Laptop and wireless network help please

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

For security there's WEP, and WPA and WPA2. WEP encryption was cracked eons ago so don't bother but WPA2 should still be OK I think. Unless you're OK with giving your neighbours free internet access (although there are incidents of creeps though who drive around looking for unsecured wifi points to download kiddie porn and so on so it just makes sense to lock your network down anyhow). Basically you just get a network access key password generated and you have to enter it anytime you have a new device you want to connect to your network. No biggie.

So laptop newbie question. Is this security, something you download, comes with the router, buy it or what ??

[mark]

Originally Posted by wolf_bluejay

As for the WEP/WPA/WPA2 debate. Don't use WEP, everything else is Ok. I can break WEP is under 5 minutes.

Another security question

I'm sort of forced to use WEP for the kid's DS (WEP only) but enabled the MAC address filter on the router, any benefit?

[midgetwaiter]

The way the MAC filter works is by only accepting traffic from MACs on the allowed list, others would be ignored. It's easy to bypass because MACs can't be encrypted so all somebody has to do is listen in to the traffic for a while and pick an allowed MAC to assign to their device. So it's more of a hurdle than a fence if you get my meaning.

WEP and WPA can both be broken quickly once somebody has listened in long enough to get a sample of your traffic. That can take a while depending on how much the wireless link is used. WPA2 is secure for now but somebody will get it eventually.

Ultimately I don't think it matters much for the home user. Your biggest problem is the potential for somebody to use your access point without your permission. The idea of anyone spending the time it takes to breach your network is kind of absurd. What do you really have that makes it worth while?

WEP is probably good enough.

[midgetwaiter]

Originally Posted by Doug

So laptop newbie question. Is this security, something you download, comes with the router, buy it or what ??

Different devices will support different standards depending on how old they are. If you want to upgrade your encryption you usually have to buy new devices unless you have a device where an upgrade isn't possible like the Nintendo DS.

[wolf_bluejay]

Ok, just to answer a few questions and point out an option!

In my favorite wireless analogy, think of a wireless router and computer as a cordless phone base and handset. WEP/WPA/WPA2 are just ways of keeping the converstation between your handset and the base private, and stoping other people from using "their" handsets from using your phone line. MAC address filtering in considered lower than WEP, it doesn't do anything good, but it doesn't hurt either

For the most part WEP and WPA only keep out people that just don't care to go to the effort. I have been known to break a few WEP's when I REALLY needed to borrow and internet connection. WPA takes a few minutes longer.
Any encryption scheme is breakable, as they all technically are.

I light of all this, I run my wireless open as can be. If someone need to use an internet connection to check their email or whatever, feel free, just don't abuse it. For the most part, it's not all that often that someone will try to attack you computer or anything, just use your internet. If you haven't noticed at this point, don't worry.

I've had my connection open for about 5 years, I've had a total of 1 attempt to hack my network. I do however get attempts at one my my work sites, that has a 1 gbps internet connection, which brings up the other point.

All "secure" web traffic that you do is encrypted in a much more secure way. As the rest of the internet is not secure either. So, at most someone will be able to track your browsing history. In terms of the cordles phone, if all that is going on is your 16 year old kid gabbing at their friends then who cares if someone listens in? If it is confidential stuff, it's a different story.


For those of you now trolling around for my wireless, the rest of my servers are behind a separate firewall

[Doug]

Thanks for the info. I was looking at a new D-Link.