Is Your Wireless Network Secure?

kevsan

mandm65 wrote: »

Slightly off topic butt related.
Can anyone recommend a good possibly freeware software for network monitoring/censoring unwanted websites for home network?

Look at opendns.com - very easy to set up and you can add /remove specific websites or 'types' of site.

Pssst

One of the biggest vulnerabilities is the person with the unsecure network which has a username and password combination in the router setup screens.It matters not whether they are starred out.

Not that an insecure wireless network does not mean that in accordance with popular media myth..someone can "get in" to your pc and read/write/steal bank details blah blah blah..

basmic

Is there any reason the OP isn't suggesting users change the default passwords on routers?

With all this security in place, all somebody need to is go to a generic web address (usually http://192.168.1.1/) and put the default passowrd in, then they're free to change the security settings to their own preference.

FireFox

if anybody else is using my wireless, can I see this? If so, how ?

custardy wrote: »

easiest way is look for a little '2 computers' icon in the task bar
right click
select connect ot a network
a box will come up showing all the networks available

That won't tell you who's connected to your network I'm afraid, only what other networks are in your vicinity i.e. your neighbours' home networks.

Most routers' configuration settings should give you a list of all clients (PCs etc) connected to the router at that particular time i.e. who's connected to your network either wired or wireless.

timbim_2

Only if they've already broken into the network.

gaming_guy

if you were to turn off DHCP, it would probably be better to limit the range of addresses to be given out by the DHCP server rather than turn it off altogether. But i don't really think it will make a massive difference to network security

FireFox

basmic wrote: »

Is there any reason the OP isn't suggesting users change the default passwords on routers?

With all this security in place, all somebody need to is go to a generic web address (usually http://192.168.1.1/) and put the default passowrd in, then they're free to change the security settings to their own preference.

Because you need to be connected to that network i.e. know the security passphrase to get to the router log in screen in the first place. 192.168.... won't get you anywhere if you're not already connected to that network.
If they've got past WPA security then I doubt a user name and password will be an obstacle.

[Deleted User]

basmic wrote: »

Is there any reason the OP isn't suggesting users change the default passwords on routers?

With all this security in place, all somebody need to is go to a generic web address (usually http://192.168.1.1/) and put the default passowrd in, then they're free to change the security settings to their own preference.

That is covered in the third bullet point.

custardy

FireFox wrote: »

That won't tell you who's connected to your network I'm afraid, only what other networks are in your vicinity i.e. your neighbours' home networks.

Most routers' configuration settings should give you a list of all clients (PCs etc) connected to the router at that particular time i.e. who's connected to your network either wired or wireless.

oops misread the question,though they wanted ot see other networks

stuartk

mardatha wrote: »

ok I know nothing of this at all, just went into control panel as instructed and found me, unsecured, and a BThomehub secured network. I live in a tiny village of 2 doz houses & most people have computers... but this was at 4.30 in the morning when I couldn't sleep.
Does this mean the person on the BT wireless thingy can get into my computer ? And can somebody tell me how to secure mine - slowly & in very short words ? LOL

Hi There

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regards