Guide archive
Securing a home network and Wi-Fi: WPA2 and WPA3, unknown devices, guest networks, public and hotel Wi-Fi, and safe remote access.
See which security type your laptop or phone negotiated, get the network name from staff, treat a certificate warning as a possible evil twin, and know when to use a mobile hotspot.
Read guideA lock icon does not show the encryption mode, so read it with netsh on Windows or Option-click on a Mac, then choose mixed or WPA3-only mode and give older devices their own network.
Read guideNames like android-abc123 may be your own gadgets. Match the router's client list to your devices by MAC address, then block strangers or change the Wi-Fi password to drop them all.
Read guideRun arp -a and check your subnet and DHCP pool to see if a printer or smart bulb sits beside your laptop, then split them with VLANs or firewall rules. A VPN does not do that for you.
Read guideWhy a forwarded port leaves no margin for error, what vendor P2P apps and mesh VPNs depend on, and how a VPN on your own router keeps cameras and a NAS off the open internet.
Read guideStart with the router admin password and firmware, turn off WPS and UPnP, and give guests and smart home gadgets a separate network. Then repeat the review every few months.
Read guideCompare your router's device list with what you own and look up each MAC prefix. An Espressif chip usually means a forgotten gadget, while a real intruder calls for a new Wi-Fi password.
Read guideRecord your public IP, DNS resolver, open ports and WebRTC exposure as a baseline, change one thing at a time, and scan ports from outside your network to see what an attacker sees.
Read guideCompare WPA2 and WPA3 for home Wi-Fi, where to confirm the router security mode, and what public browser-session checks can and cannot show.
Read guideCheck WPA2 or WPA3 in your router and device settings. MyIPScan can review public browser-session signals afterward, but it cannot verify Wi-Fi encryption.
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