Woops, I agreed to let the neighbour kid use our Wifi, but upon reflection (and what I would have done when I was 15) maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

Title: Securing Your Home Network: Lessons from Granting Wi-Fi Access to a Neighbour

When you’re faced with a neighborly request, especially from a young resident, it’s easy to feel generous. Recently, I found myself in a situation where I agreed to let my new neighbor—an enterprising teenager—use our high-speed Wi-Fi. Initially, it seemed like a simple act of kindness. However, upon further reflection, I realized that I may have inadvertently opened the door to potential risks.

A Quick Backstory

The neighbor kid, around 15 years old, moved in with his grandparents just a few days ago. Due to their financial situation, purchasing internet access was not feasible for them. We recently upgraded to a fiber-optic internet service that provides an unlimited 50 Mbps connection, making our Wi-Fi attractive to anyone in need.

While the kid offered to pay for the access, I politely declined, requesting instead that he use the connection responsibly. I encouraged him to “keep it clean” and abide by the law. But as I mulled it over, a nagging concern crept in. I had essentially granted him open access to all the devices on my home network—a thought that began to worry me.

A Reflection on Youthful Mischief

Thinking back to my own teenage years, I remember the mischief we often got into with technology. I recalled programs like “Wack a Mole,” which could wreak havoc across networks. Naturally, this led me to question the security of my own network now that a teenager had the keys to it.

The Need for Network Isolation

Recognizing the potential vulnerabilities, I’ve decided it’s time to take action and isolate his connection from my home devices. I’ve come across the concept of wireless isolation, but this is an area where I could use some clarity. My plan includes utilizing a spare router, which I intend to hardwire and set up as a dedicated access point for him.

This approach would involve configuring the new router on a separate subnet, shielding my primary devices from any activities or accidental mishaps that could arise.

Current Network Setup

As a quick overview of my setup, I am using a Bell Home hub 3000 connected to my Netgear Nighthawk R7000 router, which has been flashed with DD-WRT firmware. Here’s what I’m considering:

1. Creating a Separate SSID: By establishing a distinct SSID for the spare