Dell Studio 1558 (Early 2010) - Manual (Page 163)

Networks (LAN, Wireless, Mobile Broadband)
163
Secure your router. If your network’s router is unprotected, a hacker can access
your computer through your broadband Internet connection.
To improve the security of your network, change t he network
name and administrator password to unique values using the
router configuration software, and change the administrator
password periodically.
When setting up the router, enable data encryption. To set
up data encryption on the router, use your router’s
configuration software.
Set up a firewall. A firewall helps protect computers within the network from
unauthorized access from outside the network. Some
firewalls also restrict unauthorized transmittal of information
from within the network, as in the case of spyware software
sending information through the Internet to an unauthorized
party.
The Windows Vista and Windows XP operating systems
incorporate a firewall. Follow these steps to check that the
Windows firewall is enabled:
1 Click Start → Control Panel→ Network and Internet
Connections.
2 Select the Windows Firewall icon.
3 If the Firewall option is disabled, select this option to
enable the firewall.
Use up-to-date
software. Software companies regularly update their products to add
security fixes. Install the latest version of your Internet
browser and operating systems on all computers on your
network, and check for updates regularly.