The next step in setting up wireless broadband is security. This is possibly the most important step in setting up a wireless network.

Wireless security is needed to keep intruders out and your network safe. Without it, you could be supplying free Internet access and possibly your personal files to your neighbours!

There are several different ways to secure your network, you could even use a few methods to make it that much harder for anyone else to gain access.

WEP (Wireless Equivalent Privacy)

This option encrypts data you send over the network and can only be read by someone who has the pass key. This key is set by the user, and consists of a number of hexdecimal values (the characters 0-9 and A-F). You will have to type a certain amount of characters for your key, depending on the level of encryption you want (your router will explain exactly how many you should type).

This chosen key is then encrypted by the router using 'bit encryption' (the number of bits used when encrypting the chosen code). It can be set as 64 bit, 128 bit or even sometimes 256 bit encryption. The longer the key or bits the harder it is to crack and gain access to your network.

One of the main downfalls of using WEP security is that you have to remember the hexdecimal code that you set originally if you want to add any more devices to your network, rather than a personalised password.

WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access)

This option is just the same as WEP but more secure because the user sets a key, but the router changes the 'key' at preset times making it harder for anyone to exploit your network