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Planning Your Wireless Network
Additional Security Tips
Cisco PVC2300 and WVC2300 Internet Video Cameras with Audio Administration Guide 6
2
Additional Security Tips
• Keep wireless routers, access points, or gateways away from exterior walls
and windows.
• Turn wireless routers, access points, or gateways off when they are not
being used (at night, during vacations).
• Use strong passphrases that are at least eight characters in length.
Combine letters and numbers to avoid using standard words that can be
found in the dictionary.
Security Threats Facing Wireless Networks
Cisco wants to make wireless networking as safe and easy for you as possible.
The current generation of Cisco products provide several network security
features, but they require specific action on your part for implementation. So, keep
the following suggestions in mind whenever you are setting up or using your
wireless network. Also, see “Setting Security Precautions on the Cisco
WVC2300” on page 97.
Wireless networks are easy to find. Hackers know that in order to join a wireless
network, wireless networking products first listen for “beacon messages.” These
messages can be easily decrypted and contain much of the network’s information,
such as the network’s SSID (Service Set Identifier). Here are the steps you can
take to prevent intruders:
Change the administrator’s password regularly. With every wireless networking
device you use, keep in mind that network settings (SSID, WEP keys, etc.) are
stored in its firmware. Your network administrator is the only person who can
change network settings. If a hacker learns the administrator’s password, he, too,
can change those settings. So, make it harder for a hacker to get that information.
Change the administrator’s password regularly.
SSID. There are several things to keep in mind about the SSID:
• Do not broadcast it
• Make it unique
• Change it often