How do I make my Wireless Network Secure?

djblacksmithdjblacksmith
edited June 2006 in Science & Tech
Greetings. I have a home office. I use a desktop computer with a cable modem to access the Internet, and a wireless router to connect 3 other laptops throughout the house equipped with wireless connection. Everything works just fine, but ...

How do I make this wireless connection secure?

I'm running XP-Pro
Belkin wireless router

If this is the wrong place to post, please point me in the right direction if you can. Thanks.

David Blacksmith

Comments

  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    You could just enable WEP, log into the router, and enable the WEP. If you want to go a bit further enable MAC filtering and put the MAC address's of each computer connecting wirelessly into the Belkin ROuter, this would mean that each computer that want's to use the wireless would have to be on that MAC Filter list and thus anyone coming over with a wireless laptop would need the WEP key and you would need to get their MAC, log into the router and put his/her MAC address into it before theyc an connect.

    There are other things than WEP as well, but I am not too familiar with them as I don't feel the real need for anything super strong for my home network.
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    I would use WPA-PSK instead of static WEP since WEP security is such a joke. WPA-PSK requires about the same configuration as WEP and affords orders of magnitude more security.

    -drasnor :fold:
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    Yeh, I would just go with WPA-PSK, mac filtering is ok if your never going to use any more computers than the ones you have now, but if you buy a new laptop, or a friend brings one over, it is annoying to have to go in and add the mac address. Just the WPA-PSK will off you more than enough security for a home office network.
  • GargGarg Purveyor of Lincoln Nightmares Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    Is mac address filtering (without WEP or WPA) completely secure? The same couple of computers access my router all the time, so that would be the simplest thing for me to do.
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    I would think, I guess that depends if there is a way to spoof a mac address. if there was and someone knew your mac address, then they could get in too, I generally like WPA.
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    Gargoyle wrote:
    Is mac address filtering (without WEP or WPA) completely secure? The same couple of computers access my router all the time, so that would be the simplest thing for me to do.
    No. If someone uses a tool like Kismet to soak up network traffic then they can play back network sessions and get all the data transmitted to you and by you.

    -drasnor :fold:
  • EssoEsso Stockholm, Sweden
    edited June 2006
    I found this information today, from XS were they are dicsussion if it's legal or illegal to snatch someone elses wireless signal from their UNSECURED wireless router.

    It is illegal,
    http://www.sptimes.com/2005/07/04/State/Wi_Fi_cloaks_a_new_br.shtml

    There is an need to protect your wireless network, because other people might use it for illegal activities.
    Which in the end can bring the FBI or Police, home to your house.
  • rykoryko new york
    edited June 2006
    it is not illegal to run unsecured wireless...i don't care what that crap says. if it was then you wouldn't be able to buy routers capable of it. every device would come with default security enabled only and no way to turn it off.

    as we know, this is not the case. if i choose to give my neighbors "free" wireless access from my unsecured router it is my choice and it is not illegal. this includes people driving close enough to get a signal.

    now if some pervert uses this "free" access to break the law it is HE/SHE that is responsible. if someone shows up at your door inquiring about the open wifi network you are running and you somehow get in trouble, i suggest you go after the router manufacturers for even allowing a wifi device without security. a large payday would be in your future after you get out of jail. :crazy:
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    They say it is illegal to use an unsecured network. pfft. yeh.

    And they say to enable WEP, that can be broke in 10 minutes. and MAC filtering doesnt do a whole lot. If someone want in, they are getting in. I didnt know about the evil-twin thing. That is something new to me.
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    ryko wrote:
    it is not illegal to run unsecured wireless...i don't care what that crap says. if it was then you wouldn't be able to buy routers capable of it. every device would come with default security enabled only and no way to turn it off.

    as we know, this is not the case. if i choose to give my neighbors "free" wireless access from my unsecured router it is my choice and it is not illegal. this includes people driving close enough to get a signal.

    now if some pervert uses this "free" access to break the law it is HE/SHE that is responsible. if someone shows up at your door inquiring about the open wifi network you are running and you somehow get in trouble, i suggest you go after the router manufacturers for even allowing a wifi device without security. a large payday would be in your future after you get out of jail. :crazy:

    You have a good point, but some of the big companies are starting to do just that, shipping out routers with pre configigured WEP keys which are printed on a sticker with the MAC address information. While working at Verizon the new modems with router capabilities would be this way, though they did still send out old modems without it - it's a transition. It's pretty serious now becuase of the amount of **** not having a secured wireless site can bring down on you.

    At my new job it's not secured, but in order to get wireless access you must sign up.
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    My schools network is not secured in the least way. And even if they ship out routers with preconfigured keys, not many people will change them, and it will still be the same.
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    No need to change them, they are randomly generated per unit.
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    damn, i mean oh, how fortunate and thoughtful of them.
  • rykoryko new york
    edited June 2006
    also what about those cities that have free wifi access. san fransisco is trying it out. chicago has it in limited areas. more and more cities are providing free unsecured wireless access to their inhabitants and they aren't breaking the law--as a matter of fact they have to be local gov. supported to get off the ground.
  • airbornflghtairbornflght Houston, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    I think they are secure and a unique key is given to each user by an athentication server.
  • EnverexEnverex Worcester, UK Icrontian
    edited June 2006
    ryko wrote:
    it is not illegal to run unsecured wireless...i don't care what that crap says.

    I think the issue was more that it's illegal to use SOMEONE ELSES unsecured network (without their permission obviously) not to actually run one in the first place.
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