How do i get a password for my network?

I have a local area conection and don't want people connecting to my network.


Also can people see your files if they are connected or is that just when you send files?How do i get a password for my network?
Just make it secure enabled in properties but I don't know wnen u get a password before enabling or afterHow do i get a password for my network?
you should have a local ip address....if you are on a linksys router it is usually 192.168.1.0....there you will be asked to enter your user name and pass. When you get past that screen into the router's settings, you will be able to set your security from there.
i am a computer technician- please visit my site at computergeek1996.wikispaces.com and click on the contact me tab to send me a response about your problem/concern. I should respond to your message in about 10-15 minutes. We will definitely solve and fix the problem :). If you would like for us to figure out what's wrong with your computer for you please go to the remote access service page and click live support to speak to an operator and we'll help you fix your problem :)
First, you don't explicitly say you have wireless turned on on your network. If you don't, stop reading. You're perfectly safe. If you do, read on.





People ';generally'; can't see files on your machine(s) unless you've opened directories for sharing on your network. I say ';generally'; because serious hackers may be able to work through weaknesses in your system and make their own openings.





A firewall won't protect against freeloaders at all.





As to securing your system, because routers differ as to details, I can't be specific about how to accomplish these steps, but they're almost all done from within the router's administration web pages. Note: It鈥檚 best to do them from a computer cabled (even just temporarily) to the router rather than wirelessly, especially since wireless administration will be deactivated by step #1.





Generally, to access your router鈥檚 administration pages, hook up a computer directly to the router and enter the router鈥檚 local IP address into a browser鈥檚 address window. See way below for details on finding your router's IP address.





1.Deactivate wireless access to your router's administration web pages so only a computer connected via an Ethernet cable can reach them. This won鈥檛 affect wireless use of the Internet, just wireless administration of the router. Even if you don鈥檛 want to leave a computer connected via a cable, leave the cable there for when you need it.


2.Turn off the SSID (network name) broadcast from the router. There's no need to advertise your network's presence. You're not running a hotspot; everyone who should be on your network should know its name.


3.Change your SSID from the default. Hackers know that routers come with default SSIDs and look for them. Even if the SSID isn't being broadcast, if a hacker knows its name, they can hop on board.


4.Set up encryption with an encryption key. The longer, the better. WPA (if your network and all your computers can support 802.11G) is better than WEP. WEP is better than nothing. Each of your wireless computers and devices will need this encryption key. Wired computers will not.


5.Limit access to only the computers you want on the network via MAC filtering. (MAC refers to unique NIC (Network Interface Card) addresses, not Macintosh computers, and not IP addresses.) This isn't a defense against hardcore freeloaders -- it's possible to fake MAC addresses -- but it keeps out casual interlopers.


6.Change the range of and/or limit the number of automatically assigned IP addresses (DHCP) to reduce the chance of extra users. Again, hackers know what ranges routers come from the factory with. Changing them makes it a little harder to hop on board.





Here鈥檚 how to find your router鈥檚 IP address:





1.Click on the Start-%26gt;Run button.


2.In the text box, type





cmd





and press Enter.





3.A black ';DOS box'; will pop up. In it, enter





ipconfig /all





A bunch of gibberish will fill the box. Next to ';Default Gateway'; an IP address will appear. This is your router's IP address.





That should go far toward hardening your wireless network.