My home network consists of several computers linked to a wireless router which is in turn wired to a DSL modem.
The Linksys router has WPA-TKIP encryption enabled.
SSID broadcast is disabled.
I changed the password from its default to a 8-digit number.
I enabled MAC-address filtering to permit access only to my three computers.
Is this a fairly secure setup as far as wireless attacks are concerned?
It is pretty secure. Unless you see a black van driving slowly by your house every now and them, I wouldn’t worry about it much more.
I secured mine by only allowing two IP numbers to connect. Desktop and laptop.
Works fine, and I don’t get any degradation of signal.
Of course, if I want to do something shady, I can always use one of the ELEVEN unsecured networks that are within range of my house. There’s only one guy out there who has actually locked down his network.
Can you guys please explain how you do all those things? I figured out how to turn off the SSID broadcast on my desktop, but now (of course) my laptop is not finding the connection. So how do I make it find it, and make sure the passwords on both are the same, and permit only my two computers to connect?
I agree with Shagnasty, you’ve done everything you need to do to prevent the accidental use of your home net, anyone who breaks in has to be a criminal. That being said, if you really want privacy use a wire.
The exact steps are different for any given setup. Your best bet is to read through the manual that came with your equipment, or visit the FAQ on the manufacturer’s website.
Also note that there are two possible setups for a wireless home network:
The more common (and the more secure) is to have a wireless router. The router is connected to your Internet connection, and the computers on the network connect to the Internet via the router. In this case, the router acts as a minor firewall, and blocks direct access to your network computer from outside the network. The computers on the network don’t have to see each other at all.
The other option is to use an ad hoc network, where you have one computer that is connected to the Internet, and it shares its connection with other computers on the network. In this case, the computers must “see” each other, so you have to have shared information on the main computer. Since the computer itself is visible to outside computers, there is a greater security risk involved.
Thanks for the response; sorry I wasn’t more specific (and sorry for the hijack, but I think anyone who opens this thread might want or need to know the proper steps anyway).
I already have the wireless router (Linksys Wireless-G). I have broadband (cable) on my desktop, and I have a Toshiba laptop. When I search for surrounding wireless connections I only get my neighbors’, not my own, because I have turned off SSID broadcast.
Basically I was just looking for an explanation about what I needed to do on my laptop to get it to recognize the router. It’s saying I need a password; it’s asking what type of encryption I want, etc… Don’t they have to match?
I’ll look over the FAQs and see what I come up with. Thanks again!