Apple AirPort Networks User Manual

 

 

 

This chapter provides an overview of the security features 
available in AirPort.

 

Apple has designed its wireless devices to provide several levels of security, so 
you can enjoy peace of mind when you access the Internet, manage online financial 
transactions, or send and receive email. The AirPort Extreme Base Station and 
Time Capsule also include a slot for inserting a lock to deter theft.

For information and instructions for setting up these security features, see “Setting Up 
the AirPort Extreme Network” on page 17.

 

Security for AirPort Networks at Home

 

Apple gives you ways to protect your wireless AirPort network as well as the data that 
travels over it.

 

You can isolate your wireless network with firewall protection. Apple wireless devices 
have a built-in Network Address Translation (NAT) firewall that creates a barrier 
between your network and the Internet, protecting data from Internet-based IP attacks. 
The firewall is automatically turned on when you set up the device to share a single 
Internet connection. For computers with a cable or DSL modem, AirPort can actually be 
safer than a wired connection.

 

Creating a closed network keeps the network name and the very existence of your 
network private. Prospective users of your network must know the network name 
and password to access it. Use AirPort Utility, located in the Utilities folder in the 
Applications folder on a Macintosh computer using Mac OS X, or in Start > All 
Programs > AirPort on a computer using Windows, to create a closed network.