How to use Windows Live OneCare to help make a wireless network more secure

This article describes how to help make a wireless network more secure by using Windows Live OneCare. Additionally, this article describes how to help make a wireless network more secure if your wireless router is not supported by Windows Live OneCare.

Note For more information about wireless routers that are supported by Windows Live OneCare, see the "References" section.

Note After you configure any settings to make a wireless network more secure, you may have to reconnect any computers or devices to the wireless network.

To help secure a wireless network when Windows Live OneCare is installed, use the following methods.

Use Windows Live OneCare

When you install Windows Live OneCare, the installation process checks the current level of security on the wireless network. The installation process also checks the manufacturer and the model of the wireless router that is installed.

If the wireless network is not secured and the router is supported, you will receive a white "Actions to take" notice that prompts you to take the recommended steps to help secure the wireless network. To automatically configure the default settings to help secure the wireless network, click Turn on in the "Actions to take" notice.

Note If you are not prompted to take steps to help secure the wireless network, you must manually configure the settings to help secure the wireless network.

Manually configure the settings to help secure the wireless network

If Windows Live OneCare does not support the wireless router, you will not receive an "Actions to take" notice.

However, you can manually configure settings on the wireless router to help secure the wireless network. For example, you can configure the wireless network to use Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption or change the default Service Set Identifier (SSID) and passwords. For more information about how to configure settings on the wireless router to help secure the wireless network, see the manufacturer documentation for the wireless router.

Reset the wireless router if you experience problems

If you experience problems with the wireless network after you configure Windows Live OneCare to help secure the network, you can temporarily disable the settings. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Start Windows Live OneCare on the computer where you configured the security settings.
2. On the Firewall tab, click Advanced settings.
3. On the Network Connections tab, click the wireless network, and then click Details.
4. Under Wireless security status, click Disable.

If you continue to experience problems after you disable the security settings for the wireless network, reset the router to the default settings. For more information about how to reset the wireless router to the default settings, contact the manufacturer or see the manufacturer documentation.

Routers supported by the Windows Live OneCare WiFi Security Feature
http://onecare.live.com/standard/en-us/prodinfo/aplist.htm?redir=true (http://onecare.live.com/standard/en-us/prodinfo/aplist.htm?redir=true)

For more information about how make an 802.11b wireless network more secure, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For information about your hardware manufacturer, visit the following Web site: