Wifi security methods
Your Optus WiFi router is more than just a plastic box that gets you connected to the Internet. It’s also a favorite for hackers who want to use your broadband plan and connection to gain access to your data, as well as commit crimes against others.
Optus does a lot to keep your connection safe and secure. For instance, the telco introduced WiFi Secure in partnership with McAfee, which is a WiFi security software that’s installed on the router/modem itself, rather than your device. That way, any device that connects to the Internet via your modem is already secure.
But despite such measures, WiFi modems/routers are vulnerable by nature. That’s because they aid wireless connections rather than wired connections, which means there’s always the possibility of a breach.
To avoid such security breaches, there’s a lot more you need to know about your router’s WiFi security methods, beyond just setting up a strong WiFi password. Your WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) is either WEP, WPA, or WPA2.
Here’s a look at each security method, ranked from the most secure to the least secure:
- 1. WPA2 + AES
- 2. WPA + AES
- 3. WPA + TKIP/AES
- 4. WPA + TKIP
- 5. WEP
- 6. Open Network
To change your security method, disable your WPS and choose one of the above methods. Remember, they are ranked from best to worse, so be sure to choose WPA2 + APS is it’s available.
If your router is running a WEP security method, be sure to change this as it is the weakest amongst methods. The only worse option is having an open network with no security at all.
WiFi password
Now that you’ve chosen the best available security method for your Optus WiFi router, your next step at a secure network is to change your password to something much stronger. It’s important to create a password with as many characters as possible – a mix of alphabets, symbols, and numbers – because hackers look for the easiest passwords to crack.
Part of what makes WPA2 and WPA security methods your best options is the fact that they allow you create a password with up to 63 characters. That’s more than enough to get as creative, complicated, and confusing as possible to deter any WiFi hackers and squatters from trying to use your network.
How to change your Optus NBN and Home Broadband modem username and password
Your Optus modem likely already has a default username and password. In most cases, you’ll find this information at the bottom of your modem. If you can’t find it there, you can also log into your modem’s WiFi settings to find your factory-set username and password.
Remember, you need a strong password to keep your WiFi secure. This means that you should change your password to something customized, instead of the default password that comes with the router.
Here’s how to change your Optus WiFi password, depending on your modem’s make and model:
- Netgear DGN220 and SAGEM F@ST 1201
Switch on your modem and connect your device to it > Open your browser and enter http://10.1.1.1 > Go to your WiFi setup menu and change your username (usually referred to as SSID) and password. - NETGEAR DG834
Switch on your modem and connect your device to it > Open your browser and enter http://10.1.1.1 > Enter your default username – admin – and your default password – password > Click on the WiFi or Wireless setup menu to change your username and password. - SAGEM F@ST 3864 and SAGEMCOM 3864V30P/3864V3AC –
Switch on your modem and connect your device to it > Open your browser and enter http://192.168.0.1 > Go to your WiFi setup menu and change your username and password. - Other Optus DSL Modems
Switch on your modem and connect your device to it > Open your browser and enter http://192.168.8.1 > Enter your default username – admin – and your default password – password > Click on the WiFi or Wireless setup menu to change your username and password.
What to do if you forget your SSID and/or password for your Optus modem/WiFi
If you forget your customized username and password, then you’ll have to perform a factory reset on your Optus modem in order to log back in. To do so, you’ll have to hold down the reset button for a few seconds, usually located underneath or at the back of your modem. After that, log into your WiFi using the default username and password and change your details to something more secure.
Final words
How sick are you of trying to remember the different passwords you have? It is common for people to have up to 20 passwords they need to keep track of – either remembering a lot of hard to recall sequences of alphanumeric characters or, even worse, writing them down somewhere.
The problem with that is that it can cause people to standardise their passwords out of frustration because of how difficult it is to keep track of so many different passwords. That’s really dangerous.
From time to time, you’ll notice in the news that famous websites get hacked. Facebook and Linked In have both been hacked in recent past. Once hacked, names and passwords are downloaded and sold online using the ‘dark web’. This is a huge problem because, if you’ve standardised your passwords and it has been made available for purchase, people can log in using your password on other sites – for example, your bank.
Luckily, WiFi passwords are much easier to manage. The best advice is that, once you’ve set up your Optus WiFi password, you should make a note of it on a sticky and attach it to your router. When you have visitors that you trust, you can share the code; and if you need it yourself, you know where it is. You can be less stringent in your security precautions for WiFi because, to use your code, hackers will need to be in the same physical location as the WiFi signal – something they will find hard to establish unless you have released a lot of your personal information online.