Secure Wireless network setup-How hard?

[astrummer]

I want to get a laptop after Vista comes standard on them and go wireless with it in our house ( and front porch and deck ).

I have been hearing that setting up the wireless router and getting it to communicate to the laptop is a relatively simple thing compared to getting it to commuinicate securely. However I have heard this mostly from shops that offer a home setup ( for a price ) for a secure wireless network.

On the other hand some wireless routers offer an "easy button" that claims to assist in the secure network setup process.

So in terms of setting up a secure home wireless network, how hard is it actually. Are there any particular pieces of software or hardware that make it easier ( short of buying a Mac )? Are there any links to helpful information on the topic that people care to offer?

Thanks.......

[3rd_harmonic]

pretty easy but you probably will have to navigate into some configuration menus. Always keep the ability to connect without it so that you can ask for help on the internet if you get in trouble.

[DVGuy]

Most of the options are pretty self-explanatory and they aren't that difficult. It's good to setup a WEP password with 128 bit encryption, which is about as secure as you can get. It's also possible to operate the network in "stealth" mode so others cannot even detect the broadcast signal.


Depending on which brand of router you are using, you should be able to get help via the support team, but I'd probably just Google it first for speed.

[gteague]

here are some of my practices for my home wireless network. i recommend implementing these one at a time after you've got everything working 100%. i'll try to list in order of effectiveness. i consider 1 and 2 the most important and i don't mention wep at all except that it's good if its implemented. yes, mac addresses can be spoofed and wep can be broken. but if anyone pops up on my wireless network with what i have implemented i'm going to bow down to him and beg for lessons!

1) turn off the ssid broadcast. this makes it harder for anyone to know your network is available

2) only allow the mac addresses of the computers you trust. most routers have a table where you can enter the mac addresses that you will allow access to

3) it should go without saying to change all the default network names (ssid) and passwords and usernames

4) change the default network ip range. everyone will try 192.x.x.x first. i have my network in the 10.x.x.x range

5) use static ip's instead of dhcp. i only turn on dhcp when i need a quick temporary connection and even then i limit the assignment pool to one address at a time.

here is a link which has more or less most of the same tips i've outlined:

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/w...fisecurity.htm

good luck.

/guy

[Vespeed]

Originally Posted by astrummer

I want to get a laptop after Vista comes standard on them and go wireless with it in our house ( and front porch and deck ).

VERY easy, i just got a Lynksys wireless router, super easy to set up. Basically the router comes with its own little website, you can access it through a provided web address, there you can turn on security and type in a password for access. Took me about 5 minutes.

[astrummer]

Originally Posted by Vespeed

VERY easy, i just got a Lynksys wireless router, super easy to set up. Basically the router comes with its own little website, you can access it through a provided web address, there you can turn on security and type in a password for access. Took me about 5 minutes.

Is that the procedure that the "easy button" leads you through that is mentioned on the website and packages?

[astrummer]

Originally Posted by gteague

here are some of my practices for my home wireless network. i recommend implementing these one at a time after you've got everything working 100%. i'll try to list in order of effectiveness. i consider 1 and 2 the most important and i don't mention wep at all except that it's good if its implemented. yes, mac addresses can be spoofed and wep can be broken. but if anyone pops up on my wireless network with what i have implemented i'm going to bow down to him and beg for lessons!

1) turn off the ssid broadcast. this makes it harder for anyone to know your network is available

2) only allow the mac addresses of the computers you trust. most routers have a table where you can enter the mac addresses that you will allow access to

3) it should go without saying to change all the default network names (ssid) and passwords and usernames

4) change the default network ip range. everyone will try 192.x.x.x first. i have my network in the 10.x.x.x range

5) use static ip's instead of dhcp. i only turn on dhcp when i need a quick temporary connection and even then i limit the assignment pool to one address at a time.

here is a link which has more or less most of the same tips i've outlined:

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/w...fisecurity.htm

good luck.

/guy

Thanks, given your background I was hoping you would chime in. ( Very good link leading to other good links BTW )

[SongwriterFan]

Originally Posted by gteague

1) turn off the ssid broadcast. this makes it harder for anyone to know your network is available

Unfortunately, this doesn't work if you're using WinXP to manage the network. It seems to require SSID to be broadcast.

