Quick wireless security question

[Greco101]

How do you set up a password on your network? I'm stingy when it comes to my internet and I'm a little worried I may have a leecher. :down:

[Omega]

log into the router, set it to wep encryption and choose a key, write it down, give it only to people you want on your network.

[Greco101]

Dude... awesome. I don't need the pw but my gf did with her internet :)

[D1337]

WEP encryption is a joke, whats even sadder is 80% of networks are unprotected, and the few minutes it takes to crack a WEP it takes even less to drive a block and get a fresh new list of unprotected networks.

[Bopher]

WEP encryption is a joke, whats even sadder is 80% f networks are unprotected, and the few minutes it takes to crack a WEP it takes even less to drive a block and get a fresh new list of unprotected networks.

No kidding. Just out of curiosity I took a drive about 3 blocks from my house one night and did about a block circle, out of approx 20 networks my laptop picked up 2 were WEP secured and 1 had WAP.

[Omega]

WEP is better than nothing and most non-geeks probably won't bother trying to crack it. Also, turn off SSID broadcasting if you want to be really safe. I convinced my mom to close our network, I'm thinking it's time to get her to stop broadcasting and/or switch to WPA.

[Greco101]

Wouldn't the crackers just be the whole 50,000 pw list deals?

[Crazy Buddhist]

How do you set up a password on your network? I'm stingy when it comes to my internet and I'm a little worried I may have a leecher. :down:


This subject has been covered in fine detail so many times elsewhere on this site ....

here (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showpost.php?p=119846&postcount=19) ... or ... here (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showpost.php?p=140734&postcount=11) ... or ...

Well ... I am sure you get the point ... search is everyone's friend guys .... I mean that's just two of the several times I have answered these questions in very thorough detail, let alone the number of times others will have jumped through the hoop.

:)

[jdbnsn]

You want to know what's messed up? I've been a total slacker on my security for ages and used only WEP since I first started using home networks. Finally, just the other day, I switched over to WPA-TSIK and the next day I landed a new virus! I haven't had one in ages! WTF?

[Eclecticos]

Also, turn off SSID broadcasting if you want to be really safe.

I agree. I'd also recommend renaming it from the default name you router gives to something else.

[xRyokenx]

I'd name it something unrelated and have a weird password that's not really a permutation of a word. Our wireless has an ASCII code that's like... five letters long... I should see if I can't get that changed, lol. Random numbers and letters take longer to crack that words do, hackers easily get dictionaries, programs and stuff for that...

[Luke122]

Lol.. use some 1337speek!

I agree with all the above. WPA security, turn off SSID, change ssid to something crazy complex, same with the passphrase, change from the default channel, AND enable MAC filtering.

Make it TOUGH. :D Most people will say "screw it" and go find an open one before they waste time trying to crack.

[xRyokenx]

I've only seen three secure networks in my neighborhood, lol. Nobody bothers to lock them... that whole disillusioned security thing going on... I've got my PC locked down pretty good methinks, Avast AntiVir and Comodo firewall... I think those are both good...

EDIT: Idea: We could make a security question related thread/forum... that or make a feature leading to a few sites where you can ask about it... or both... :think:

[Luke122]

My home uses a crazy ssid which isnt broadcast, a huuuuge WPA passphrase (super complex too), mac filtering, and all pc's are running windows firewall + AVG antivirus, and get scheduled scans with Spybot. :D

[xRyokenx]

I'd replace Windows Firewall, it sucks. I'll have to download Spybot later, I've forgotten to do so. I might just set up my PC to go into power saving mode after a while and stay on constantly and schedule it to defrag and scan at certain times and do something like that... I wonder how one would go about doing so... hmm... :think:

[Crazy Buddhist]

This subject has been covered in fine detail so many times elsewhere on this site ....

here (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showpost.php?p=119846&postcount=19) ... or ... here (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showpost.php?p=140734&postcount=11) ... or ...

Well ... I am sure you get the point ... search is everyone's friend guys .... I mean that's just two of the several times I have answered these questions in very thorough detail, let alone the number of times others will have jumped through the hoop.

:)

/me taps his toes and wonders if he's become invisible
.... {thinks} perhaps I have been meditating too much :think:


...

Security wise:

1/ change the SSID (wireless network name) from the routers standard one.

2/ chose a non-standard combination of letters and numbers for the SSID
- the SSID is used in the encryption algorithyms and dictionary words
can easily be used to disambiguate your encryption and break your
network

3/ Do not broadcast the SSID (you may have to to establish the connection
first time with some adapter cards)

4/ chose a non-standard combination of numbers and letters for your
encryption key - dictionary words are easily cracked.

5/ Resitrict access to the wireless network to specified network adapters
(MAC address) - all routers I have seen have the ability to do this.

6/ Change your SSID and encryption key every month or two.

It is way easy for someone to break your network security and nick your gaming bandwidth if you don't do all the above.

...


... Summary

- As above don't use words in your SSID or keys, random, random.

- Stealth your SSID.

- Turn on MAC address filtering as Luke suggested - though these can easily be cloned - try make the suckers move on to the next guy - they will if you do the right stuff in the assumption their freeride won't last long.

- Use the highest level security you can with the longest key length.

...

:)

[calumc]

/me taps his toes and wonders if he's become invisible
.... {thinks} perhaps I have been meditating too much :think:

What?!?!?! did a ghost say that? I couldnt see anyone! :p

[Luke122]

I'd replace Windows Firewall, it sucks.

It's been good to me, and has a pretty small footprint. :) Oh, and it's included with windows, so no downloading or buying. :D

[Crazy Buddhist]

What?!?!?! did a ghost say that? I couldnt see anyone! :p


Say what?

:D

[jdbnsn]

I use the same, windows firewall, AVG, but then I use spysweeper, and adaware. For the most part I feel faily protected and almost never get viruses (that I'm aware of). The sweepers clean things up nicely also. So I was suprised when changing from WEP to WPA to get infected. But I followed most of your advise, SSID broadcast is now off, I have always used a long gibberish key, personalized network name, etc... So hopefully I'm safe.

[a.Bird]

What kind of neighborhood do you live in? Just curious.