Comments on: Secure your wireless networks!

By: blued888

blued888 — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 20:13:09 +0000

I don’t use WPA but I do use MAC filtering. I input all MAC addresses being used at home so that outside people cannot get it.

By: s0uThp4rk

s0uThp4rk — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:44:48 +0000

Yea, I’ve never used WPA but I know it’s probably the most secure option. My router doesn’t support WPA, it’s fairly old.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:35:15 +0000

Yes, there certainly were a lot of people out there with insecurely configured routers. Thankfully, this seems to have changed here in Australia, it’s getting harder and harder to find an insecure network that is Open.

I always configure routers to have WPA security as this is the most secure option. If people MUST have an open network, at least configure the router so that it only accepts connections from specific MAC addresses – this isn’t foolproof or secure by any means, but it does go a long way offering some protection.

Then again, as I always say, data security is always taught best by an excess bandwidth charge

By: s0uThp4rk

s0uThp4rk — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 00:26:51 +0000

I think there’s also an option to not broadcast the SSID, so you could change it to something strange, have access control, and WEP encryption. I don’t think anyone’s really going to mess with it then

By: Sjeltur

Sjeltur — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 00:09:39 +0000

True; that is why I would recommend combination of WEP and Access Control.
On the other hand; if you look at how many people are totally NOT protected…. from my house I have access to at least 3 unprotected networks….

By: s0uThp4rk

s0uThp4rk — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:05:40 +0000

Yea, I know WEP isn’t the most secure. I just think that most people out there wont touch a WEP secured network unless they really need access to that AP for some reason. There is still MAC spoofing that could still let others access the network, if they know the MAC of the computer allowed access.

By: Sjeltur

Sjeltur — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 12:34:37 +0000

Most routers also have the option of putting in the mac address of computers/laptops/xbox/etc etc….
On most routers this is called “Access Control”…
It is a little bit more work – but seems to be safer than WEP. As WEP is asking for a key (read; password) and as you know = we always can “crack” passwords.

With access control you only give permission to certain comp etc to access your network…. and it is way harder for the “criminals” to get that one copied…. !!
(will soon be a post on my website; http://www.onmycomp.com)

By: s0uThp4rk

s0uThp4rk — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 06:51:20 +0000

Merry Christmas to you too! I was up trying to get a bag of crap, which I didn’t. I’m really starting to hate woot. I think people are using scripts…

By: keithmaxx

keithmaxx — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 06:00:11 +0000

Indeed! The very first thing I did when I installed our home router was to change the security settings. I’ve heard a lot of my friends leeching of their neighbors’ broadband connection and I told them (in a good way) that they should be ashamed of it. Anyway, people should be wiser about this.

On a more presently relevant note, Merry Christmas from Keithmaxx Press!