Get Safe Online (and Secure that Wireless Network)

So here I am blogging from inside Windows Vista RC1. And I've never felt safer. Which is handy because I've been working closely with the team at Get Safe Online over recent months and next week is officially Get Safe Online Week in the UK. I'll be in Nottingham on Tuesday helping out on the roadshow alongside some of my Microsoft colleagues. Stop by at the Get Safe Online Safety Zone in the Central Square in Victoria Shopping Centre to say hello. Some of the GSOL team are also posting to a new blog that you might want to check out.

Here's a really simple but effective safety tip for those of you with a wireless network at home. Your router's name is determined by its SSID (Service Set Identifier) which many people leave as the default. That's why people who travel around seem to find so many networks called things like Netgear, SMC and Belkin. Make a wired connection to your router and enter your router's IP address in your browser address bar (it's normally printed on the router and is often https://192.168.2.1/) to access your router's control panel. Change the SSID to something a little more useful (like DownstairsToiletNetwork). Now hide the SSID from broadcast. This will mean that other people won't be able to find your network unless they know what it's called. The downside, of course, is that you'll have to type in the network's SSID when configuring new devices onto the network. But this is a small price to pay for the extra security.

Stay safe online!