Does losing my wifi password matter?

[Wade Lippman]

A serviceman today needed my wifi password so he could run my credit card. Is that a security problem? My neighbors aren't about to steal my wifi, but are there other issues?

Changing the password will be a nuisance as there are 5 cameras, 2 phones, and 2 laptops. But if necessary, it will just be an hour or two shot to hell.

[Kev Williams]

Change the password

When someone needs to get on your wifi, best is for YOU to type in the password...

you're lucky you only have 9 items, I have nearly 40...

[Roger Feeley]

That smells pretty fishy to me. While you are changing your passwords, see if your router supports a guest network. Ours does and that's the network I would allow. I dont ever log into my guest network so if I have to change the password, it's no big deal.

[Lee Schierer]

Change the password

When someone needs to get on your wifi, best is for YOU to type in the password...

^ This is what I do!
Was he in your house when this was happening? If so, how far does your signal go? I have a guest I.D. set up for my wifi so guests can use it. Since we live in the country you would have to park in my yard to use the wifi.

[Alan Rutherford]

Every wireless device has a MAC (Media Access Control) number and you should be able to set up your router to only allow devices it knows the MAC address for, regardless of the password. Assuming your router allows this, and I would think all modern routers would, you'll find it under something like Wireless Setup - MAC Authentication. You'll have to enter the MAC addresses of the devices you want. On mine I find them under Modem Status - Device Table, which lists devices currently connected.

This is a decent way of closing the barn door after the horses are out. If you change the password and set up guest access, that's better but as you noted, it takes longer.

When there's a short-term need for someone else to use our wifi, I give them the password and turn off MAC Authentication, then turn it back on when they're done. It only takes a few seconds. We're in a relatively low-threat area and I haven't felt the need for guest access.

[Steve Demuth]

A serviceman today needed my wifi password so he could run my credit card. Is that a security problem? My neighbors aren't about to steal my wifi, but are there other issues?

Changing the password will be a nuisance as there are 5 cameras, 2 phones, and 2 laptops. But if necessary, it will just be an hour or two shot to hell.

Practically, the risk is probably pretty low, but if people can get on your network, the opportunities for compromising your systems is far greater. Being on the network allows them to poke around your devices and monitor what happens on your network. On a residential network though, the risk that of that getting you in trouble is relatively low, since it requires someone to park themselves within wifi distance of your signal, and actively attack your network.

That said, your router should have a guest network option that you can expose for situations where you want to provide access to the internet to someone without putting them on your network. I would enable that. If your router doesn't support it, I'd get one that does, 'cause you're quite a few generations out of date in the equipment you have.

[Ronald Blue]

What type of serviceman? Is the WIFI password totally different than any other password that you use? Seems odd that he would not be able to process payment info without network access. No cell service there? If the password is totally different then all other passwords you use I probably wouldn't sweat it.

[Alan Rutherford]

That's a lot of work if you have many devices, and it's not likely to be a long term solution. Modern smart phones and tablets don't maintain fixed MAC addresses. See, here e.g.

Good to know. I haven't run into that and it would be a real confuser not knowing what was going on.

[Kev Williams]

Practically, the risk is probably pretty low... That said, your router should have a guest network option that you can expose for situations where you want to provide access to the internet to someone without putting them on your network. I would enable that. If your router doesn't support it, I'd get one that does, 'cause you're quite a few generations out of date in the equipment you have.

YES on the guest network... On my router, and I would suppose most routers, it's a simple operation to turn the guest network on or off;
here's a screenshot of my LinkSys main display-
guest network.jpg
I can enable or disable it any time within a few seconds. Handy for letting the serviceman on just long enough to run the card

[Wade Lippman]

I got a new router a year ago, and it wasn't obvious how to do a guest network. Since I had never needed one in the past, I just didn't sweat it. But yeah, it would have been handy today.
My password isn't vaguely like anything else I use, and anyone sitting in my driveway would be conspicuous. I suppose I will change it someday. Thanks.

[Dave Zellers]

I have a question. Why did he need to complete the transaction using your WiFi? Was he not able to get a cellular connection at your home?

[Wade Lippman]

I have a question. Why did he need to complete the transaction using your WiFi? Was he not able to get a cellular connection at your home?

I had the same question as soon as he left. I felt rather foolish for not asking. Presumably he had no signal.

[Dave Zellers]

Presumably he had no signal.

Honestly, I wouldn't presume anything. As Kev said in the first line of the first response, CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD!

Or in answer to your thread title, YES. It Does.

[Wade Lippman]

Okay...
I reset my router since the password didn't seem to work
I then reset 2 cell phones, 3 computers, 3 outlets, a light bulb, a doorbell and a printer. 3 cameras will have to wait until it stops raining.
Oh, and I set up a guest network. It wasn't difficult, I don't know why I didn't do it before.