Wireless ?

[pipme]

Just saw this elsewhere ..... from 2004, is it relatively easy to secure ?

...Cheers,
I will try that, the kit I have is a Netgear box with a Telewest Cable Modem.
Hopefully that will work.
I live next to someone that has a linksys box and they have not secured it, therefore I can connect through their settings, noticed this when my daughter switched off my stuff and I tried connecting.
Must just be on the boundary of their range as the connection comes up as poor and it is sooooo slow.
This is why I want to secure mine, and then I will look for the other person and advise them on how to do theirs.
Thanks again....

 

[Igorian]

It depends on the router, but most use a combination of MAC address filtering (weak) with either WEP or WPA encryption (strong). I see a lot of domestic installations, and it's surprising how many unsecured wireless stations there are, simply because the user/installer hasn't enabled it.

 

[pipme]

It depends on the router, but most use a combination of MAC address filtering (weak) with either WEP or WPA encryption (strong). I see a lot of domestic installations, and it's surprising how many unsecured wireless stations there are, simply because the user/installer hasn't enabled it.

Does that mean someone, with the correct software and kit, next door to a wireless system, could actually access that system even if it has WPA 'Wi-Fi Protected Access'?

 

[Allenm]

No it doesn't. A casual hacker would not be able to connect to the router without the correct key. Obviously, nothing is 100% secure (not even RSA!) but when you consider that at the end of some monumental hacking the end result would be access to your ADSL link, then the actual threat pales somewhat. (though this does assume that your connected PCs are left wide open!).

On a serious note, using someone elses wireless network to get a bit of free broadband is actually illegal, and there has been a recent case that ended in Jail.

Go with WPA and you should be fine.


Merv

 

[Igorian]

Agreed. WPA keys can be generated by easily remembered passwords. Using a strong password (One containing a mix of uppercase, lowercase and numbers) is recommended.

 

[AdamW]

That case wasn't even "getting free broadband", the guy was practicing his "war-driving" (this is where many teams of geeks drive around with pringle-can antennae and the winner is the one who finds the most unsecure networks). Didn't know he went to gaol in the end... yet burglars walk free

THe problem is caused by a combination of laziness on the part of the consumer and a desire to sell routers by the manufacturers. Because 90% of the population are used to devices that you plug in and operate, they decided to make wireless routers as easy to set-up as possible. So, whilst they recommend you secure it, few do.

Almost everyone I know who has bought wireless equipment has discovered at least one unsecured network within range. My parents found two... seeing as there is only one other house within 40 metres, that's pretty good going!