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#117701 - 02/11/06 06:00 PM Wireless network security help  
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,277
Gottedammerung Offline
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Gottedammerung  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,277
I've got a belkin wireless network setup between my laptop and my PC, and it works surprisingly well. But I'm now trying to secure it from bandwidth thieves and hackers. I've got Zone Alarm on both machines and filesharing deselected. I've also setup a passward on my router's page, and changed the SSID, but I simply cant't get any encryption to work. I try the WEP/WPA functions offered with the belkin software/accesspage, but once implemented on both machines as I suppose it should be (no documentation/web advice I can find), nothing works.(Oh, I should point out I've got a belkin USB network adaptor for my laptop, not the card-type)

My laptop's also got a built in wireless connection, which is very good and works a dream on the unsecured network, but when I try and secure it, it dies.
Of course, one of the problems is that win XP on my laptop won't run the wireless network wizard without crashing (though the network runs). I understand that this means I lose access to certain wirless settings. But of course I don;t know because i can't see them.

Anyone know any simple ways of securing my bandwidth. I'd even be happy with third party software (if there is any).

Oh, I've heard that simply changing from a dynamic to a static IP address is one of the simplest and most effective way of doing it. Anyone know if that's true. I think I'd be just about up to that.

Or if anyone knows of any links to specific info on securing a Belkin wireless G router (model f5D7230-A), I'd be eternally grateful.


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#117702 - 02/12/06 03:54 PM Re: Wireless network security help  
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,306
Mr B Offline
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Mr B  Offline
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Posts: 2,306
Quote:
Originally posted by Gottedammerung:
Oh, I've heard that simply changing from a dynamic to a static IP address is one of the simplest and most effective way of doing it. Anyone know if that's true.
It's not. Firstly, changing your IP address to static does nothing if your Belkin is running DHCP, thus letting it hand out an address to whoever connects. Secondly, even if DHCP is off, if the traffic is not secured any attacker can sniff some packets and find out what IP range you're using, then either use an IP from that range or spoof your IP and use that.

If you are going to secure traffic, use WPA instead of WEP. WEP is less secure. I recommend WPA-PSK myself. With WPA-PSK you type a long passphrase (60 or so characters) into the router, than the same passphrase into every client. You should see something like that in the setup options.

Unfortunately it's 11:30 at night here so I'm too weary to be more specific . You might find this link quite useful though.

Cheers

Mr B

#117703 - 02/13/06 09:21 PM Re: Wireless network security help  
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,277
Gottedammerung Offline
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Gottedammerung  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,277
Thanks for that. I did manage to enable 128 bit encryption. I'll give your link a go and try your suggestions.

Again, many thanks


Happiness is a warm hum.

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