Cold feet about using Wi-Fi

[duk3]

This question has probably been asked many times here, and I've read through some of the threads, but wanted some advice on my particular situation.

My brother recently signed up for this uncapped Wi-Fi deal at Telkom (in fact they're upgrading the speed from 4 Mb/s to 10 Mb/s last I heard). I'm a total newbie when it comes to Wi-Fi, having only used dial up for years, and 3G for the last while. So I wondered if it is as potentially dangerous as I've read about. I mean, he has WPA2 encryption enabled from the look of it when my one device picked up the network, and the router has a hardware firewall as far as I know. It's a Netgear N300 DGN2200M v2, looking at the back of it.

I don't know if he has done anything to restrict the signal, which I've read about some doing (I doubt it), but the thing that gets me is, even
though he has changed the default password, the password is weak. It's his damn phone number. He maintains that nobody will know and practically refuses to change it, but I'm not convinced, because I'm almost positive that would be one of he first things anyone would try.

I've been interested in using it because it would save me quite a bit of money not having to pay for that Telkom Mobile 60+60 deal every few months, but I don't feel safe using it, and I am worried about someone being able to intercept sensitive information. I thought about just using the Wi-Fi for watching YouTube videos, or streaming music on another device, other than the one I use for more personal stuff, etc.

Thoughts? Recommendations?

Thanks.

 

[Willy Strong]

Wifi is not internet, it just transmits internet to your device. Your internet could be off and your Wifi would still work.

I assume your brother got ADSL from Telkom. If he has protection, WPA2 encryption, everything should be OK, but that cell number would be easily guessable for the neighbours if they close by.

It's safe if you covered all your bases, change router and wifi default passwords etc.

 

[Nerfherder]

Wifi is not internet, it just transmits internet to your device. Your internet could be off and your Wifi would still work.

I assume your brother got ADSL from Telkom. If he has protection, WPA2 encryption, everything should be OK, but that cell number would be easily guessable for the neighbours if they close by.

It's safe if you covered all your bases, change router and wifi default passwords etc.

^ This.

You can get even more secure if you restrict the devices by MAC address as well. That's actually all you need.

 

[AchmatK]

You can also not broadcast the network name. Make it invisible

 

[SauRoNZA]

You can also not broadcast the network name. Make it invisible

And anyone who wants to get in will scan for hidden SSID. Does nothing.

OP you are paranoid. You've been using 3G for ages which beams your data all over but you worry about Wifi?

If someone is that desperate they can steal your information, but the reality is you aren't that special and nobody cares about you that much.

Apply due diligence to your own access on your own devices and services and it doesn't matter how you get internet.

 

[Keeper]

If someone is that desperate they can steal your information, but the reality is you aren't that special and nobody cares about you that much.

The kinda sad, but honest truth.

I wouldn't be worried.

 

[duk3]

Thanks for all your suggestions so far.

OP you are paranoid.

Probably.

You've been using 3G for ages which beams your data all over but you worry about Wifi?.

Fair point, I suppose.

If someone is that desperate they can steal your information, but the reality is you aren't that special and nobody cares about you that much.

Maybe so, but I care about myself, and I'd like to take the proper precautions, is all. But good to know anyway.