How to protect my wireless signal?

[roccenstein]

Alright, I gave up on my Dlink router and bought a Linksys Wireless-G Router (WRT54G) and a  Linksys Wireless Desktop Adapter (WMP54G).  I may be back here later wanting help if I can't get them set up properly (fingers crossed!!) but my question for now is, assuming I get them up and running properly, how do I block my signal from outside users?  The guy at the store told me I shouldn't have a problem setting up the router, but just to look online to find out how to block the signal.  Real helpful...

 
 

[Jonas Wauters]

Well I have the same router and normally you should be able to block outside users with a MAC filter but that isn't working. (Maybe you have more luck)
I assume you have installed the router with the CD that comes with the router.
In that case you've changed the PW and maybe the IP.
Normally the IP should be 192.168.1.1.
NOTE: Before changing settings I would advise connecting true Ethernet cable and not wireless.
You could try typing that in you're web browser.
than you should get a  message asking for user name and PW.
If this is still standard you shouldn't fill in a user and use admin as PW.
Then you will get to the control panel of you're router.
Let me know if you got to that point and if you want to use a MAC filter or just a PW protection.

Jonas

[Deerpark]

Jonas MAC filtering is not a good form of protection, because breaking it is a very very very trivial thing to do. I'm not going in to details here, but it can be done in seconds.

What you need to do roccenstein is configure the router to encrypt the wireless signal. Then any  computer who wants access will need to enter a password. Any wireless router today supports WEP encryption and most supports WPA as well. WPA is by far the best form so use it if available. In your router's setup there should be a section where you can configure this. It's a bit hard to tell you the exact steps since they vary from router to router. But it should be somewhere under the wireless settings, possibly called encryption.

Of course you can use mac filtering as a second line of defense but I would never recommend it as your only protection.

[viking]

I agree with deerpark.

MAC filtering is used in cases like this: you have an expanded wireless network, at least a few access-points, and you want to specify to each access point what devices (MAC adress) are suppossed ("allowed") to connect to it. It's a measure of physical network management (what device connects to what access point) and not a security measure.

[Calum]

Here's a link that may help you do this step by step.
http://kimpeacocke.blogspot.com/2006/06/setting-up-linksys-wrt54g-wireless-g.html
Let us know if you have any problems following the guide.
Hope this helps.
Wireless security is both necessary and occasionally a headache, believe me I know.
But remember - you only need to do it once, and if you skip it you'll have major problems, so make sure you do exactly what the guide says.
One last thing - apparently your router supports WPA2 security.
I recommend enabling that instead of the WPA-PSK encryption the guide recommends.
You may need a firmware and OS upgrade/patch to support this.

[Jonas Wauters]

Well I didn't know MAC was so insecure but I can tell you how to enable WPA protection.
When you get to the control panel click wireless -> wireless security -> security mode: WPA -personal or WPA - enterprise.
This is as much as I know.
Which one is the best?
And what is the best encryption? TKIP or AES.
And there is a key renewal. Does that means that you have to change you're key every 3600 sec?
Or is the passphrase always the same?

Jonas

BTW: I use WEP is WPA much better?

[Deerpark]

Yes WPA is much better and WPA2 is even better. Unfortunately many slightly older wireless adapters doesn't support WPA2.

Avoid WEP if you can, it has been proven to be very insecure. If I remember correctly the encryption can be broken in minutes.

WPA enterprise gives the best security but you need a separate authentication server to use it, so this is not feasible for your average home user. So stick with WPA personal.

The key renewal is an internal mechanism in the encryption scheme. It has nothing to do with the pass phrase.

AES is used in WPA2 and delivers the best encryption but TKIP is supported by more wireless adapters so you might have to use that instead.

[Jonas Wauters]

But it is (only) to protect outsiders to connect to you're Internet. (I don't believe someone will take the time to crack it just so they have Internet.)
That doesn't mean they have access to you're computer.
Or is it easier to connect to you're computer once you are in the same SSID?
My question is: is it worth changing: - At my mum's house from WEP to WPA
                                                          - At my dad's house from MAC filter to WPA

My dad has hired a computer specialist to make sure it was well protected.
I did it at my mum's house.

Jonas

[Deerpark]

Getting access to a wireless network could make it easier to break in to a computer, because most firewalls have less restrictive rules for computers on the same LAN.

I think your dad should get his money back if a so called "computer specialist" told him MAC filtering was sufficient protection. Like viking said, MAC filtering is not really protection at all, but more a way of controlling what computers connect where.

Of course the chance of someone breaking into your wireless network is pretty small, but then again the chances of someone breaking into your house is pretty small as well... But I bet you still lock the door when you leave.
Protecting a wireless network takes very little effort and is something you only need to do once, so why not do it properly?
Oh yes btw it is important you select a strong password. No encryption is stronger than the password used.
I personally use a 63 character password with all random symbols. That is needed if you want the full 256 bit encryption WPA offers. I just store it on a flash drive so I don't have to remember it when a new computer needs access.
But of course a smaller password will usually be sufficient. I'm just the paranoid type.

[Jonas Wauters]

Well it is a friend and to be honest it wasn't cheep.
I love to hear that I did better than the specialist did.
OK it wasn't the best way but it was a better way  .
Well I don't think my dad will allow me to change it as he doesn't trust me to change security settings of a specialist. (don't blame him)
Well the chance that they break in to our house is bigger than the change that they break into our computer. (I guess)
As they already broke in to our house.

Jonas