wireless security issue

[cbyron2003]

hi everyone.
im currently trying to set up a wireless network in my home and i need a bit of advice and help as im very new to all this.
i have a linksys wireless g router and a linksys wireless -b network adapter.
wheni plugged in my network adapter it couldnt detect my wireless network.
when i went into my router settings page i found that if i set ssid broadcast to enabled it would connect straight away, and if i turned it off again my connection was lost so i currently have set it to enabled.
however i have heard that doing this might make my network open to security problems and i dont think i have any other security features on my network.
any help here would really be appreciated
thanks

[Erik]

Turning off SSID broadcast isn't really security. It is still easy enough to get the network name and connect. You need to enable WPA or at the very least WEP.

The Linksys instruction manual should outline how to do this step by step with pictures. Basic idea is login to the router web admin page, go to te security tab, and choose which security you want to use.

[jlreich]

Welcome to the http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif forums.

Could you post the exact model number for your router and adapter?

Broadcasting your SSID is OK. It's actually helpful if you have other wireless networks in the area. But if that's the only thing keeping others off your network...

But your adapter should at least be able to use WEP.

[bassman]

Following is a layout of how I have my network secured. I do not know if I am the peak of security, but if what I understand about this stuff is accurate, I don’t know how it gets much better.

Linksys Wireless G router
Linksys Wireless B PCMCIA card in laptop
Linksys Wireless B PCI card in desktop.
HP iPAQ with wireless adaptor
Several desktop comps with wired connections

Start with the router:
First I change the default name, login, and IP address of the router. They ALL come from the factory with the same addy. Changing the 3rd segment is really all that’s necessary.
I disable “Broadcasting”. Leaving this on can be as helpful to you as it can be to me when I drive by your house ;)
Using the “Wireless MAC filter”, I set it to “Permit only PC’s listed”.
Next I input the MAC addresses of each computer.
Next I assign an IP address to each listed MAC address. Keep these numbers contiguous (192.168.xxx.xx1, 192.168.xxx.xx2, etc… )
Next set the range of IP addresses to no more then the ones used for each comp.
Right down the Primary and Secondary DNS

Now to the comps:
Under “Network Connection properties>Internet protocol properties”, I select the “Use the following IP” and input the IP address I assigned to that comp and the “Default gateway” is the routers IP.
I then select “Use the following DNS” and input the DNS addresses from the router.
Do this for each comp in the network.
If you are using a firewall at each comp, you will probably have to set permissions on each one to allow the other IP’s in so you can access network resources.
I have this setup on two different networks and move my laptop and iPAQ back and forth between them with no issues. At least not any more. Had some stumbles setting it up, getting everything exactly right but all is well now.
Theory is:
If I limit the available IP’s and assign those available to specific MAC’s, no one else can get in.
In a conversation with Linksys tech support, he told me these features were not designed to work in this manner, meaning as a security feature. I asked him if he could explain that and how I should set it up different. He could not explain why I should not use MAC/IP assigning and recommended I use WAP. I told him my older B adaptors did not have WAP capabilities and WEP was little more then pre-installed 10 digit code, just like the pre-defined IP addresses. Not much help. He called me back later after talking to 2 supervisors and they still could not explain why I should not use my setup but agreed it should prevent non-assigned comps entry.

Good luck :cool: