Guest Access Management

A guest network is a router feature that separates access points on your router. It provides a means to share an internet connection without exposing sensitive information (like passwords) and other connected devices.

Our home network security is as important as a company network security because it connects all home devices to one point. An insecure WI-FI leaves you vulnerable to a lot of attacks. What is more frightening is that hackers can steal your data or hijack your Wi-Fi router and lock you out. Securing your network goes beyond password authentication and other security activities. It needs to cover guest usage of your WIFI. A house guest could threaten the home network if not properly managed.

A guest network is a different point that gets access to the Internet and the home network. The guests use a different password to connect to the home'shome's network without compromising security.

It is common to have a portable USB hard drive, or any other device plugged into a Wi-Fi router that shares files with other family members. Unfortunately, this also gives a guest access to log into your primary Wi-Fi network. The implication here is that they also get access to every device. Friends and family members don'tdon't usually sabotage network security on purpose. Most times, they are ignorant of their infected devices, which get connected to your network. That becomes a means for other devices to become infected with malware.

Fortunately, the way out is to use WIFI routers that provide the opportunity to create a guest WIFI network. A guest Wi-Fi network restricts guests' activities on your network but gives access to your Internet connection. The act makes it difficult for them to introduce malware to your devices accidentally.

The guest network usually comes with limited functionality, such as accessing the Internet directly. For this reason, it does not require the payment of additional fees.

Hackers target guest networks because they need to be better secured. But unfortunately, poor security also enables them to bypass software-based security and gain access to the primary network. One reason is that there's no hacker proof for software-based network isolation in guest networks.

A research study by Israel's Ben-Gurion University of the Negev shows how vulnerable a guest network appears. If hackers overload the guest network router, they could gain entry. This lies in the fact that the router internally uses the main network to manage its performance. Therefore, guest network security is as important as the security of your main network. No one wants to get hacked via the guest network after taking additional steps to secure your network.

A separate Wi-Fi network for the home and visitors comes with certain benefits.

• Privacy – It eliminates the need to share your WIFI password and makes guest access management easy. The guest network also eliminates the risk of someone sharing the password without authorization. That way, your activity remains private and secure.
• Security - This benefit protects all your devices from attacks if the visitor's device already has some threats. Guest network management also helps to prevent intrusion and unauthorized access to your network.
• Smart Device Organization - The guest networks can stand as a secondary network. There is an avenue to connect other devices like smart bulbs or thermostats to the network.

Every device needs maximum security, no matter how small, and the guest network is no exception. Guest network management begins with proper configuration. Other security activities to engage in include setting a password for access and ensuring traffic encryption to eliminate interception.

In addition, you need to ensure that guests cannot access and change your router settings. Finally, you must use a content or web filtering solution that prevents malware downloads and restricts access to an inappropriate website. Content filtering is a separate network but connected to your main network.

It would help if you also took guest access precautions. Begin with customizing services for different types of guest users. For one, there's a need to provide access for contractors on a company's network separate from the main one. Most organizations give connectivity access to contractors that have to work on certain projects.

The guest network is not limited to the home alone; small businesses offer free WIFI connections to their customers. Separating the guest Wi-Fi from the main local area network (LAN) is a good security measure. There are simple steps to carry out.

• Separate Your Hardware: Keep the guest network on separate hardware. It also entails establishing some access points with their physical wiring directly connected to the Internet. That way, your guest access becomes entirely segregated from your main network.
• Separate Subnets: One other option to explore is by deploying multiple subnets. A subnet is a part of the internal IP address usually locked off from the rest of the network. It functions using different security and permissions. However, it's worth noting that some access points do not handle multiple subnets. They may require a separate SSID different from the main one. Setups like ADTRAN, Cisco, or Meraki easily separate the subnets. You only have to assign a new SSID, and the network does the configuration.

Clients can see each other on a guest network; however, it is an easy problem to resolve. It entails enabling L2 Isolation at the SSID Level. Ensure that your LAN has sufficient Isolation and allows the addition of common services. Here is a couple of Isolation worth considering.

1. Isolation from LAN- It helps to keep visitors away from the private LAN. Isolation ensures that visitors only gain access to the Internet, not the files on a Network Attached Storage (NAS).
2. Isolation From Each Other- Some routers can isolate guests from each other. It gives the impression that only one guest device exists on the network. That way, businesses, and individuals can provide maximum guest network security.
3. Isolate Internet of Things (IoT) Devices- people who tend to connect their smart devices to guest network net to consider Isolation. Gadgets like security cameras, thermostats, smart TV, and more come with poor security. It makes them viable for hacking.