2) only allow the mac addresses of the computers you trust. most routers have a table where you can enter the mac addresses that you will allow access to

IMO, this is the most important thing to do. It won't prevent "sniffers" from seeing what's being sent over the network, but it will keep people from actually logging in and USING your network. Unless they somehow figure out what MAC addresses you're using and clone them. But if THAT is going on (or the sniffing), you've got more serious problems to deal with.

3) it should go without saying to change all the default network names (ssid) and passwords and usernames

Spoke too soon. THIS is actually the most important thing.

4) change the default network ip range. everyone will try 192.x.x.x first. i have my network in the 10.x.x.x range

Another good thing to do. Some routers may limit your options, but at least try to keep it off the standard IP that comes with most routers.

5) use static ip's instead of dhcp. i only turn on dhcp when i need a quick temporary connection and even then i limit the assignment pool to one address at a time.

I do this, as well. Not really for security reasons, but for networking reasons. Some devices (like my Tivo) require that certain other network devices (like the PC that has media on it) always have the same IP.

One other thing I do is to limit the total number of IP addresses to the number of devices that I have which will be connected to the network. Not all routers allow this, though.

[wthurman]

Actually, you can connect with no SSID once you've done it the first time in XP with SSID enabled and the network is set to automatic.

[gteague]

Originally Posted by Wade Thurman

Actually, you can connect with no SSID once you've done it the first time in XP with SSID enabled and the network is set to automatic.

wade's right. although the mac is my principal workstation, i have an xp laptop i connect to my network. i agree that xp balks somewhat at not seeing the ssid, but can be overridden.

btw, if you want contrast between the systems, carry a mac or xp laptop back and forth between home and work networks where one network is static and one network is dhcp. on the mac it's as simple as choosing a location tab labeled 'work' or 'home' and presto changeo bobs your uncle.

on the pc i have to diddle around for 20 minutes in network settings and lose the old settings to input the new ones just to change networks when they are mixed. someone on the agf (jeffrey?) sent me a dos batch script to change from static to dhcp networks but c'mon--that's ridiculous! do the folks at micro$loth that program this crap never actually carry a laptop outside their living room?

/guy

[Vespeed]

Originally Posted by astrummer

Is that the procedure that the "easy button" leads you through that is mentioned on the website and packages?

No, actually, I never pushed that button which is on the actual router itself. Honestly the explanations here are way more confusing than setting it up. Like I said before, basically they supply your routers isp address, you connect to it via your browser (plugged in with an ethernet cable). Then you cruise through a mini site and turn functions on and off, like security. Then you can unplug the ethernet cable and you're off and wireless.

[gteague]

Originally Posted by Vespeed

<Del>Honestly the explanations here are way more confusing than setting it up.<Del>

oh, setting it up's the easy part! but in some cases that 'easy' button is setting your router up for the whole neighborhood and random wardrivers.

keeping your neighbors from dealing drugs, sending spam, and downloading porn through your router takes a little bit of work!

but there's always the chance you have better neighbors than i ... [g]

/guy

[SongwriterFan]

Originally Posted by Wade Thurman

Actually, you can connect with no SSID once you've done it the first time in XP with SSID enabled and the network is set to automatic.

Really? I guess I've never figured out how to do that, then.

Every time I try to disable 'broadcast SSID' on the router, I can no longer connect wirelessly.

[SongwriterFan]

Originally Posted by gteague

on the pc i have to diddle around for 20 minutes in network settings and lose the old settings to input the new ones just to change networks when they are mixed. someone on the agf (jeffrey?) sent me a dos batch script to change from static to dhcp networks but c'mon--that's ridiculous! do the folks at micro$loth that program this crap never actually carry a laptop outside their living room?

That's one of my gripes about the laptop. Fortunately, I don't use the laptop that much at home, so I typically just leave it set for DHCP (since that's what every hotel/etc uses when I travel).

There ARE some programs out there, though, that will manage your connections. One day I need to buy one, I guess.

But, it really should be included in the OS.

[astrummer]

Originally Posted by SongwriterFan

That's one of my gripes about the laptop. Fortunately, I don't use the laptop that much at home, so I typically just leave it set for DHCP (since that's what every hotel/etc uses when I travel).

There ARE some programs out there, though, that will manage your connections. One day I need to buy one, I guess.

But, it really should be included in the OS.

So does this look like its a substantial improvement in the upcoming Vista OS?

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/com...uy/cg0406.mspx