Wireless Security

bigpound

Hi, I have a housemate who refuses to turn on the wireless on their router because they are worried about security. They also say it doesn't have the latest wireless security technology, which is the most secure. After some research, the latest is 'WPA2' which our router doesn't have.

Unfortunately, convincing them otherwise or turning it on myself is not an option.

So can I just buy a new wireless router with the latest wireless technology and replace it with that? Then turn on the wireless? If so which one should I get? Will it automatically connect to the internet without additional configuration?

I'm on TalkTalk broadband 10mb, and the router is a netgear DG834G

http://kbserver.netgear.com/pdf/dg834_g_b_manual_v2.pdf

thx

mr_fishbulb

Doesn't look like there if a firmware update for the v2 that supports WPA2. Doesn't sound like you can convince your housemate that WPA-PSK with a long key is good enough (even though it would be - it's a residential network, not a defence company).

An option would be to buy a Wireless Access Point supporting WPA2 and plug it into one of the network ports into the back of the netgear.

bigpound

which one should I get? will it have a separate IP to configure it? I only need <10m range and <4 wireless device connections.

and will it offer all the wireless functions like MAC filtering, disabling SSID broadcast? will need to use all these to convince my house mate even though they don't make a huge difference

mr_fishbulb

If they are that paranoid about wireless, and like you say they don't really get that things like MAC filtering and SSID broadcasting will only be affective against someone who is following a hacking video on youtube, have you asked them what they think about a homeplug kit?

They use the electrical wiring of the house to use as a network. Don't need to do wireless then.

jayme1

you will likely have an ethernet cable from the router into you're room (so you can access the internet) you can buy your own router and plug that ethernet cable into the WAN port and have your own network (wired and wireless) through your router. (therefore you would need to buy a 'cable router' (not an ASDL one) and it's basically plug in the ethernet to the WAN port, set-up and go)

so it would go telephone wire - their router - ethernet wire from their router into your router - all your stuff connected to your router.
good thing about this solution is you both have your own separate networks you can share files between all your devices without clogging up network bandwidth, and the overall internet speed is not slowed down going through 2 routers.

all routers sold nowadays support WPA2-PSK AES which is what you want to be using for wireless, make the password long and complex and write it down so maximum security.

bigpound

i purchased a Netgear Wireless-N 300 Router with DSL Modem which has everything i need