Broadband Modem

albertross_2

make sure you secure it

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=2471408&postcount=37

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=2471410&postcount=38

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=121274

Zebra

Thanks guys, everything seems to be working ok, in fact I'm sending this from the bath - only joking!

Just a couple of quick questions!

I haven't uninstalled my dial up connection, just checked the connection tab in Internet Options to "Never dial a connection". Is this ok?

When I look in the "Wireless Connections Network" window, mine is one of 3, how can I ensure that mine is selected automatically?

Also it says "Security-enabled wireless network(WPA) on" but when I select it and click on connect, the network key is already entered and I just click on "connect". This key is not the WPA passphrase that I selected on sign-up, although that also works when I enter it. Is this safe?

Sorry Albert if the answers in your link, I haven't had time to read it properly but will do!

albertross_2

yes it is ok

It is in the link but..

Assuming that everything is working, right click on your wireless network icon, view available wireless networks, change advanced settings, wireless networks, highlight your ssid, properties, connection. Make sure "connect when this network is in range" is ticked. Click OK, advanced, make sure Access point (Infrastrucure) networks only is selected, and automatically connect to non-preferred networks is unticked.

If you turn off ssid broadcast on your router, that will stop the neighbours seeing your router, like you can see theirs.. If you are friendly with them, tell them to do the same, and theirs will no longer appear in your list.

Zebra

Cheers Albert!

albertross wrote:

...advanced, make sure Access point (Infrastrucure) networks only is selected, and automatically connect to non-preferred networks is unticked.

I don't have this option, (I'm running Windows XP Home), I've got "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's internet connection" which I've unticked.

albertross wrote:

If you turn off ssid broadcast on your router

How do I do this?

With regard to the Network key, the one in the Association tab is the one I mentioned earlier which comes up automatically, should I change this to my WPA passphrase?

Zebra

Ok, I've read throgh Albert's links :T and my head's almost stopped spinning now!

- I don't mind broadcsting my SSID, so will leave that as it is.

- Alex, What do you mean by "securing the network"? I do want to be as secure as possible, and I've selected WPA-PSK as the security type.

- When you say that I should change the password on the router, do you mean the "Network key" or the "WPA-PSK passphrase" or are these all the same?

albertross_2

broadcasting the ssid serves no purpose once you've set it up, apart from telling all your neighbours here is a router, would you like to try and connect, or hack me.. I would say it is the first step in security, but it's upto to you. The only way of knowing your router exists when it is disabled is by using Linux, which cut's out 99% of the public straight away.

There is a password for the config for the router, they all come with default passwords, so others could get at it and play if you haven't done the wpa with a long key.


http://192.168.0.1 then set password..

Zebra

I did untick the "allow broadcast of names box" as I do think that's best, but it caused me to start connecting through my neighbours connection , so have gone back to what it was.

I'm still confused as to the different passwords and network keys!

All I want is it to be as secure as possible, I've set a WPA Passphrase/Network Key (are these the same thing???), but it's still accepting the old one (which I preume is "password" as its 8 letters long)aswell and is being entered automatically even though the check box in Wireless networks-properties-association is unchecked.

Is it ok to just change the Network Key in the properties tab to my selected password?

jermima

alexjohnson wrote:

These "free" USB modems are really a disaster. I would ditch it.

Amazon has this Netgear model on permanent offer of £60 (free shipping):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0000TZ8Z8/202-8633663-4671047?v=glance&n=560798

I assume you have a desktop? You don;t sound like the kind of person who'd want to open the box so you might think about one of these:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0002LHX8O/202-8633663-4671047?v=glance&n=560798&v=glance
It's the bit you need to make a wireless connection from your PC, and is £25. Note you don't need this - if your computer lives by a phone line anyway and you've never wanted to move it, you could just use an ethernet cable (it's like a fat phone cable and there will likely be one in the box) and use the "wireless" modem wired. Why? So if your next PC is a laptop or you get a second one to put in a different room, that part is sorted, for the sake of £20 now.

As important as the wireless bit are two things:

1. This is a router. That means that all the settings for broadband are stored in the router, so you do not need to use that "dialler" software anymore - it is simply on, all the time. It's a small but very noticeable improvement. In these days of multi-GHz chips it doesn't make the difference it once did, but it also frees up your computer; those USB modems are cheap because all the processign is done by your computer, on top of the dialler software.

2. Routers also have one huge advantage - they are firewalls. All of them, all the time. Not very sophistictaed ones to be sure but they will stop all those worms that float around (MyDoom, Netsky etc.) that hosed people in 2004. They are still there - a friend of mine moved from AOL dial-up recently to TalkTalk, who sent one if the nasty modems. Because she'd been on dial-up she'd never downloaded Windows XP SP2, and so didn't have the Windows Firewall on. As a result she got infected by numerous worms that made her computer all-but unuseable after a day or so. This wouldn't have happened if she'd been using a router.

Have you checked or your ADSL filters - don't forget you need one on every extension - I must admit the Sagem is cheap and cheerful and TalkTalk charge £29!!! If all fails try buing a BNIB Linksys/Netgear are good routers on Ebay - I wouldn't bother with WiFi ( it's so slow ) but handy if you have a laptop downstairs and you don't want wires all over the place - Other wise £20 to £35 for a straight forward router - and these models are so easy to instal with just going through the wizard setup.

jermima

Good Luck - try to buy Brand new in box off Ebay and check the postage costs before bidding
Regards
Amanda

Zebra

Thanks Amanda.

I went for the Netgear option in the end, which I'm pleased with, but just having a few security concerns at the moment!