PC help: Wireless network security

Q Having just installed a new broadband wireless modem router, I’m confused as to which security option to use.

The web interface tells me that there are three different alternatives: WEP, WPA-PSK, WPA-802.1x.
Which should I use - and is there anything else that can make the network more secure?
GA, Computeractive forum

A The list you supply goes from the least secure to the most secure. Each one uses encryption to make the network communication useless to hackers.

WEP is the oldest form of security and can be used with just about every wireless device, including non computer gadgets, but is the least secure.

If someone knows what they are doing, they can work out the password/key fairly quickly and then they will have access to the network, the internet and possibly all the computers on the network. Access to the network is dependent on having the correct password.

WPA-PSK is a more secure encryption and should always be used in favour of WEP unless there is a good reason, such as a device that only supports WEP. It uses a password like WEP, but in a more secure way.

WPA-802.1x is a more advanced form of WPA that uses a dedicated server to change the password regularly. It’s not really an option for home users, so can be ignored.

There are other ways to increase the security of the network. The simplest of these is to disable the SSID Broadcast option.

This stops the router from advertising the network name, leaving a potential hacker with another crucial bit of information to find.

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