Wireless Network Security

[kahat 0]

Hello Everyone,I am setting up a wireless network for my house, im finally getting rid of the dial-up (cost justified it). My cable line will be installed soon, and I am going to wireless network it so my two desktop PCs can share the Internet access. I've heard the mysterious security issues, but most of them seem pretty obvious that you have to be ignorant to overlook, like changing the admin password on your router, etc.Anyway, what I am getting at here is a question: do you have any tips for securing a wireless network?Thanks!

[rejected 0]

I'm using a wireless connection right now, and though my experience, you must have a password protected network or else people will start connecting to your network and using your internet. I don't have many tips on securing it, I'm just the guy with the adapter. My mom's the one that set it up

[Saint_Michael 3]

best thing to do is firewall the sh** out of it and encryot it as well to make it more harder to get hacked into along with some good tracing problems and anti virus stuff as well.

[DoR 0]

Apart from firewall and antivirus, you need to protect the 'air' part.

Most Access Points implements security based on WEP which is not a good solution but is better than nothing. Nowadays WEP can be cracked in minutes.

New equipment show bring WPA, which is more convenient, to secure the network.
Also you can buy adapters to support WPA.

There is a good article that treats this topic in http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/.

Hope this helps.

[imran 0]

HiNow a days its very hot topic all over the world "SECURITY ISSUES WITH WIFI NETWORK". I also use Wireless Network at my office. Dont know much about security but we are using WEP 128 bit encryption key which is given to me by my Network Administrator. I dont know how secure it is as 1 person already wrote in this forum that WEP keys can be hacked within a minute. I think i must inform my Network Adminitrator also. LOL.I suggest you search in Google regarding the WiFi Network security, i believe there is whole lots of material avaialble on NET regardiung this.

[lava.alt 0]

i think the best security you can have is by the config of your router ... some routers, like lynksys, allows you to generate a key for each machinge to verify if they are part of the web ...as long as i know there are a lot of problems of security for wifi ...

[ashiezai 0]

i think that if the wireless network is encrypted ... there will be no problem with it .. i didnt say that it's a bullet proof ... but it'll be definately much harder to retrieve data from it

[fffanatics 0]

I use a wireless network at home and at school. My recommendation is to do the following things1. Change the admin password and username (if possible)2. Set up 128 bit encryption on the router and create a code that is random but that you have recording somewhere that you will not loose. 3. Install a firewall (I use Norton Internet Security and it works great) on the computers to prevent anyone who might somehow get into your network from getting to your computerHope these help

[bureX 0]

The attacker can use a WEP cracking tool (such as AirCrack or AirSnort) to discover your WEP key if he collects about 300-500 megabytes of data from your network.The best thing to do would be to buy 802.11g enabled wireless devices that can reach speeds (theoretically) up to 54Mbps, so data transfer between your two PC's should be way faster. 802.11g works pretty well on small distances, and it supports WPA (that can't be cracked yet, and allot of time will pass until someone figures out how to do it).So, the final checklist would be:1) Change the default admin username and password on your router/AP2) Enable WPA if possible, or the highest possible WEB encryption.3) Use a firewall (such as Zone Alarm) and an antivirus program on both sides (safety first!)4) Make sure that there are no cars or vans near your house with a bunch of geeks, sitting inside it, fiddling with their laptops and giggling about something. (Just in case)

[ManOfSTEEL 0]

Hello Everyone,

 

I am setting up a wireless network for my house, im finally getting rid of the dial-up (cost justified it). My cable line will be installed soon, and I am going to wireless network it so my two desktop PCs can share the Internet access. I've heard the mysterious security issues, but most of them seem pretty obvious that you have to be ignorant to overlook, like changing the admin password on your router, etc.

 

Anyway, what I am getting at here is a question: do you have any tips for securing a wireless network?

 

Thanks!

149636[/snapback]

Well, if you know the basic security of the cable networking it just the same... imagine that in your wireless you still have cable on it and setup the security.

 

technically speaking wireless LAN works line cable LAN, the only issues here is that wireless can be in any places as long as your locations covered with your access point.

 

But still you can set it up personally by modifying yo IP address, if you used HDCP maybe somebody can get you in and access your pc.

 

wireless setup and cable setup almost the same thing it just technically remove the cable and put some receiver and transmitter device on it that makes two devices communicate to each other...

 

Wireless fidility is know to be a safe wireless connection but still, those potential users of computer can still get you in no matter what connections you have...

