Security for new WiFi modem

[Bernadine]

[HEADING=2]I am asking this question because I don’t want to have problems. I have been using wifi that is supplied by the apartment building where I live. I have always been a little leery of the security that they may or may not use, eg. very simple password. I have just signed up with Xfinity for wifi and they gave me a Cisco Model DPC3941T DOCSIS 3.0 24x4 Wireless Residential Voice Gateway - wireless router - cable mdm - 802.11b/g/n/ac. Besides the strong password I’ve set with LastPass, I want to know if there is anything else I need to do to make this as secure as possible. It will only be used by my computer, Windows 8.1 and sometimes my Samsung tablet for Zoom meetings. Also, is there anything else I need to ask that I don’t know to ask?[/HEADING]
[HEADING=2]Thanks,[/HEADING]
[HEADING=2]Bernadine[/HEADING]

[Rustys]

Firewall that came with Windows.

Maybe hide the SSID. (some systems have issues connecting if the SSID is hidden)

I have a different Name and Password for the 2.4 and 5 GHz WiFi

There are several things that can be done.

Static IP address for each system and only set the modem to allow those.

Only allow these Mac Address

Just some off the top of my head. Others may have more.

[Bastet]

+1 for hiding the SSID however I have read that this doesn’t Increase security:

https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/28653/debunking-myths-is-hiding-your-wireless-ssid-really-more-secure/

https://www.accessagility.com/blog/why-ssid-hiding-is-not-secure

[Rustys]

+1 for hiding the SSID however I have read that this doesn’t Increase security:

https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/28653/debunking-myths-is-hiding-your-wireless-ssid-really-more-secure/

https://www.accessagility.com/blog/why-ssid-hiding-is-not-secure

Security no prevent people from seeing your network SSID in the public yes.

You also may want to make sure you are using WPA 2

Change the user name and password to modem.
(Which is different that the name and password for the WiFi).

Manual for the Modem

http://media2.comcast.net/anon.comcastonline2/support/help/faqs/wireless_gateway/wg3/WG3_UserGuide_HOW5220.pdf

[Bernadine]

Firewall that came with Windows.

Maybe hide the SSID. (some systems have issues connecting if the SSID is hidden)

I have a different Name and Password for the 2.4 and 5 GHz WiFi

There are several things that can be done.

Static IP address for each system and only set the modem to allow those.

Only allow these Mac Address

Just some off the top of my head. Others may have more.

I should have explained I’m not real good with tech terms and explanations. I usually do mention it, but forgot this time.

Firewall with Windows = Windows Defender on my computer? Is that also on the Samsung tablet? I tried to figure out what I need to do to secure it but I got in over my head tech wise. I guess that’s another question I should ask…(for another post I guess).
SSID - don’t know what this is or whether it’s hidden or not. From the other posts, do I need to do something with it, either on computer or tablet?
Name and Password 2.4 and 5 GHz - don’t know what this means, I have a strong password on my new Xfinity WiFi, have no control of the apartment’s WiFi.
Static IP address - don’t know what this is or how to set the modem.
Mac Address - I know several meanings for Mac, but none of them seem to fit here.

Sorry I don’t understand these things very well and thanks,
Bernadine

[Bernadine]

Security no prevent people from seeing your network SSID in the public yes.

You also may want to make sure you are using WPA 2

Change the user name and password to modem.
(Which is different that the name and password for the WiFi).

Manual for the Modem

http://media2.comcast.net/anon.comcastonline2/support/help/faqs/wireless_gateway/wg3/WG3_UserGuide_HOW5220.pdf

SSID - confused, hidden or not, and how to determine if it is or isn’t, and how to change? on computer and tablet?

WPA2 - what is it and how do I determine if it is using WPA 2, and how to get it to use WPA 2? on computer and tablet?

User name and password for the WiFi - I had a REALLY hard time changing the password. I don’t know what the password unlocks, (I didn’t know there was even the possibility of 2 passwords) WiFi or modem but it works now and automatically connects to the WiFi, both the computer and tablet. The man who came and set it up and I agreed to use just simply “password123”, with the intent I would change it immediately after he left. But when I tried to change the password, it took me a couple hours and only after calling a very understanding and patient man at Xfinity did it get changed. With his help it finally was changed from “password123” to the strong password I have now. (I’d really rather not go through that again.) So, I’m guessing I changed the WiFi password, (???) but how do I find/change the modem password?

Clicked on your link, it’s 80 pages! Oh, my. I did see on page 48, “MAC Filter Settings- Use this page to configure MAC address filtering for your
wireless network separately for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks” but when I scrolled to page 49, I realized I’m in way over my head with this. I certainly don’t want to mess this up - going in and changing things I don’t understand is a quick and direct route to trouble. Yet I do want my computer to be secure.

Again, sorry I’m not better with the tech stuff,
Thanks,
Bernadine

[Rustys]

The manual in Post # 4 will explain and walk you through the steps.

SSID - confused, hidden or not, and how to determine if it is or isn’t, and how to change? on computer and tablet?

Page 30

WPA2 - what is it and how do I determine if it is using WPA 2, and how to get it to use WPA 2? on computer and tablet?

Depending if you are looking at the options for 2.4 or 5.
Page 28-32

Same pages for changing the password for the WiFi signal.

Where you can change the password to access the modem is under Troubleshooting the select Change Password.

[Bernadine]

The manual in Post # 4 will explain and walk you through the steps.

Page 30

Depending if you are looking at the options for 2.4 or 5.
Page 28-32

Same pages for changing the password for the WiFi signal.

Where you can change the password to access the modem is under Troubleshooting the select Change Password.

Have you ever looked at a picture of Egyptian hieroglyphs? You know they say something, you know someone who is a trained Egyptologist could read them, but you don’t have even a clue what all those marks could possibly mean. That’s the way I feel trying to decipher that manual. It’s all well and good for someone who’s been trained to read them, but I don’t have that expertise.

[veeg]

Do you still need assistance?

[phillpower2]

Thread closed due to lack of feedback from the OP.