying to get accustomed to WhatsApp, Facebook and other social networking channels, but security is still a concern. How do the generation of Baby Boomers who were born before nobody heard about the word Internet make sure that they are browsing in a safe and secure environment?

Let’s look at a few ways to make Internet a safer place for this generation.

1. Beware of email scams
Your inbox is probably flooded with email from unknown people. While someone is giving you hundreds and thousands pounds of money, others might be giving you a free vacation; too good to be true. A lot of email scams happen these days and you need to be beware of the trick that spammers use to get important information from your PC, laptop or phone.

To stay safe, don’t click on any link or attachment given in the email - if you do not know who the sender is. Also, if you think the email received from the bank is fishy and the email id doesn’t appear to be official, do not open it.

2. Have a strong password
Whether it is net banking app or your social media handle, keep a strong password for everything. The other important thing is that every important app that you have installed in the phone should be password protected. Do not keep your or spouse name with birth dates as passwords because these can be easily guessed. Always have a long password with a combination of upper case, digits and special characters.

3. Get an advanced wifi router
We might look at router as a device that keeps our devices connected to the Internet, but it’s much more than that. If you have the most secure router installed, it will be difficult for anyone to hack your network and steal the data. So, make sure you invest in a good router.

You can look for the best router for child safety, as these comes with some really good security features.

Hope these 3 tips will help baby boomers browse Internet with more peace of mind.

Ultimate Hack Protected Parental Control Mesh WiFi Router - All in One Solution - GryphonConnect.com

 

The Guide to Choosing Wi-Fi Channel for your Network

 

The wi-fi router in your house communicates over a wireless channel that has a designated number.  Although, wi-fi connection works fine on any channel, there are times when you might need to change the channel because of radio interference, congestion, slow speed and other reasons. This makes it important for homeowners to understand the difference between wi-fi channels. Let’s get started

2.5GHz Band

The 2.4 GHz band has 11 channels wherein 1 channel operates at a centre frequency and 11 channels operate at a higher frequency. The channel 1 operates at a frequency of 2.412 GHz and channel 11 operates at a frequency of 2.462 GHz. The other channels are separated at an interval of 2.412 GHz.

5GHz Band

The 5GHz band has more channels than 2.5 GHz with 36, 40, 44 and 48 being the most popular ones. Each of these channels is separated by 5MHz. This is technically an advanced channel that restricts the available channels to specific numbers just to avoid the chances of overlapping frequencies.

The channel 36 of 5GHz band operates at 5.180 GHz, 40 operates at 5.2 GHz. 165 is the highest frequency channel that operates on a frequency of 5.825 GHz.

The need to change the wi-fi channel number

The routers and parental control device that we use mostly run on 2.4 GHz. If the neighbouring wi-fi network is also running on the same channel, it could cause radio interference. Even the microwaves, bluetooth and other devices in our homes work on 2.5GHz frequency. This can slowdown the performance of the network. Changing the channel can improve the network performance.

Changing the channel

All the best parental control device routers or even the traditional ones have administrator settings. You need to login as admin and look for a drop-down list of the supported channel numbers. Choose a channel that you wish the network to work on, and viola you are done.

The advanced routers come with 5GHz band, giving homeowners the choice to change the settings and ensure they get uninterrupted Internet connectivity.

Service Set Identifier (SSID) Explained

 

Wi-fi is no longer a technology limited to offices. We have public wi-fi hotspots and wifi connections at home. This brings us to the abbreviation SSID - Service Set Identifier. SSID is the name associated with 802.11 WLAN and is the name for your wi-fi network.

SSID can be up to 32 characters long case-sensitive text string that consists of letters and numbers. When you connect to a wireless network, all the names that appear are the SSIDs for those networks. Every router manufacturer has a different default SSID for their unit, but these SSIDs can be changed. If we talk about home network, an administrator has the right to change it.

How your device uses SSIDs?

When you connect a phone or laptop to the network, it scans the local area for the networks and presents a list of the names. You can initiate the new connection by choosing a name from the network list.

Other than getting the network name, the wi-fi scan will also allow you to determine if every network has the wireless security options checked in. A secured network will have a lock symbol next to the SSID.

Although if a user rejoins the network, the wireless device identifies it along with the connection preferences. The device will ask the user if they want to reconnect automatically to the network in future. This set up can be done manually also without accessing the network.

The best router for controlling Internet access come with option to disable SSID, in order to provide a more secure network. In this scenario, the user will have to enter two passwords - SSID and network password. To connect to a network that has SSID broadcast disabled, the user will have to create a profile manually.

Some things to take care of:

• If you have bought a new router, using a default SSID could increase the chances of duplicacy, in case somebody else in the nearby area is also using the router of the same make. This means, your network might not be protected and you could possibly connect to the wrong network.

• When choosing SSID, try to have names with generic information. Displaying your name or having names such as Impossible to Hack could actually provoke people to hack your network.

At last, even if you have the best parental control device for wi-fi, make sure you change the SSID for improved security.

Your home security system is vulnerable to attack · GryphonConnect.com

 

How to Secure Your Businesses’ Wi-Fi Network - Part 1

The convenience offered by Wi-Fi has made it an indispensable element in a business. Though, almost every organization has Wi-Fi connectivity, most businesses do not pay attention to secure their network. This makes the network vulnerable to cyber attacks and data theft. Let’s look at some of the router safety tips for businesses to safeguard their Wi-Fi network.

Change router login credentials
The first security measure you should take is to change the default login credentials of the router after setting up the wi-fi connection. Many manufacturers have the same default login for every router, and these credentials are easily available on the Internet. Therefore, it is important to change the default login credentials after setting up the connection. The password should be a mix of upper and lower case and special characters.

Update firmware and software
Never take firmware updates for router lightly. You might not know that these fixes are introduced to secure the device from documented vulnerabilities. Not updating the router could be an invitation to potential virus threats and malware attacks.

Keep routers at a secure location
Your router literally takes care of all the work that’s happening in the office. If somebody turns it off by chance or presses the reset button, it could mean an unwanted inconvenience. Always keep the router in a secured place that has restricted office. Keeping 24/7 video surveillance on might look too much, but it is good from safety perspective.

Set private and public access
You cannot let the guests and employees be on the same network, as this could be absolutely chaotic. Use a Service Set Identifier (SSID) to make public and private networks. This will provide an extra layer of protection to your network.

Last Words
Securing your office wi-fi network should be on the top of your IT Priority list. Failing to do so could have consequences that can affect finances, employee productivity, and growth chart. Also,  make sure that you install the most secure router because a lot of things depend on how advanced the device is and how efficiently it can work on connectivity and security front

How to Secure Your Businesses’ Wi-Fi Network - Part 2 :- https://sites.google.com/site/gryphononlinesafety/how-to-secure-your-businesses-wi-fi-network---part-2

Secure your home from intruders, digital attacks, and hackers · GryphonConnect.com