New wireless router; don't understand setup

I just bought a wireless D-Link 655 router to replace my wired router since I've ordered my old guy his first laptop. Thanks to information on this forum I made the decision to go with a new wireless router rather than an AP, and I sure do appreciate the help.

Now, these old bones of mine--thanks to the D-Link wizard--easily swapped out the routers and all wired computers are connected to the internet just fine (although laptop hasn't arrived yet to test the wireless out). But I'm not sure how or what I'm supposed to do to secure it. It came with software called Network Magic, and I went ahead and okayed a trial of that to make my life easy. I okayed a Network Lock using MAC Filtering that it wanted to do. I left Network Name Broadcasting as "on" since I read on this forum that sometimes laptops can't connect if the names aren't broadcast. Now we come to the encryption part.

I guess this is something I must do to be secure even with my 3 current computers wired (not wireless) to the router? If so, once I figure out this random key code, do I have to enter it on each and every wired computer, as well as the wireless laptop? Where do I do that? This is a bit confusing.

 

It is my understanding that you only have to enter a password (or encryption key) when you are connecting to the router wirelessly. I am not positive though but I'd bet 20 to 1 that this is the case.

When connecting wirelessly you will most likely have some sort of software that comes with your network adapter (or you can use the built in program that comes with windows) that will show you all of the wireless networks that are in range of your computer (this is where the broadcasting of your network name comes in). You then choose your network off of the list of available wireless networks and will click a connect (or equivalent) button. If the network is encrypted you will then be prompted to input the encryption code. After you enter this encryption code the first time, and are set up on the network, you will never have to input it again. Once you are in range of your wireless network you should be connected.

I hope this helped.

 

You should set your router to WPA Personal encryption. To date this method of encryption is unbreakable. When you have created your random key, preferrably longer than 15 characters using UPPER, lower case and numbers then you save the settings. This serves 2 purposes. First if you don't secure your router then anyone within range has access to your network. The key prevents this. Now only the wireless computer needs the WPA Passkey to access the router and only when doing so wirelessly. The router assumes that if you have a network cable attached to it then you are ok.

 

I have mine set up with WPA-PSK and it does not broadcast the SSID and I have never had any issues with any laptops. Yes, I do have to tell the laptop the SSID during initial setup, but only then. I do not use MAC filtering, but I do peruse the router's logs periodically.

 

I sure do appreciate the support! I think I did it. I chose WPA2 personal. I actually read the documentation slowly and it does, indeed, look like just what you all have said. When the laptop, and only the laptop, tries to connect for the first time I'll have to input the SSID and the password.

Since I actually did all this stuff via the DLink set up page and not this Network Magic software, is this software just a gimmick? Something to just put a friendlier face on networking?

 

Software is not needed. Any security person will tell you that mac filtering is only good on wired networks. With wireless it is broadcasted in the header packet and can easly spoofed. I do not use it But I use a WPA psk that consist of number , letters (A-Z, a-z), and any printable chr except Double Quotes. When you throw all of these together in a 20 chr length. With a pc using brute force at a 100k trys per sec it would take greater than 23 yrs. I will take those odds.

I also run my AP on low power, that is all I require to cover my house. With SSID hidden. Like it was said earlier, you only have to enter it on the init setup.

 

Thanks, all. Think I got it. Blue, you've been a real help to me with all the network stuff. I also used the full 20-character length passcode with all random characters, case, and number. Good to know it's so secure. Should I not even bother with the MAC filtering then? You're saying it doesn't pose any sort of help, security wise, for the wireless network?

 

I don't use MAC filtering at all. Mainly if I connect a guest pc into my network I do not want to be adding address that have nothing to to with my network. Not necessary and induces no risk. I do run with my SSID Hidden. I always like to do the setup with it visable then hide it after every thing is working correctly. I did not tail you is that I use random generated keys from www.grc.com I always grab a few, copy to a notepad. As I use one (I record it's location) then I move down to the next key or grab a key out of the middle. I have very few pieces if hardware that will take 63 chr. GRC also has a good port sniffer and will tell you if your are running in full stealth mode.

 

For Windows XP to work with WPA2, it requires a patch I think it works by default in Vista.

And yes, the software is pretty much just a gimmick. It puts a "friendly" face on stuff for people who are scared of technology, but has never really worked right in my experience.

 

According to the "friendly face" of Network Magic, it says encryption is "WPA/WPA2" so I guess (since I am using winXP) it just defaults to WPA then, even though I had chosen WPA2 in the router software. While I don't believe I'd pay for this software (for the premium version), this free basic version doesn't seem bad at all, even if it's not used for anything more than getting a visual status of everything.