Network Archives - Page 7 of 7

Is the Cloud Secure?

Internet, Network, Office IT, Office Networkcloud, secureOphtek, LLC

Oct 2014

If you own a computer, chances are you are using a cloud service that holds your data. What exactly is the cloud and is the cloud secure?

What is the cloud?

At a high level putting your data or information on to the cloud means storing your stuff on someone else’s hardware. What is the benefit of storing information on someone else’s computers when your computers are already storing your data?

This is where the cloud business model comes in to play. Keeping your information on someone else’s hardware, whether it’s your phone contacts, your computer backup or your business files and folders, allows you to access your information from virtually anywhere and to share it with virtually anyone.

Is the cloud secure?

The downside to having your data accessible from anywhere in the world is that it must be accessible from anywhere in the world. Most cloud service companies will provide a website or an application on your phone or computer to get to your data.

These websites and applications are accessible by anyone over the internet and are a prime target for criminals and hackers to break in to. A recent example of this is the iCloud vulnerability which gave criminals access to private photos and videos of celebrities.

Having your cloud accounts stolen can be done by criminals either attacking the cloud website like the iCloud example above or my infecting your PC and stealing account login information.

How can you protect yourself?

Unfortunately there isn’t much an individual can do to ensure companies are fixing bugs and vulnerabilities in their internet facing cloud websites and applications. It is important to watch for announcements from cloud services you use about whether they’ve had a recent breach.

As an end user, there are some basic steps you can take to protect yourself on a regular basis:

Onsite PC Solution managed services clients receive regular updates, patching, scanning and 24/7 monitoring against vulnerabilities which could lead to a data breach.

For more information about securing your business data and choosing a reliable cloud service for your business needs, contact your local IT professionals.

How to Setup Guest Wifi

Network, Office IT, Office Network, Securityguest wifi, office network, wifiOphtek, LLC

Oct 2014

Now that you understand the benefits of having a guest Wi-Fi network. It’s really simple to set one up, so here’s a quick guide on how to setup guest wifi.

1 – Access your router’s admin page.

This is so that you can access your router’s settings and configure it to add a guest Wi-Fi network. Simply enter your router’s LAN IP address into the web browser which should start with http:// followed by the IP address. If you didn’t already know, an IP address is a set of four numbers separated by periods. It should look something like:

http://192.168.1.1

Where can you find your router’s LAN IP address?

Some routers may already be labelled with a sticker at the bottom or to the side of it. Alternatively, you can find out by:

On Windows: Run a command prompt box, type the command “ipconfig” which should display some output. Take note if the IP address that displays “default gateway”

On a Mac: Enter network preferences, and then go to the “Advanced “ button, followed by the TCP/IP tab. Find “Router”, which will display the router’s IP address.

Apple device: head over to settings, go to Wi-Fi, then look for the “i” button to the right of your network name and click it. You should see the IP address under “router”.

Android device: This needs a separate App to view you router’s IP address. We suggest on to use called Fing.

Once you have your router’s IP address, type it into your web browser and access the login page. Simply enter your default admin ID and password (this should be labelled on your router). If unsure, you can contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider) to find out.

2 – Guest Network.

Once you’ve successfully logged into you router, you’ll see that you can configure its settings. Look out for a setting or tab worded as “Guest Network” or something similar to it. This can vary from one router to another. Note: that newer routers support guest networks, but some may not have this feature at all. Check your router’s packaging or manual to confirm if it has the ability to provide a guest network.

3 – Configure and save.

Enable your guest network by clicking on “enable”, along with any other preferred settings of your choice, save it, and you’re done!

It’s simple to do, right?

Now you know to set up a guest network so you can overcome the potential pitfalls mentioned in our previous article. Not only is this setup a win-win situation for all, you’ll also have peace of mind with having a secured LAN where nobody can see your private files, data or internet traffic, whilst maintaining a trustworthy relationship with your guests or customers.

For more ways to secure your home or office networks, contact your local IT professionals.

Category Archives: Network