Today our favorite ways to connect to the Internet are the Ethernet network cable and Wi-Fi. Currently the one we use the most is Wi-Fi due to the versatility it offers us thanks to the mobility it allows. In addition, a remarkable fact is that we have more and more computers connected to the Internet. Sometimes these devices are far from the router and the Wi-Fi signal does not reach them well. Then we have no choice but to buy a WiFi repeater that amplifies the signal and solves the problem. However, depending on how we configure it and its age, it can be more or less secure. In this article we are going to talk about why a Wi-Fi repeater can be insecure.
Wi-Fi repeater can be insecure
In some situations our Wifi repeater can be insecure because we have not configured it properly. That does not mean that we can use it normally, but it will leave us more exposed to attacks by cybercriminals.
A key element of the WiFi connection and that guarantees our security is the password that we have established. In this aspect, we need a strong password that is not easy to guess and that meets a series of characteristics. Keep in mind that a weak password makes it easier to find out and also in the event that someone uses it for criminal purposes, the first person they are going to ask for responsibility is us.
For that reason, we have to set one that has a good length and is not too short. A good starting point might be 12 characters or more. In addition, that key must contain uppercase, lowercase, numbers and special symbols such as % or $. On the other hand, if it seems complicated to you or you want that key to be as random as possible, you could use the RandPass generator to create your strong passwords in Windows.
Also an important factor is the manufacturer, a Wi-Fi repeater can be insecure if it does not offer us quality firmware. For example, some interesting quality could be D-Link, AVM with its FRITZ! repeater and NETGEAR. In that aspect, when buying one, you should not go for a cheap one with the specifications that we need. The reason is that in the short, medium or long term vulnerabilities can appear and never get corrected with an update.
Another factor that we must also take into account is the encryption that we have established in the Wi-Fi repeater. If we have to buy one and it is not going to cost us, the ideal is that it was WPA3. Here the encryption that we should not see put on our repeater is WEP and WPA as they are now considered outdated. The minimum encryption that we have to choose is WPA2, and if it allows it, WPA2 + WPA3 or WPA3 to be more secure. You may be interested in knowing how to prevent them from entering Wi-Fi through insecure Wi-Fi repeaters.
Beware of outdated Wi-Fi repeaters
We have already seen that a Wi-Fi repeater can be insecure because we have misconfigured it. However, over time these repeaters begin to have more or less serious security flaws. It may also be that the encryption becomes outdated and we are exposed to attacks by cybercriminals.
The best way to check if a Wi-Fi repeater is out of date is to check what version of the firmware it has installed and its date. To do this we will enter your web configuration and write down the version in addition to looking at its date. A common mistake that we often make and that makes a Wi-Fi repeater insecure is that we do not worry about updating it. Often the firmware on these network equipment has to be manually updated and we often forget about it. Another thing that is also sometimes forgotten is to periodically change that strong Wi-Fi key for another one. Once we are clear about the version of our firmware, what we have to do is go to the manufacturer’s website and download it if it is available. Then it would be time to update to have a safe repeater again.
Finally, it may also be the case that there is no firmware available, and if it has not been updated for several years, we have that the Wi-Fi repeater may be insecure. In that case, it is time to think about renewing it for a new one, safer and with better specifications.
