OT: need secured wireless modeum advice

RRP

I just discovered I have 3 neighbors' wireless systems bleeding over to me so I will buy a secured wireless modeum before sundown today. Also due to my distance I may even enhance it with a repeater. Do I need to know anything special about which secured one to buy? or are they simply secured and unsecured? I currently use Linksys.

Semolina Pilchard

You can (at least on the ones I have used) have them either secured or unsecured. I had Linksys, it went bad, bought a new one, it did not work, brought it back, they gave me another one, it did not work either. Someone loaned me a D-Link and now I'm back in business. I am not saying Linksys makes bad routers, but the three I had were. You said wireless modem, but I assume you meant router.

Grandpas Grub

You should be fine with what you have.

What model do you have? A very common Linksys is the WRT54G with several variants.

To get into the settings type the following in the address bar of your browser. 192.168.1.1

If you have not configured the linksys the PW will be 'admin'

Don't forget to change the password.

Go to wireless enable fire wall.

Go to security under wireless (Security Mode) select WPA2 Personal

Under WPA Algorithm: TKIP+AES

Shared Key select: use something you will remember best to use upper/lower & numbers. (remember this shared key/pw as it will be need on the other computers you want to allow to connect to your linksys.

On the right panel of the screen there will be some definitions/instructions.

Pretty risky not having these things set up.

There are others who know much more than me so I also will be following the post.

GG

Grandpas Grub

My experience was just the opposite. D-Link didn't work well for me and Linksys works well. One problem I had was I was using a Radio Shack Wireless Closed Circuit TV & wireless secured telephones one of the two seemed to interfere with wireless routers.

RRP, most of the name brand wireless routers should work fine. If you get a new router look at the 'N' version - faster and further reaching. It is backwards compatible with 'B&G'.

GG

Celtic Wolf

There isn't a wireless router, access point or cable modem on the market that will not at least do WEP. If it's less then three or four years old they all do WPA Encryption.

When you say you have neighbors on your wireless are they actually connected or just visible by your router?

If you had to enter a password to get connected to your wireless you are already somewhat secured.

Save yourself some money and read this first

[urlhttp://www.practicallynetworked.com/support/wireless_secure.htm]Securing A Wireless Network[/url]


Also wireless is good to 200 meters. Walls will affect it, but it still has a decent reach. Why do you think you need a repeater?

emilluca

You know I just do MAC address allowed on my linksys. Only MAC I enter can connect. This works great for me and I don't have to remember a key.

E

RRP

My router is an older WRT54GS and is WEP. While I pinged my router and had to enter my email address and a password to gain access to the inormation I'm still not sure it's ok. When I click on wireless systems available. It shows I am hooked to my UNSECURED wireless Linksys, but also showing up are my neighbors who are indicated as being Secured. I've run through the tabs and my wireless firewall is enabled but under security I see no election to secure it.

Grandpas Grub

Ron,

Your router is a very common and good router. I would be surprised you do not have the security you are needing.

At worst case you may need to update the firmware which is available free from Linksys. Go to their support page or give them a telephone call. Last time I checked it was an 800 number and the support was free, even if your your router is older.

www.linksys.com you will be redirected from there as Linksys is owned by Cisco.

Kent

thirdeye

http://www.nil.wustl.edu/csg/faqs/dsl/wirelessconfig.htm

Here is a link I saved a while ago, check it out. Not that I am one to give any kind of computer advice, but your question reminded me (once again) that my router, which I think is the same model as yours, is not protected from others using it either. (most of my neighborhood has open ones, which is nice if your primary service goes down)

I did change the name of mine and have a password to get the the settings menu, but that's it so far.

Marc from IL

Hey Ron, I bet you are already secured

RRP

no I wasn't!!! But after a couple hours of being completely down and royally screwing up my settings I have reloaded and started all over again. But that's frustrating! Thanks to everyone who posted and even Retired Railroader who sent me a valuable site...kinda one of those "Dear Dummy" settings need to look like this this and this! That was very helpful.

Eggadobi

http://www1.linksys.com/support/troubleshoot/routers/isp_config/index.html

thirdeye

Ron, why don't you forward that to me so I can add it to my collection of how-to's.....Two laptops, a desktop and running my home office always makes me leery of doing too much experimenting.

Grandpas Grub

... and/or why not post it so all can benefit.


GG

Retired RailRoader

The 2 sites I sent Ron were:

http://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/linksys.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=3967

http://linksys.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/linksys.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=4024&p_sid=UcVbWIYi&p_lva=3967#

[Deleted User]

I've had a linksys router go south on me... their support was maximum lame... offshore and incompetent. however I am using a linksys access point and it seems ok. my main router is a Netgear, never any any issues so far.

WPA security is newer and so I've heard "better" and requires a simple password. WEP is a little harder to get setup. WEP on my linksys required ugly giant hex string. WPA was much easier.

I've also setup my access point to only allows MAC addresses for our laptops and printers in our house... no neighbors can freeload. I also turn off SSID broadcast so anyone scanning for a network wont even see us in the list.

Grandpas Grub

FYI...

WPA is much weaker and much easier to crack.

Don't takle my word for it, just goodle 'wpa safe' and you will see article after article. "WPA isn't enough to keep Wi-Fi networks safe". WEP is harder but better.

You not broadcasting helps and keeps the casual user from seeing your AP/Router. There is some inexpensive devices that can 'sniff' out equipment.

The brand of router is more one of who has had the best experience with what brand.

The protected wireless system is somewhat like a locked car or locked house. If someone wants in and there is something, they know of worth the effort, they will get in.

GG

4Runner

Good info on this site here:

Click here

Nothing is perfect but at least make it more difficult for the the hacker.

4Runner

GG - I reading the opposite...WPA is stronger than WEP. It was developed to fill the gaps ofr WEP.

"Definition: WPA is a security technology for wireless networks. WPA improves on the authentication and encryption features of WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy). In fact, WPA was developed by the networking industry in response to the shortcomings of WEP..."

Anyway, some security is better than none.

RRP

in case you missed it on down the thread
http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=586218&catid=1

Grandpas Grub

Picked it up below, thank you.

GG

Grandpas Grub

Thanks for the reply. I by no means am an expert on this.

At a quick glance at some information, I was reading the problem with WEP is that the potential of someone using a weak key (simple, like one's name) and the possibility of that key being shared without permission.

In the paper I also read that WPA solved the some of the above problems, but 'could' be a nightmare to implement and often not compatible across different vendors.

Anyway, I was certain about the above information, and now, after your post, I am questioning what I posted. I need to go back and do some reading and also verify the source of my original information.


GG