Wi-Fi routers used in setting up home networks or even small businesses have a built-in firewall feature. Most of the times users are unaware of this feature and it remains unused.
What is firewall?
Firewall is like a policing cop which monitors and controls the inward and outward traffic. It can be software based or hardware based. Firewall offered by Wi-Fi routers is usually hardware based and the one offered by operating system is software based. It is one of the security features which avoid any malicious attack.
How to check if the router has firewall feature in built?
Open your favorite browser and type in IP of the administer console in the address bar and hit enter. Every router has an internal non-routable IP something like 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1. You might have to refer to the user manual of the router to know this IP. Look for configuration setting named ‘Security’ or ‘Firewall’. If this tab is available that implies your router has in-built firewall feature.
How to enable router firewall?
Once you get to the security configuration page, look for ‘Enable’ option for ‘Firewall’ or ‘SPI firewall’ or setting with similar name. SPI firewall stands for Stateful Packet Inspection. Most likely the option would be a checkbox or a button. Once you do this, click on ‘Save’ or ‘Apply’ button to freeze the changes in the configuration settings. It is highly likely that the router will restart on its own or you would have to restart the router manually to apply the modified settings.
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