 

My suggestions for your setup is to personalize everything, your IP, your accesspoint must be limited to other and put some firewall as part of basic security setup.

[NeXDesigns 0]

as a WAP hacker in training (learning it because someone actually lost access to their router, what an idiot, lol) all i can say is the most you can do is out a WAP key on it, but dont make it anything that someone can guess, no birthdays, nothing someone else can know.The other thing that i see a lot is most use an unencrypted router using the default ssid. that is a big security risk, because of that my laptop autoconnects to every linksys router around here, and there is exactly 62 over about 20 miles, netgear is a close second, belkin54g is another, all non wpa protected too.I do admit free internet can be nice, but when they start getting serious and start getting on your computer, then you have problems, so basically what you need to do is this.* Change the SSID of the router* Add a WEP encryptionDonts are* Trying to hide the SSID of the router, that can cause problems for you when you try to connect it.* beware of vans with antennas on them with a bunch of guys with laptops in it. thats usually a bad sign, lolThats all i have to say, not much, but it is all that i know of to protect yourself.

[BuffaloHelp 24]

Donts are

* Trying to hide the SSID of the router, that can cause problems for you when you try to connect it.

155112[/snapback]

One SHOULD always hide SSID whenever possible. The reason one cannot connect when SSID is hidden is because almost all users did not bother to uncheck "let windows configure my wireless setting." Deselecting that option and configuring one's "profile" to always connect to said SSID will ensure one to connect to one's OWN router 100%. If one's laptop does not include 3rd party wireless card managing program, one should avoid that laptop. Windows XP SP2 wireless managing program is the worst!

 

If one is a owner of Netgear, Linksys or D-Link, one can select additional option under wireless setting in the router, "enable wireless card access." This feature, when turned on, only allows designated wireless card MAC address to be network negotiated with a router. This will ensure additional security for anyone who tries to free-load wireless internet access. Checking-up on this menu is highly important if one wants to see who has been trying to connect to your router or sniff your packing (this is where WEP comes in handy). Be sure that one is using 128bit or 20 digit WEP encryption code. This will take at least 20-30 days for a norm hacker to crack one's network package. When one monitors the wireless card MAC address access report on a regular base, one can tell right away the WEP key could be compromised and change the key.

 

But honestly, majority of packet sniffers do not bother with residential home PC users because there aren't anything worth spending time trying to find out, i.e. AIM password, email login, credit card number, etc. If I was a packet sniffer, I would sit outside of stock trade commission?s office or Alan Greenspan's office and see what would be the next buy!

[psychiccyberfreak 0]

yeah, you have to use a WEP key, and also, I found this neat program called airsnare, you can download it off download.com. It gets everyone accessign your wireles router, web and wirelessly. If that fails, try some kind of firmware that only lets certain computers access the router.

[ManOfSTEEL 0]

Hello Everyone,

 

I am setting up a wireless network for my house, im finally getting rid of the dial-up (cost justified it). My cable line will be installed soon, and I am going to wireless network it so my two desktop PCs can share the Internet access. I've heard the mysterious security issues, but most of them seem pretty obvious that you have to be ignorant to overlook, like changing the admin password on your router, etc.

 

Anyway, what I am getting at here is a question: do you have any tips for securing a wireless network?

 

Thanks!

149636[/snapback]

If you are planning for wireless network security must be secured... Part of that security is by changing all the default settings of each hardware like your router. Don't ever use the default setting of each device, if you do so, then your security is not secured to tell you frankly.

 

Try to avoid using the DHCP setup or set your router as the DHCP Server because if you do so, many can have access to the net using your connection.

 

To make sure that everything are secured put some firewall and specify only the allowed IP to accessed your router. in short customized you internet connection settings.

 

I have encountered before when I visit my friends office and opened up my notebook and I found out that I have internet. See, that what I am talking about, to limit unexpected users.

 

Solution for this is really to customized everything, install the best firewall you know and don't used default setting for all hardware you are using...

[Shackman 0]

Yea...default settings and passwords can all be found in the user manual so it will make it very easy for a hacker to compromise your system. The worst thing is that the manuals can usually be found online. Sometime at the manufacturer's website or sometimes from peer-to-peer networks....So, like the above poster said, your system is not secure if you use the default settings.Anyway, wireless lans, the signals can be easily tapped into and encryption at a high encryption setting, it can take quite a while to for decryption. There for , it will slow down the network speed.Wired networks are the best, provided your wires don't get compromised too...I still say CDs are the best method of transferring information...-Shackman