Thread: wireless security / alert ?

Surely if you use a 48 bit encription code on the wireless set up there shouldn't be an issue. It would take a bit of expertise to break those.

Also don't let it broadcast the SSID and only let it allow known MAC addresses to connect.

Originally Posted by dm_td5

Also don't let it broadcast the SSID and only let it allow known MAC addresses to connect.

This looks like the simplest best advice you'll get.... there are ways around this too - but if someone knows how - there is little likelyhood you will stop them anyway.

Don't simply rely on WEP encryption..... anyone that can drive google and has half an iterest should be able to crack WEP in minutes.

As Derek suggests, on top of encryption stop braodcasting the SSID and lock down what MAC address(es) the router will connect to. - also configure your router to log all connection attempts successful or not. Unless you are storing a backup for NASA.. you should be right

Mark

Originally Posted by Bytemrk

Unless you are storing a backup for NASA..

In which case run VMS & LATP


Seriously though, the SSID is the simplest thing to hide. Definitely don't rely on WEP as Mark said.

The best bet would be to use WPA rather than WEP encryption as it is stronger. If your devices support it utilise WPA2. In addition to this lock down the machines allowed to use the wireless network to their mac addresses of the wireless network card of the PC on the router. Lastly limit the number of IP addresses available on your internal network to the number of machines you have by changing the subnet. Normal subnet is 255.255.255.0 by changing the zero in the last Octet to another number you can limit the number of active IP addresses in your network. You can figure this out by going to the following website or one similar http://www.subnetmask.info/ others available by googling something along the line of IP calculators.

don't broad cast SSID
lock out all but listed MAC addresses

Yep already done
But if you haver ever used Net Stumber and a MAC address spoofer you will know this is about as much use security wise as a prado off road

And may I suggest to anyonne who has a WEP ONLY router to consider buying another or maybe getting a firmware update as WEP is secure for about hmmmm 4 mins.

I guess we could chat about wireless security all night, (well maybe not all night) but does anyone know of any wireless network monitoring software??

Thanks for the suggestions so far

Originally Posted by HangOver

don't broad cast SSID
lock out all but listed MAC addresses

Yep already done
But if you haver ever used Net Stumber and a MAC address spoofer you will know this is about as much use security wise as a prado off road

And may I suggest to anyonne who has a WEP ONLY router to consider buying another or maybe getting a firmware update as WEP is secure for about hmmmm 4 mins.

I guess we could chat about wireless security all night, (well maybe not all night) but does anyone know of any wireless network monitoring software??

Thanks for the suggestions so far

Hangover,

On a home network all those things listed above should be more than enough to secure it.... frankly if you are still worried about security after following all those things listed above - I'd shutdown the wireless - and run a cable!...

To give you more useful suggestions it would help if we knew what your current computer platform was - Windows? MAC?, some unix variant...

It might also help if we knew what the router was... for some of the routers on the market there are a lot of thirdparty firmwares that include a variety of tools that may be of use.

Are you wanting this for a home environment?.. or are we talking about protecting a commercial system?

maybe take a peak here... http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/tutorials...le.php/3395991 it might lead you to something that will help with what you are trying to do.


Might also try this: http://home.comcast.net/~jay.deboer/airsnare/index.html I haven't used it.. but looks like it might be interesting.


Cheers,
Mark

I reckon the best way to ensure wireless security is to go 802.11A.

Nobody uses it, and last time I looked none of the wireless hack stuff involved wireless A - a bit like linux or mac, isn't enough of it around to bother hacking.

And it does all the usual wireless security things.

From my experience most wireless 'hacking' is the hackee having not enough security switched on, or none, and the neighbour's wireless setup leeching on the connection automatically.

That is, unless you live next to a vengeful teenager or a university.



Cheers
Simon