The advantages of WLANs (wireless local area networks) are obvious. Not only do they enable wireless communication between local PCs, they are a practical way for millions of users to connect to the Internet on the go. But be careful: If you haven’t taken sufficient security precautions for your network, unauthorized third parties can connect and access your data or commit crimes using your Internet connection.

Here’s how to protect yourself

	You need additional encryption to protect data communication. WPA and WPA2 (Wi-Fi protected access) protocols in combination with as complex a password as possible offer the most effective protection for your network. The password, also referred to as the PSK (pre-shared key), must be known to each subscriber on the WLAN that wants to connect to the network.
	Keep in mind: Encryptions according to the WEP standard, which is still in widespread use, are not secure and are relatively easy to crack!
	The WLAN router (for example, FRITZ!Box Fon) you use to access your DSL connection usually has a default network name (SSID). Change this default SSID so that no one can determine the operator or purpose of the network.
	Attention: If you use a public WLAN hotspot to connect to the Internet instead of your network, you no longer have the firewall protection of your DSL router.

Here’s how AVM protects you

	Each FRITZ!Box comes with a custom WLAN key.
	It also comes with WPA and WPA2 encryption enabled by default.
	You can also use a password to protect the FRITZ!Box interface from unauthorized access.
	To ensure the highest level of security, change the FRITZ!Box password and WLAN key from time to time.
	Sleep mode lets you shut off the WLAN automatically when it is not in use. Just enter the required shut-off time on the FRITZ!Box interface. This also reduces energy consumption.
	Another effective tip is to reduce the FRITZ!Box’s transmitter power. This reduces the range where your network’s signal can be received. And the neighbors will thank you – because this way, there is no risk of interference between your networks’ wireless signals.