wireless Belkin security question

espresso

Yes you should enter the same encryption key at both ends of the link. I'm not familiar with Belkin routers but most people use the Windows Wizard to manage the connection on the laptop end, rather than any other software like Belkin software. WPA-PSK is the correct type of encryption to use but you may have to check in your routers manual to find how many characters you can use for the string. I always use a HEX string for the key.

happyhero

Right I seem to have got it working after a lot of hassle but can you answer one more thing please. Why is that you should use some crazy code for your WPA encryption and take up the full amount of characters. Surely no one is going to guess some obscure phrase only known to me even if its only 25 characters. Using all odd characters and the full amount implies that someone will slowly try and crack it character by character, so then a phrase would not be so advisable, is that the case?

Just want to understand a little, so in simple terms for me please, so I can cope.

Thanks for all the help above everyone.

albertross_2

Password crackers use that approach, avoid dictionary words, because that make it easier.

63 random characters is the most secure, but 25 is fairly secure.

https://www.grc.com/passwords

You don't have to remember it, once it is set on the router and PC. Use copy and paste to copy it into both locations, rather than typing it in.

happyhero

sorry one more question, when you go into Wireless Network Connection Properties and click on your preferred network and then properties, does it always show 8 little dots as the network key regardless of how long your key actually is, becuase thats what it seems to be doing in my case?

espresso

Yes the blobs simply represent your password and it's not one for each character. It's another security feature.

Edit: Sorry Albert, I didn't see that you were on!

-TangleFoot-

espresso wrote:

...you may have to check in your routers manual to find how many characters you can use for the string.

I've got a Belkin F5D7632, and this is what it says:

b. Pre-Shared Key. Enter any word or phrase up to 40 characters. The same PSK must also be used for every other wireless network device on the network. Watch out for upper and lower case differences ("n" is different than "N".) Remember, the easiest way to break your security is for someone to guess your PSK.

I can also verify that it's quite happy with a passkey containing pseudo-random ASCII characters.