How do I protect my home network?

Over time computers become outdated. People then start looking for a newer and faster model. The old computer is then given away to others. But there are also people who like to keep using your old computer. This requires a home network set up. This article describes a number of points to secure your home network.

What is a home network?
A home network is a network where (one or) several computers which are connected together using an Internet connection. The design of the home network depends on the number of computers and what to do with the home network. This article describes two examples of a home network. In the first instance between the Internet and one or more home computers, a firewall or a router placed. In the second example is the design of the first example uses, but also provide a wireless network.

Setting up a home network requires some technical knowledge of computer networks. The so called "IP Address" is one of the technical terms used in this article requires some explanation. More information about this in the article "What is an IP address?".

If your a home network device, allow any computer on your home network with a unique IP address. Any home user can use them a special reserved IP address range, or 'private' IP addresses listed. If everyone on same home network using private IP addresses, there are home computers using IP addresses in use by other computers. The IP address is not unique.
Therefore the private IP addresses on your home network are translated into a 'public' IP address, which is unique on the Internet. The public IP address assigned to you by your ISP. Using a firewall and / or router, it is possible to a public IP address for multiple private IP addresses of your home computers. It is not necessary to any private IP address to translate into a unique public IP address.

The firewall / router
The term firewall (firewall) comes from the world of fire. The firewalls were not designed for the fire to leap from house to house. The firewall on the computer to avoid the dangers of jumping from one computer to another.





A firewall performs the function of gateway to a computer or computer network and works much like a porter. The firewall looks at all network traffic in or out of it. Of importance here are the rules to determine where traffic should keep to themselves. Using these rules, the firewall, like a well trained concierge, suspicious or unauthorized network traffic against. Also, like a porter, the firewall keeps a record of the visit. Because the firewall separates the home computers and the Internet, you can at a central location for multiple home computers draw lines where traffic must keep to themselves.

If between the Internet and home computers is no firewall running, you can also called a "personal firewall" on every home computer sites. A "personal firewall" is a software product, as an extension of the operating system is installed.
Many personal firewalls are free to download from the internet. Many of these programs are also professional versions for sale. You need this for home use but not to buy. The free versions are stripped or programs but meet perfectly.

The router
A router acts as a bridge between different networks. In our example a router is the bridge between your home network and the Internet. The router makes sure that the IP address of your home computer can communicate with other computers on the Internet. Like the firewall router has a sort of a "portier' function. The door-funcitie of a router is different from that of the firewall. The difference between a router and a firewall is similar to the letter sent by mail. A router looks at the IP address of the recipient of the movement (in postal terms: the address of the letter) and to determine whether the traffic to and from that IP addresses should be blocked. A firewall examines the contents of the traffic (the contents of the letter) and determines whether the traffic based on the content should be blocked.

There are general rules, and that are useful on a firewall or router up. Example of a general rule:

* Ensure that all traffic that starts from a computer on the Internet to your computer stopped. In this way, "intruders" not just come in on your computer.


But beyond the general rules there are specific rules that depend on how a user handles a home computer on the Internet. Most firewall software helps you by asking you for certain "movement" to a rule set. Examples of specific rules:

* Your email program may contact the mail server of your provider.
* Your anti-virus program should contact the network of anti-virus software, the program update.

Today there are routers for sale that can be used as a firewall. These routers are a good solution for your home network to separate from the Internet. There are also routers that an "access point" that include a wireless network can be connected to the router.

Securing a wireless network
Wireless internet is plenty on the break. Besides the many hotspots that appear more and more computer users take the decision to install a home wireless computer network.





Unfortunately, we find that WiFi on the field of security desired. Consider a WiFi network as a remote network and therefore NOT safe. If you have a wireless network to a wired infrastructure links, please note that you place a firewall at this link. Choose this for a good solution, such as a router with firewall.

Often these firewalls you manually set. You must have a prior set of rules together. When a computer sends or receives data traffic that does not comply with the established rules of the firewall, the traffic is stopped or stored in a file on the computer.

Other protective measures
By using a firewall and a separation between the LAN and the wired network, many problems can be stopped. But that does not mean that all problems are solved it. The filtering of a firewall or router will not be able to hold everything. It remains important to use an anti-virus program that always has the latest updates. It is also necessary for the programs you use regularly update. This way you prevent your home computer is infected if, for example a website with a virus, visit.

What is an IP address?
An IP address stands for Internet Protocol' address. Every computer connected to the Internet has a unique IP address. An IP address is comparable to the combined address and postcode. The address and zip code is a unique combination used to receive such mail. You use the address and zip code as the sender of letters you send to others, so the recipient knows who the letter came.

The IP address of a computer is used to communicate with other computers. If you from your home computer via a browser to visit your favorite Web page, use the IP address of the home computer.

Your home computer sends a request to the computer because on the Internet, also called "web server" called, where your favorite page is. This request includes the IP address of the webserver (in postal terms: the address of the recipient of the letter) and the IP address of your computer (the sender of the letter).

The web server then knows which computer to send and receive Web willt the web so back to the IP address of your home computer (the recipient of the reply to the letter) with the sender's IP address of the server (the sender of the reply to the letter).

An IP address consists of four numbers separated by points, eg 62,112,232,132.