simplest way to secure wireless net

wvjohn · Post by **wvjohn** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 4:20 pm

ok, just got my dad to upgrade to broadband and slapped a new linksys wireless router in (checking email on the beach

)... there will only be 3 computers using this for now...looked at the security choices and picked the 128bit, which gave me a hash that i forgot to write down, so i reset it to wide-open - what's the simplest way to lock it down??? that will also defeat most war drivers.....TIA

will post picks from the beach

eGoCeNTRoNiX · Post by **eGoCeNTRoNiX** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 4:34 pm

I would use mac address filtering myself since you only have 3 addys you want to be able to access it.. Then they won't be able to do jack unless they know the IPs to use.

eGo

b-man1 · Post by **b-man1** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 8:22 pm

i only use MAC filtering as security on mine...but i don't really care if someone uses my wireless (unlikely unless they park in my driveway...i might notice that...hehe). MAC filtering is pretty much useless if the person sniffs the packets and then spoofs your MAC, but would definitely keep the commoners away.

i recommend just using the MAC filtering and also disable the SSID broadcast. beyond that you need to enable encryption.

Jim Z · Post by **Jim Z** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 8:25 pm

looked at the security choices and picked the 128bit, which gave me a hash that i forgot to write down, so i reset it to wide-open - what's the simplest way to lock it down???

If your equipment supports WPA, use that. WEP is so weak as to be useless.

Busby · Post by **Busby** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 3:33 am

Originally posted by Jim Z
If your equipment supports WPA, use that. WEP is so weak as to be useless.

What he said.

wvjohn · Post by **wvjohn** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 7:58 am

thx gang, i'll see if I can figure out how to do that

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 9:36 am

For casual security 128bit WEP is okay.

If you want a bit more security and your NICs and AP are a year old then they should support WPA which is better than WEP.

Anything can be cracked though, so if you file share then use passwords on all your user accounts (you can setup the computers to autologon).

ZYFER · Post by **ZYFER** » Sun Jul 31, 2005 4:01 pm

Using MAC Address filtering is good if you want to keep people off your network, using WPA is good to add that little bit extra of security to make you feel your private data is not being viewed by someone else.

Usually if someone sees a network is encrypted, they just keep going.