How Do I Make My Internet Connection Secure..

[Joe Papasnap Maher]

Basically, my comp is the MAIN internet comp. I.e modem thing is plugged into my comp.

got my bros laptop, mums laptop, dads laptop ,and dads desktop, All able to connect to this connection.

Thats cool.

But so can anyone else?? How do i secure it so no-one else can use it?

Ive tried before, but had trouble and i cant remember how i even did what i did before?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers

[Tony Harrison]

Is it a wireless network?

[Joe Papasnap Maher]

Is it a wireless network?

Sure is.

[Ben Cox]

is it passworded?

[Joe Papasnap Maher]

is it passworded?

No..thats what i want to do?

Last time i tried..i got it working on most of the comps, but my dads comp was an arse and it wouldnt work

Bascially just wanna try again, but ive forgot how

[ben_travis]

type in your IP address into your browser, if should bring you up to a home page screen.

there are standard IP's set for all routers - then the rest should come self explanitory.

if not joe go here - http://www.microsoft.com/athome/moredone/wirelesssetup.mspx

after this you will have to configure the password onto all the PC's that want access....simple really?

(it even has standard IP's on tehre)

Edited August 21, 2007 by ben_travis

[Joe Papasnap Maher]

right which one of these do i want to select.

WPA-PSK ( no server )

128bit WEP

64bit WEP

WPA ( with radius server )

[ben_travis]

i have a 128 bit wep password, (basically double the number of characters required in the password from the 64)

some routers allow you to generate a password from a key word.

either way you can get the password....or u can make it yuourself.

simple

[Charlie Jennings]

right which one of these do i want to select.

WPA-PSK ( no server )

128bit WEP

64bit WEP

WPA ( with radius server )

Use Mac Address Filtering. much easier.

Ive never understood having to remember 64 or 128 numbers. Whats the point in that.

If you have to enter that in on every computer in like a school or something, your in hell!

Basically every computer has a Mac Address (even windows its got nothing to do with apple mac's)

You enter the Mac addresses of the computers you want to allow to connect to the router/modem. I use this and It works fine for me.

You could just disable the 'SSID Broadcast' which will stop people finding your network.

Hope this helps.

Charlie (Nerd)

Edited August 25, 2007 by cjskate

[Ben Jones]

Ive never understood having to remember 64 or 128 numbers. Whats the point in this

nah youve just gotta note it down, you never have to use it again....only someone connecting for the first time does.

[JonMack]

Use Mac Address Filtering. much easier.

Ive never understood having to remember 64 or 128 numbers. Whats the point in that.

If you have to enter that in on every computer in like a school or something, your in hell!

Basically every computer has a Mac Address (even windows its got nothing to do with apple mac's)

You enter the Mac addresses of the computers you want to allow to connect to the router/modem. I use this and It works fine for me.

You could just disable the 'SSID Broadcast' which will stop people finding your network.

Hope this helps.

Charlie (Nerd)

Your computer will save the password though :/ well, my Mac does, and so do my housemates PCs, so you dont need to remember the password. Plus, they're not 64 or 128 digits in length, that's the encryption method, if you had ever setup a wireless network using 64/128bit WEP you would know that. Also it wouldnt be hell to setup every computer in a school like that, because in a school they setup one machine with the software needed, and the operating system setup properly, then make a clone of the hard drive image and install it onto all the other computers, so instead of installing each piece of software one by one, per machine, they install the software once, and then just clone it onto all the other machines, makes life a hell of a lot easier, as they use group licensed software, it means they dont have to worry about putting seperate serial numbers into each machine either.

Disabling SSID Broadcast is a good idea if you want to be a bit more secure, MAC address filtering is useful, I use it at home and it's simple to setup, but so is a WEP password, so it's 6 of one half a dozen of the other really.

Joe, if you post your router model, or google it, you will probably be able to find a downloadable instruction manual which would help you setup the right security settings, if not, then the model number might make it easier for someone else to talk you through it.

[poopipe]

WEP and WPA encrypt the data - without them you're sending plain text across the air.

MAC address filtering will prevent computers that aren't on the list using your router.

MAC address filtering is not enough on it's own.

Experts in the field tell me it's possible to jump in between a wireless card and an access point and read packets as they go past - regardless of mac address filtering. If the packets are unencrypted that means your credit card details etc. go past in plain, human readable text, which is not something you want happening.

make sense?

Joe, at very least enable 128 bit WEP.

[Krisboats]

WEP and WPA encrypt the data - without them you're sending plain text across the air.

MAC address filtering will prevent computers that aren't on the list using your router.

MAC address filtering is not enough on it's own.

Experts in the field tell me it's possible to jump in between a wireless card and an access point and read packets as they go past - regardless of mac address filtering. If the packets are unencrypted that means your credit card details etc. go past in plain, human readable text, which is not something you want happening.

They sure can, its also possible to do some funky stuff by retrieveing random packets and acessing wep encryption codes. It was way over my head but it sounded pheasable.

