What is a Wireless Access Point (WAP) or Access Point (AP)?

A Wireless Access Point (WAP) or Access Point (AP) is a hardware device that enables wireless devices to connect with a wired network. An access point can connect with a router, switch, or hub using an Ethernet cable. It can also be an integral part of a router.

If we want to secure a wireless network, we need to secure the access point. But, how to ensure the security of an access point? In this article, we would discuss that.

How to secure an Access Point (AP)?

If we want to secure access points, we can take the following steps.

1. Change the default SSID and password

SSID or Service Set Identifier is the name of a Wi-Fi network. When we try to connect a device to a Wi-Fi network, we need to select the SSID of the network from a list of SSIDs. Most router manufacturers set up their devices with some default credentials. When we first create a network, we get a default SSID and password. We should never use these default credentials and instead, use a different SSID and password for authentication.

Attackers often try to hack a wireless network by using the default credentials of the router manufacturer. Hence, we should make sure we change the default SSID and use a strong password that is difficult to guess.

2. Hide your SSID

Hiding the SSID of a wireless network is a good security measure. As we know, when we try to connect a device to a wireless network, we need to select the SSID from a list shown on the device. If we hide the SSID of a network, the SSID will not be …