Yes it’s an extra step, but, they can’t see the valuables, so they don’t think about taking the valuables, onto the next car.
How to Change Your Router Password
It’s not that I don’t trust the guy setting it up, but, why rely on someone else for my own security?
Things you’ll need.
- 1 – access to your router
- 2 – a CAT 5 cable, connecting your router, into your computer
- 3 – a flashlight
- 4 – a pin to push the ‘reset’ button on the router
- 5 – a password manager
Okay here we go!
Reset your router. Push the tiny reset button on the back using your pin, hold for 30 seconds. I also unplug/plug it back in, for good measure. This will clear all your settings… your WiFi name and password, everything. It’s like we have a brand new router now.
Use your cable to connect computer to router. Plug into ‘Port 1’ on your router.
Open a new browser window, we’re going to log into your router. Use this chart for what IP address, to type into the address bar of your browser:
Don’t see yours above? Use this site to look it up.
Log into your router. Type the IP address into the address/URL bar of your browser, then log in using the username and password.
Here we are inside my router.
First change the name of your router, and the password.
Now we’re going to secure your WiFi. Find your ‘wireless security’ tab, look for the SSID.
SSID = name of your WiFi
- 1 – Name your WiFi network
- 2 – don’t click that, we’re going to keep your WiFi network hidden (security through obscurity)
- 3 – change the channel to anything other than the default. Your internet will be faster. I’ll explain why in video sometime, for now just do it.
For example, here’s my settings:
- Router Name – $r}W68@2%J
- Router Password – 8fXM(e;?sbU67R#Za$hk
- WiFi Username – $8LP^y:6[e4r
- WiFi Password – iq7B:f<o3e4xa[%GuP,g
Make sure your password includes numbers, letters and symbols, and is at least 15 characters long. 15 is the magic number, again I’ll explain why in video.
Copy the changes into your password manager. Save all your changes. Unhook the cables, you’re done, good work.
Do this regularly. I change mine 1/month.
Leave Your Last Name Off the Directory
A scenario: I match up names in the directory, to Facebook profiles. Now I know you just went shopping, have expensive taste, and will be out of town this weekend omg road trip! Omg indeed.
Practice ‘Security through Obscurity’
This was one of my homes, during my gypsy phase last year/this year. I was moving every 4 weeks in Toronto, then took off to the Southern US, on my Avoiding Winter 2012 Tour, for the first third of 2012.
Don't Use Your Name to Name Your Phone
When you leave your phone name as your actual name, personal information might be broadcast.
If someone shouted, “Hi Danielle!”,
a lady within a 30-feet radius would react.
Someone with bad intentions could do a lot with that.
Name your phone something un-interesting,
practice, ‘Security through Obscurity’.
The name of my phone is: `
Edit Photos Before You Upload
I always blur out licence plates, often faces, you’ve never seen a kid here; I err on the side of caution.
You may not notice the information you’re giving away in a photo. Often it’s something in the background that sinks you.
I use an offline editor (like Photoshop) to edit before uploading.
If I’m using an online editor, like Picasa, I assume the file I’m altering is also available in its original form on some server, somewhere. Whether or not I post that photo, doesn’t matter, it still exists.
When editing, take the time to smudge and obscure, using many strokes of the mouse.
And absolutely do not use the swirl effect; all you have to do is reverse it, and look:
(photo via Wikipedia)
Interpol used this exact technique to locate and arrest a child molester , “Mr Swirl”, back in 2007.
I remember being in a room full of people when that came across the TV, and I said, “oh he used the Photoshop swirl to hide his face, reverse it”. Then the news story continued, and people looked at me like I was a wizard (easy crowd, totally milked it).
