Is WEP even worth using? Whats the best way to secure WiFi?

While I still have my older laptop with plain 802.11b, plus my new laptop with 802.11g - whats the best method for securing my wireless network?

I'm using WPA on the G network - and NOTHING on the 802.11b (I know- i know)

Is WEP worth using? or this there a better way?

 

use the best you can
WEP is FAR better than nothing. the general person isn't going to be able to hack it so its not like its pointless.

 

If you have it, use WPA or WPA2.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_Protected_Access

 

'splain something to me people ... I thought the security setup is done in the wireless router not the individual wireless computers that connect to the router?
In other words, in that older laptop with 'b' wireless that the OP wants to secure - there is nothing to secure except to disable File And Folder sharing.

 

it's done both at the router and on the node. the router is where you set the encryption level and the password to connect. the node is where you enter the password that the router is expecting to see.

 

True ... but the way OP worded his request:
"I'm using WPA on the G network - and NOTHING on the 802.11b (I know- i know)" ... I believe he's thinking that some sort of security measures have to be taken on the laptop apart from entering the encryption to allow the laptop to connect. OP?????

 

@Chutsman: Read his other post on the Networking board. He asked a similar question that should help shed light on what he's asking in this thread.

 

gotcha, i'll just stay away until we get some clarification

 

This is from the other thread. Perhaps a mod should merge these two threads.

 

To clear things up a bit... The older original laptop, which has 802.11b from hp, only supports WEP encryption built in. NOTHING ELSE. The newer laptop has 802.11g and it supports WPA encryption.

I never used WEP with the first laptop, because the old laptop was (still is) lousy at picking up wifi signal period, and wep made it worse. slowed it down terribly, and caused problems for me (at least at that time) so I always disabled it. The newer laptop which IS using 802.11g with WPA+PKA seems fine. Wifi works all the time in the house, no slow down whatsoever (that I can see).

To kind of merge both threads here - what I was trying to find out all the way around, is there a router that can serve two laptops with 2 kinds of encryption - either on the same SSID or 2 seperate SSIDs. 1 router talking to 2 laptops using 802.11g + WPA and 802.11b + WEP or without WEP? I had read somewhere before WEP in general is very unsecure - and very easy to crack. It was safer and more secure to disable the router broadcasting its SSID and disable WEP altogether. Basically the thought process was anyone who is capable of detecting your un-broadcasted SSID is going to be more than capable of cracking your unsecure WEP encryption anyway - so disable the WEP and SSID broadcast and don't sweat the small stuff

When we got the newer laptop with the 54mps 802.11g I bought a new wifi router for it (airlink @ fry's for $20 - I couldn't resist), which works great btw... but my older laptop with 802.11b can not connect to it, as it serves up WPA encrypted signal, which the old laptop can not talk to at all with its built in 802.11b card.

I didn't want to put another 802.11# card in the old laptop, thats why I asked the questions. Obviously, by putting a new 802.11g card/usb dongle on the old laptop -that would solve all this, but I wanted to ask first

Does that clear it up?

Now to nudge this thread back on topic: Assuming WEP is nearly worthless encryption like I had read all those years ago.... what is the best method for securing your WiFi network?

At my house, in 2002 when I got my first laptop with 802.11b, bought my first wireless router - there were NO other Wifi signals in my neighborhood - now I can personally see 3 routers from inside my house depending on which room I'm sitting at the time. 1 is somehow secured , the laptop tried to connect to it, as he broadcasts his SSID, but it can not get an IP. The other signal is "Linksys" and completely open poor neighbor. And there's a third "Default" which could be any kind of router I'm sure - but I don't get enough reliable signal to play on his network but you get my point?

 

To answer this question: what is the best method for securing your WiFi network?

You should use WPA/TKIP or WPA2 (even better) and secure your wireless network. Do not broadcast your SSID. Use a strong passkey for your preshared key. Change the SSID and PSK at least monthly. Enable MAC filtering. Change your router's name. Use a very strong password for the router. Do not allow wireless router admin access (only allow a computer physically connected to the router to do any router maintenance).

 

If you do not want to use wep, which is better than nothing at all. Have your old router be the host and connect your new one into the lan port. The idea is with all firewall up, deeper you go better the security. The olny problem is that your old computer can not talk to the new (NAT blocking). But you can talk to it if you know it's IP.

If you old pc could not handle WEP with the built in, it will be the same with a USB. WPA requires more horsepower to process.

I have 5 networks that I can pick up from my house. 2 are in the clear. And I think someone is a drivebye, I get a log every 2-3 weeks. Has to be using a scanner, my SSID is not broadcasted. Plus with 256bit WPA he doesn't have enough time to crack it.

 

if you disable file and printer sharing, that means i won't be able to access my files on my other PCs or use my printer away from the pc it's connected on right?

so what is the best way to secure my network without disabling the sharing? how do i enable WEP/WPA?

 

Well , check your routers manual on how to enable WEP or , could you state your router make and model , at least we could help you out. You dont have to worry on File and Sharing thing , just dont worry about it. WEP/WPA should protect you

Let us take a look , yes WEP is pretty easy to crack. [I use WEP 64-Bit and I have cracked it within 10 mins and yet I still use WEP]. But you need to ask , how many people that are out there has the tools , the skills and the right location to tap into WEP. A War-drivers usually does not Hack our WiFi , but sometimes they do. Its just that you're unlucky. For me ,64-bit WEP does a great job.

If you're soo paranoid , then I would suggest you to

1. Use WPA2/WPA with PSK/TKIP . If better yet get a Dedicated RADIUS Server and use it with WPA2/WPA. You're a lot safer. Change it every now and then

2. Disable SSID [People could still scan it , but however it prevents 'Script kiddies' or 'n00b hackers' from hacking in or trying in]

3. Enable MAC filtering [as suggested by kegobeer]

4. Limit the amount of PCs [via WiFi] that could be connected to your Router and disable wireless router admin access

At least you're safe from hackers. But the problem is , your old Lappie or PDA would not work

 

I tried a USB dongle 802.11g adapter on my older HP laptop ([email protected]) and with WPA enabled to receive signal from my WPA enabled router/ap - surfing the internet is SSSLLLOOOWWW!

Tried disabling the encryption - and its considerably faster! oh well....