Help! needed to secure wireless connection

hadenough

Can anyone give me a step by step guide on how to secure a wireless network connection for the internet and a printer, the connections are to be used by 2 different computers. I am using a belkin router.

Thanks for any help

pks00

I have a linksys router but what ive done with my wireless is change the SSID (thats the name of your router that is displayed when signal is sent out) and added WEP encryption so u need to specify a 26 character password when connecting.
With the SSID, I have the option of not broadcasting it, this does mean u have to manually connect but at least no one can see your signal.

Im not sure the config on Belkin routers. So had a look on the Belkin website for you.
Open up a browser and type in this http://192.168.2.1
Read this for more info http://web.belkin.com/support/kb/kb.asp?a=2806
The link talks about WPA, but you might have other options.
You should also have a manual with that router (or probably be able to download a pdf copy from the Belkin website) so check that as well for exact details.

Also make sure you set a password to get into this configuration so that no one else can change it.

espresso

pks00 wrote: »

I have a linksys router but what ive done with my wireless is change the SSID (thats the name of your router that is displayed when signal is sent out) and added WEP encryption so u need to specify a 26 character password when connecting.
With the SSID, I have the option of not broadcasting it, this does mean u have to manually connect but at least no one can see your signal.

:rotfl:

Unfortunately you are under the misguided belief that your set-up is secure when it is not!

A 26 character WEP key can be cracked in minutes and hiding the SSID actually does nothing for the security of your connection!

To make your wireless secure, you should change the encryption to WPA-PSK with the longest random key that you equipment will support from here i.e. 63 characters.

Your advice about changing the log-in username/password is valid though.

scotsblood

espresso wrote: »

:rotfl:

Unfortunately you are under the misguided belief that your set-up is secure when it is not!

A 26 character WEP key can be cracked in minutes and hiding the SSID actually does nothing for the security of your connection!

To make your wireless secure, you should change the encryption to WPA-PSK with the longest random key that you equipment will support from here i.e. 63 characters.

Your advice about changing the log-in username/password is valid though.

Completely agree espresso!
Having attempted to show neighbours how easy WEP is to crack, the disbeliever next door wouldn't listen till he found his 2Gb monthly download limit had been reached overnight by a "kind soul"!

Now as I sit here all seven networks I can see are all using WPA and we all use our own download allowances!

PS When choosing the WPA key DONT just use your house address, our local "kind soul" found one that did!

pks00

Perhaps I had better change to WPA then. At the moment, where I live, there is only one other signal. Most of the people in the street dont have broadband, nevermind a computer!
I have NTL and never suffered any performance problems nor download limits exhausted so perhaps Ive been lucky.
Ive had my router about 3 odd years now and its been left as WEP since day 1.

espresso

pks00 wrote: »

Perhaps I had better change to WPA then........

It would be a very good idea.

:beer:

pks00

When u cracked WEP, what bit was your neighbour's encryption?
I am currently using 128bit

pks00

Doing some reading on this, it seems WEP is still used a fair bit and most routers seem to come with setting that up. WPA is still infrequently used.

scotsblood

pks00 wrote: »

When u cracked WEP, what bit was your neighbour's encryption?
I am currently using 128bit

128 is not particularly difficult to crack, just do a couple of minutes google searching!

Alternatively use the time to set up WPA with a strong key.

pks00

Ive read that all new routers have WPA but not all of the old ones and the encryption key is device specify for WPA. I think mine has WPA. Im not at home but will check later. Im also gonna have a go at cracking my WEP.

Wot about using WEP and MAC filtering? Surely that should quite secure as well.

gavinp

WEP can now be broken in one minute....

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/04/wireless_code_cracking/

MAC addresses are broadcast on a wireless network unencrypted (regardless of whether you use WEP or WPA) so it takes a few seconds to change the MAC address of the hacker's PC to match a valid address.

Hidden SSIDs and MAC filtering do not offer security - using WPA-PSK with a long passphrase (20 characters or more) does... use a sentence to make it easier to remember:

e.g. "MyFirstDogWasALabradorCalledRover"

Thanks

Gavin