Basically, home networks aren't enough to keep someone really determined out.... but wep will keep you safe from most noobie hackers.

[Tomm]

Joe, out of those choices it doesn't really matter what you use, as long as you know what you've chosen.

From what I've heard, 64 bit WEP can be hacked in a matter of an hour or so (of constant internet traffic), whereas 128-bit will take more than 10 hours to decrypt. I think most routers change the exact encryption every hour or so anyway, so 128-bit WEP is quite good. WPA is better still, but some (older) wireless cards don't have WPA so you can't use that. Since a lot of people leave their home network unsecured, people probably won't bother to hack your secure one.

Bottom line: Use 128-bit WEP if you're not sure.

MAC filtering is only so other people can't steal your broadband (and I guess join your home network if you have one). It doesn't really add THAT much security since you can change your MAC address to anything you want - so someone could mimic your MAC address and join the network without hassle.

Hiding the SSID is a good idea, because to hack the WEP, you need to know the SSID. Hiding it just adds another layer of difficulty for anyone trying to join the network. Also, it's best to change it from the default one (netgear, linksys, G604T etc).

If you can be arsed to set it all up, WEP/WPA + MAC filtering + hide SSID = plenty secure enough. At the very least you need WEP/WPA to stop your credit card details being stolen.

[Has anyone seen my shoe?]

On my wii earlier I found like 6 wireless networks that were unprotected.

So silly. I dont have wireless myself though so im not really anyhelp in here haha

[Captain Scarlet]

I personally prefer MAC Address filtering, for those not in the know the router needs to know the MAC address (Unique code) of any system that can use the wireless network (I.e Computer, PSP, etc), so if a random computer tried to leech from my internet connection then they could not as my computer would not recognise its MAC Address and therefore disallow access.

I have always prefered this system to keep my internet safe, as I configured my PSP so it can access and use the wireless network, but WEP and WPA methods of security allows complicated things with the PSP and always rejected a connection because of it.

However it is best to have another form of security on top of MAC address filtering.

Double Dutch styley!!

[Charlie Jennings]

I personally prefer MAC Address filtering, for those not in the know the router needs to know the MAC address (Unique code) of any system that can use the wireless network (I.e Computer, PSP, etc), so if a random computer tried to leech from my internet connection then they could not as my computer would not recognise its MAC Address and therefore disallow access.

I have always prefered this system to keep my internet safe, as I configured my PSP so it can access and use the wireless network, but WEP and WPA methods of security allows complicated things with the PSP and always rejected a connection because of it.

However it is best to have another form of security on top of MAC address filtering.

Double Dutch styley!!

Tom. I found one more thing we actually agree on!

heres the list:

T-Pro's ***!

Mac Address filtering ***!

Another form of filtering is: if you see a guy sitting outside your house with a laptop. switch the electricity off.

[Tomm]

Great. But as explained a few posts earlier, that's a pretty dumb idea and does nothing to protect your data.

[Charlie Jennings]

Great. But as explained a few posts earlier, that's a pretty dumb idea and does nothing to protect your data.

So someone can hack my computer and access all my files?

Edited August 26, 2007 by cjskate

[Has anyone seen my shoe?]

Or stop living.... alternatively

[Tomm]

So someone can hack my computer and access all my files?

Errrr, maybe. I don't know an awful lot about it. But MAC filtering isn't really security at all because like I said earlier - anyone else can just mimic that MAC.

[Charlie Jennings]

Great. But as explained a few posts earlier, that's a pretty dumb idea and does nothing to protect your data.

Yeah... that was aimed at the other Tom. thutley. Hence the quote

Errrr, maybe. I don't know an awful lot about it. But MAC filtering isn't really security at all because like I said earlier - anyone else can just mimic that MAC.

Meh, if they really know how to find out someones MAC then change theirs. They deserve to use my internet. What exactly are they going to do when using my internet? just surf. meh. lol

Saying that. Mine isnt hackable (i think). it only allows 4 peers to be connected. 4 peers are always connected.

Edited August 26, 2007 by cjskate

[Tomm]

Yeah... that was aimed at the other Tom. thutley. Hence the quote

Meh, if they really know how to find out someones MAC then change theirs. They deserve to use my internet. What exactly are they going to do when using my internet? just surf. meh. lol

Saying that. Mine isnt hackable (i think). it only allows 4 peers to be connected. 4 peers are always connected.

Well they'll also be able to get onto any network shares you have etc. But the most important thing is that is does nothing to protect your credit card details etc.

[Nick Garland]

Hacking your pc will allow them to acces sensitive data on you, such as your credit card details etc everytime you enter them, keylog your network so they can watch every key you type, pretty much watch whatever you do.

Its pretty much stalking just without moving out their comfy chair.

[Charlie Jennings]

Hacking your pc will allow them to acces sensitive data on you, such as your credit card details etc everytime you enter them, keylog your network so they can watch every key you type, pretty much watch whatever you do.

Its pretty much stalking just without moving out their comfy chair.

Oh. that will only happen if i have XP?