How to Enable Your Wireless Router's Built-in Firewall

A firewall is a potent defense against hackers and cybercriminals. Surprisingly, many users already have a powerful firewall available and don't even realize it. Most wireless internet routers contain a built-in, hardware-based firewall, and unless it's been activated, it's lying dormant.

We'll look at what exactly a firewall is; why you'd want to use one; and how to find, enable, and configure your wireless router's built-in firewall.

A firewall is the digital equivalent of a traffic cop that polices your network boundaries. It can be used to prevent traffic from entering and/or leaving your network.

There are several different types of firewalls, both hardware and software-based. Operating systems often feature a software-based firewall, while the firewall in your router is hardware-based.

Firewalls help prevent internet-borne, port-based attacks. Firewalls can also stop an infected computer inside your network from attacking other computers by preventing malicious traffic from leaving your network.

All routers offer basic firewall protection, but many have more sophisticated firewall functionality.

To make sure your router has a built-in firewall, open a browser window and log into your router's administrative console by typing in the router's IP address. Your router is likely to have what is known as a non-routable internal IP address, such as 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1.

Below are some of the standard admin interface addresses used by some of the more common wireless router manufacturers. Consult your specific router's manual for the correct address.

• Linksys: 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1
• DLink: 192.168.0.1 or 10.0.0.1
• Apple: 10.0.1.1
• ASUS: 192.168.1.1
• Buffalo: 192.168.11.1
• Netgear: 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.0.227

After you log in to your router's administrative console, look for a configuration page labeled Security or Firewall. This indicates that your router has a built-in firewall as one of its features.