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More and more devices in our everyday lives are connected to the internet – from home offices and online banking to smart thermostats and surveillance cameras. And all these digital helpers access a common system: the home network. It forms the heart of our digital infrastructure at home. In this article, we explain what a home network is, what risks it poses, and how you can effectively protect it from attacks.
What Is a Home Network?
A home network is the digital backbone of your home. It connects all your Internet-enabled devices—such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, smart TVs, game consoles, and even smart home appliances—to each other and to the Internet. Your router is the central interface: it connects to your Internet service provider and ensures that all devices can be online at the same time.
But what many people don’t know is that as soon as a device is connected to your home network, it can theoretically communicate with all other devices. This is often useful and practical – for example, when you want to send music from your smartphone to a speaker or access a network printer from a PC. At the same time, however, this networking also harbors some risks that should not be underestimated.
Why Is a Secure Home Network Important?
If one of the connected devices falls into the wrong hands, it can often be used to access other devices. A home network is therefore much more than “just Wi-Fi” – it is a digital infrastructure that is invisible but crucial in everyday life. And the more devices are online, the more important it is to secure this network well.
The increasing use of home offices, online banking, and cloud services means that highly sensitive data is being processed on home networks with increasing frequency. At the same time, more and more Internet-enabled devices are being added. From voice assistants and smart doorbells to washing machines and coffee makers, there are now internet-enabled versions of all household appliances. And each of these devices can be a potential gateway for attackers if they are not properly secured.
How Do You Set up a Secure Home Network?
Secure your router:
The first and most important step: Change your router’s default login details. The factory-set usernames and passwords are often publicly known and deliberately tried by attackers. Use a strong password that consists of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters. Also disable WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) if it is not absolutely necessary. Although this feature is designed to make connection easier, it also poses a security risk. It is also advisable to disable remote access to the router unless it is needed.
Encrypt your Wi-Fi:
Make sure your Wi-Fi is protected with the latest WPA3 encryption standard. If your router does not support this standard, WPA2 should be the minimum. Never use outdated standards such as WEP. Also, change the default network name (SSID) so that it does not reveal anything about your router or provider. A neutral name is better than, for example, “Fritzbox-abc1234.”
Keep firmware up to date:
Your router is a kind of mini-computer – and like any other device, it can have security vulnerabilities. It is therefore important to check for firmware updates regularly. These updates not only add new features, but also close known security vulnerabilities. Many routers can be configured to install updates automatically. You should enable this feature if possible.
Use a guest network:
If guests want to access your Wi-Fi, they should not automatically have access to all your devices. Most modern routers offer the option of setting up a separate guest network. This is separate from the main network and protects your private data and devices. Make sure you use a separate secure password and, if possible, disable communication between devices on the guest network.
Secure network devices:
You can probably already guess: a home network is only truly secure if all connected devices are adequately secured. Even if your router is well secured, an unprotected device on the network can become a weak point and open the door to attackers.
All devices on your home network should have secure passwords and be kept up to date. Make sure you install operating system updates and security patches regularly. A reliable antivirus program is also a basic requirement, especially for PCs and laptops. In addition, we recommend activating integrated firewall functions – both on the end devices themselves and on the router. Many routers already have this feature, but it is not always activated automatically. So check in the settings to see if this protection is enabled. If you don’t use certain devices for a long time, it’s worth disconnecting them from the network or turning them off completely. Every unnecessary connection can pose a risk. By disconnecting these devices from the network, you reduce potential points of attack.
How Can You Tell if Your Home Network Has Been Compromised?
Attacks on home networks usually go unnoticed – and that’s exactly what makes them so dangerous. Cybercriminals work in the background, spying on data or using devices for further attacks without you even noticing. However, there are some warning signs you should definitely look out for:
- Sudden slowdown in your internet connection: If your connection is consistently slow even though only a few devices are active, something is wrong. Unwanted data traffic may be running in the background. Check which devices are connected.
- Unknown devices on the network: Many routers show you which devices are currently connected. Do you see any unknown names or IP addresses? If so, you should be suspicious. It could be an unknown device.
- Increased advertising or pop-ups: Are you suddenly seeing more ads or strange pop-ups? Then caution is advised here too. This could indicate adware or manipulation of the network. Malware cannot be ruled out in such cases either.
- Devices are behaving strangely: Are devices suddenly restarting? Is software being installed without you doing anything? Or are other actions taking place that you cannot explain? Then there may be external interference. This often happens as a result of malware.
- Login problems or changed passwords: Can you no longer log in to your accounts? Or have passwords been changed without your knowledge? Then you need to act quickly. This often indicates that a device or even the entire network has been compromised.
What to Do if You Suspect an Attack?
If you notice one or more of these signs, you should react as quickly as possible. First, disconnect the router from the power supply. This will interrupt all connections and prevent further damage. Then change your most important passwords – especially those for the router. After that, you should check all devices in the network for malware. Do you still suspect something or find anything unusual? In serious cases, it is worth seeking professional assistance. When in doubt, it is better to err on the side of caution, as in some cases only an expert can accurately assess the attack and recommend further steps. Your data is worth it!
You can find more tips on cybersecurity in our blog under the tag IT security.
Responsible for the content of this article is Stéphanie Bauens.
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