MoneySaving and Security Tip - Turn your wireless router power output down

HaushinkaGreenDay

Ok, this might be a little tricky if you're not familiar with your wireless router's settings, or might be old hat if you're a geek like me, but having come across loads of properties that have 7 or more wireless networks within range I think it might be useful to say:

In the interest of saving (albeit a small amount of) energy, and to prevent unauthorised access to your wireless network (more important), it might be worth tweaking your wireless router's range by lowering the signal strength.

Obviously, if you use your wireless devices in different places, then you'll need to experiment to find out what setting will ensure full coverage without beaming wireless signals across to your neighbours over the road.

I currently have mine on 25% power and still get 'very good' or 4/5 signal strength when furthest away from the router, inside our flat, and that's having to go through a few solid brick walls too.

If the naughty wireless network hijackers can't 'see' your network because the signal isn't strong enough to reach beyond your property, they cannot connect wirelessly.

Especially important and useful if you're living in flats, as I know of many people who (illegally) hijacked neighbour's networks whilst they were students (and probably still are). :rolleyes:

Oh, and don't forget to turn your router OFF when you're not using it.

Hope this is useful!

Haushinka

(Reposted as new thread)

basmic

And how much power does the router use with 100% and 25% power, respectively?

HaushinkaGreenDay

basmic wrote: »

And how much power does the router use with 100% and 25% power, respectively?

I haven't tested it TBH, but as I said it will only be minimal, with my router maybe 2-3 watts as it only uses around 10 watts.

The main point of my post was for security reasons - the money-saving part would be prevention of unauthorised network usage, which in turn would save money by preventing, at best, ISP download limits being exceeded; and at worst, personal information and data being stolen.

You'd be surprised how many people have unsecured or poorly-protected wireless networks, and even if software-based security is adequate, the current protocols such as WPA and WPA2 can be bypassed with the right software.

If the signal doesn't reach beyond the property's walls, then the network cannot be accessed wirelessly from outside.

Haushinka

Marty_J

HaushinkaGreenDay wrote: »

If the signal doesn't reach beyond the property's walls, then the network cannot be accessed wirelessly from outside.

If the signal doesn't reach outside the property walls according to your equipment, it only means it can't be accessed wirelessly from outside with your equipment.

It doesn't mean no one else can access it with their own.

HaushinkaGreenDay

Marty_J wrote: »

If the signal doesn't reach outside the property walls according to your equipment, it only means it can't be accessed wirelessly from outside with your equipment.

It doesn't mean no one else can access it with their own.

True, but it's a lot less likely that they will be able to connect.

Haushinka

espresso

HaushinkaGreenDay wrote: »

the current protocols such as WPA and WPA2 can be bypassed with the right software.

Can you provide proof of this statement?

HaushinkaGreenDay

espresso wrote: »

Can you provide proof of this statement?

Sure, just type 'WPA WPA2 hacking' into Google and you'll find loads of sites detailing not only how to do this but what software you'll need.

This subject has also been on BBC's Watchdog recently, and was highlighted in a BBC News artice back in 2001: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/1639661.stm - though this was more to do with unsecured networks.

Haushinka

Fash

Hi- can u tell me how to check the signal strength please.
Thanks and regards
Fash

Pssst

How likely is it that someone is going to pitch up within range of your router ,running the right software,having the skills to use it,and having used it,gleaned any useful info?

Maybe it would be better to start a thread on how to actually switch security on in a router in the first place as there are plenty around that dont even have that!

espresso

HaushinkaGreenDay wrote: »

Sure, just type 'WPA WPA2 hacking' into Google and you'll find loads of sites detailing not only how to do this but what software you'll need.

So you haven't actually got proof that WPA/WPA2 is easily cracked then, when a good long random passphrase is used, just hearsay! WPA can be cracked if users chose a very simple passphrase e.g. evilmonkey which could be cracked with a brute force dictionary attack tool, however if a random 64 character string is used it is very very unlikely. These crack tools work though various dictionary files and can only check a few passphrases per second and the possibilities are in the order of 200 billion, so plenty of real time is needed. Use a long random passphrase e.g.

AR"}5zGfFe?/]OZ.i`?u.;P;2VJ>oZ$mmi="84?eka^~s+}bCJ~l>{JRo{xdRQ9 and it will not be found in any of these dictionary files!

John_Gray

HaushinkaGreenDay wrote: »

Ok, this might be a little tricky if you're not familiar with your wireless router's settings, or might be old hat if you're a geek like me...

Nothing like a bit of modesty, is there, eh?! :rotfl:

Being so geeky, you will have lots of experience with a large variety of routers, and be aware that in many it is not possible to modify the output signal strength.

And if you were suggesting that turning down the output power would save electricity, I would have expected at least that you'd have verified this with a 13A power meter (available from many good electronics stores, and Maplin), and be able to provide comparative figures for various output power levels of your own router. Otherwise your statement is sheer guesswork...