Wireless Router

[Chasey_Lane]

Thanks for all the advice.
Modem is installed, and I went with the NetGear, RangeMax Dual Band Wireless Router.

We switched from Linksys to NetGear last week. At first we had bad, bad connection problems and hubby was going to switch back to Linksys. That is until we discovered our new Dell computer didn't have the NG upgrade. All is good now and we like it.

 

[Jigglepuff]

If somebody searches for a wireless signal in the neighborhood, mine is labeled, "NotYours".

Makes me chuckle everytime I search for a signal.

Nice!! Mine shows up as a MAC address WEP encrypted.

 

[Floyd2004]

If somebody searches for a wireless signal in the neighborhood, mine is labeled, "NotYours".

Makes me chuckle everytime I search for a signal.

I used to use "MineNotYours" at first.

 

[CrashTest]

I used to use "MineNotYours" at first.

On home wireless networks, can't you just turn off beaconing altogether?

 

[GWguy]

On home wireless networks, can't you just turn off beaconing altogether?

Yes, it's called the SSID.

 

[CrashTest]

Yes, it's called the SSID.

Right - seems to me that disabling the beaconing of your SSID would be the way to go. Otherwise your neighbor could mess with you by finding out what your SSID is and then he can beacon your same SSID. Then you end up accessing the Internet via his access point without your knowledge or consent. Then you're really screwed cause he can steal all your security credentials.

 

[GWguy]

Right - seems to me that disabling the beaconing of your SSID would be the way to go. Otherwise your neighbor could mess with you by finding out what your SSID is and then he can beacon your same SSID. Then you end up accessing the Internet via his access point without your knowledge or consent. Then you're really screwed cause he can steal all your security credentials.

Probably not. If there are two or more SSIDs that are the same, the protocol will choose the strongest signal unless you specifically override it. The neighbor's signal would be much weaker than your own.

However, turning on encryption, changing the default SSID (because if you know the default SSID, you know the manufacturer, and therein the default password for the router), changing the router default password, and turning off the SSID will pretty much protect you. Only someone with very sophisticated listening hardware can decode your signal, and let's face it.... if they can do that, why would they be breaking in to someone's house net when they could use that technology to break far more valuable systems?

 

[CrashTest]

Industrial strength wireless solutions use a cryptograpic hash in the beacon frames called a Management Integrity Check (MIC) and if the client and AP don't pass the MIC, you can't get in even if you have the same SSID. Just wasn't sure if home wireless systems use the same type of features.

I image for people who live in a large high rise apartment buildings, you've got beaconing SSIDs all over the place and in many cases, your neighbors signal will appear stronger than your own. Probably safe for folks living in single family homes but if I lived in some Manhattan high rise, I wouldn't even beacon my SSID just to be safe.

 

[WildCherry]

If somebody searches for a wireless signal in the neighborhood, mine is labeled, "NotYours".

Makes me chuckle everytime I search for a signal.

Mine is labeled LPCityZoo, and it is WPA encrypted so no one gets in there!

 

[CrashTest]

Mine is labeled LPCityZoo, and it is WPA encrypted so no one gets in there!

Cool.

WPA > WEP.

WEP uses RC4 encryption which can be hacked in about a minute using free tools available on the Internet.

 

[Floyd2004]

WEP uses RC4 encryption which can be hacked in about a minute using free tools available on the Internet.

Fun for war-driving... Atleast thats what ive been known to call it.
Drive into a apartment complex and randomly lock people out of their own networks after you take over it.

I personally use a WPA code on my network...

 

[SoMDGirl42]

Fun for war-driving... Atleast thats what ive been known to call it.
Drive into a apartment complex and randomly lock people out of their own networks after you take over it.

I personally use a WPA code on my network...

How exactly does one do this? Not that I'd ever do that, but you know, for future reference in case anyone should do this to me.

 

[CrashTest]

Fun for war-driving... Atleast thats what ive been known to call it.
Drive into a apartment complex and randomly lock people out of their own networks after you take over it.

I personally use a WPA code on my network...

Not me. Even if I can crack the encryption in a minute, that's one less minute I get to spend laying on the couch doing nothing.

 

[sockgirl77]

COOL!! Thats what I'm getting from metrocast right now.

When did they start providing wireless routers?

 

[Floyd2004]

How exactly does one do this? Not that I'd ever do that, but you know, for future reference in case anyone should do this to me.

Just search around. There are TONS of free cracking software for this sort of thing.