What level of encryption are you using?
C: WPA Have you done anything else to secure it?
Even though you didn’t ask it (though maybe it should be a question,) I changed the default login name and password, and also use a different IP range, because I was having problems at my old place with the DSL modem, and haven’t changed the IP range back, since there’s no need to. I also only use WPA and not WPA2 because my roommate has an older card that doesn’t like WPA2 and neither does my Wii (though in theory it should be able to.)
Currently, there are three networks my card can see. Mine, another secured one, and a very unsecrured one. It has broadcast, default SSID, no encryption, and default login name and password for the router (yes, I checked, but that’s all I did.)
**Have you changed the default SSID? **
A: Yes Is your SSID broadcast or not?
B: No
What level of encryption are you using?
A: WPA Have you done anything else to secure it?
I guess I am not the only one with the warped sense of humor when naming her SSID. However, I will refrain from telling you mine. I also changed the factory passwords.
The best defense I have is about half a dozen wide-open networks around me, some of them with pretty strong signals. I live on a top floor, it’s easier to steal bandwidth from the neighbors on the ground floor. BTW, I am not the only one with wacky SSIDs around me, all the secure networks I can detect have funny names.
(I have network hardware that only uses WEP and that is cracked easily)
If “none” why?
D:(See above) Have you done anything else to secure it?
Using a different ip scheem than 192.138.1.x. My DHCP server only assigns addresses to specific MAC Addresses.
If “none” why?
A: Don’t think it’s needed
C: I want to provide the connection freely so anyone can use it
Have you done anything else to secure it?
Told the neighbor’s kids if i see hostnames in the DHCP Clients List that aren’t any of my 10 machines, i’d be kicking their asses. I do live with a couple of acres surrounding me in all directions.
I use MAC filtering and I understand that it’s not exactly the best form of security. Why is it so easy to spoof? How would a hacker learn one of the two addresses that have access to my network? Is it a reasonable form of security? Say, if a hacker had a choice between my MAC restricted network and a wide open network down the street, would they leave me alone?
Obviously, it may be hard to answer this question without giving away hacker advice, so don’t, but if anyone can provide some generalities that would be great.
It’s my understanding that spoofing a MAC address that’s frequently used on your network can cause it to act funny. This would be a tell-tale sign of the network having been compromised. Also, while it may not be a bullet-proof security method, it is another layer that can be applied on top of any encryption you choose. It’s easy to implement, and it doesn’t hurt.
MAC addresses have to be declared when sending a packet, but it isn’t enforced that they have to match the device sending them, so it can just be spoofed in software - and even if there was some kind of integrity check, the MAC address of many network devices can be changed fairly simply in the firmware - because the manufacturers run off a million identical network cards, then program their MAC addresses.
It’s built into the data packets, so they just have to snag a few of these and dissect them.
Not really - It will discourage neighbours from leeching bandwidth, but WPA encryption does that anyway.
Possibly, but if they’re going to the trouble of trying to crack your encryption (assuming it’s WEP), then the chances are they also have the tools to spoof the MAC address, and it wouldn’t be very much extra trouble.
What level of encryption are you using?
B: WEP (256-bit encryption)
Have you done anything else to secure it?
Not other than changing the admin password. I recently became aware of the limitations of WEP, though, so I plan to look into WPA sometime soon.
What level of encryption are you using?
WPA2 Preshared Key
Have you done anything else to secure it?
I run DD-WRT on my router, so I have a cronjob email occasional iftop logs to my inbox. I could do additional log parsing to notify me if an unknown MAC address logs into my network, but I’m lazy.
Obviously consumers shouldn’t have to worry about all this stuff. I mean they do, but companies need to come out with much simpler setups.
For the record, mine is not secure and the reasoning is that it’s enough trouble to get wireless working without complicating it. Plus there’s the performance penalty of encryption. My nearest neighbor is 300 feet away on the left and nobody is near on the other sides.
I also changed the factory passwords.