How often do you think about your router?
Chances are, it only crosses your mind when the WiFi feels slow or something refuses to connect.
But there’s another part of its job that’s easy to overlook. Your router sits between the internet and everything connected to your home network – it’s the all-important device that keeps your phones, laptops, TVs, speakers, doorbells, cameras and smart devices online. And secure?
To mark this year’s Cyber Security Awareness Month, here are four simple ways your router can help protect your home network – and a few things worth checking yourself.
1. Keep your router up to date
Like your phone or laptop, your router needs software updates. These can fix security vulnerabilities as well as improve performance.
If your router came from Zen, it can make this easier. Whether it’s a FRITZ!Box or an eero, your Zen router can install updates automatically in the background, so you can get on with enjoying your award-winning connection.
If you use a different router, it’s worth checking whether automatic updates are enabled – or whether you need to install them yourself.
2. Give guests their own WiFi
When friends or family ask for your WiFi password, you don’t have to put them on the same network as all your own devices.
Both FRITZ!Box and eero let you create a separate guest network, allowing visitors to get online without connecting their devices to your private home network.
It’s simple to set up and gives you more control over who has access to what.
3. Check what’s connected
Phones, tablets, TVs, speakers and smart devices can quickly add up, so it’s worth taking an occasional look at what exactly is connected to your network.
You’ll probably recognise everything – even if it takes a while to work out which device is which. But if something genuinely doesn’t belong there, remove it. And if that does happen, you should probably consider changing your WiFi password too.
4. Add another layer of protection
Your router isn’t a replacement for strong passwords, software updates and sensible online habits. But it can offer extra protection on top.
eero automatically keeps itself updated and uses built-in security features. eero Secure goes further, adding threat scans, content filtering and ad blocking across your network. It’s included with Zen Full Fibre Max and is also available as an add-on with eero on other packages.
That gives you another layer of protection across your home network, rather than just relying on security tools on individual devices.
A few simple checks can make a difference
You don’t need to spend much time thinking about your router. But keeping it updated, using guest WiFi and checking what’s connected every so often can all help keep your home network more secure.
