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    Securing my Wireless Home Network

    Discussion in 'Networking and Wireless' started by inkyquills, Sep 10, 2005.

  1. inkyquills

    inkyquills Notebook Consultant

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    Okay, so I just set up my home network, got the WiFi going on my laptop and was able to set up my laptop for printing wirelessly.

    Now that I have all that done, what should I do to secure the wireless signal that my gateway is sending out from other nonauthorized WiFi computers? The gateway is set up to a desktop and the only other computer that should have access to its wireless signal is my laptop, so I just want a way to block other laptops from leeching on my WiFi.
     
    inkyquills, Sep 10, 2005
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  2. lovespicyfood

    lovespicyfood Notebook Enthusiast

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    I'm no expert, however, I would suggest enabling MAC (media access control) filtering. Each wireless adaptor has a unique "serial number" to it. You can log into your router and only allow access only to the MAC addresses you want on the network. Once in your router, you should be able to recognize your laptop's MAC address.

    Hope this helps!
     
    lovespicyfood, Sep 10, 2005
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  3. nickspohn

    nickspohn Notebook Virtuoso NBR Reviewer

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    type your ip address into the address bar on your browsers page. If you dont know how to get your ip address go to start>run>ipconfig>enter Then you can change your settings. :)
     
    nickspohn, Sep 10, 2005
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  4. cheziyi

    cheziyi Notebook Consultant

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    Would you mind telling us what brand is your router?
     
    cheziyi, Sep 10, 2005
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  5. noahsark

    noahsark Notebook Evangelist

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    I just set up a similar system. My solution is to use WPA encryption, since WEP can be easily cracked. My router supports MAC filtering, but I don't think there's a lot of point to it because anyone monitoring you with Kismet will get your MAC address and can then just spoof it anyway. Your average script kiddie will have a very hard time breaking WPA.

    Oh, and also be sure to turn off you ssid broadcast. You don't need it and you don't want others to see you.
     
    noahsark, Sep 10, 2005
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  6. inkyquills

    inkyquills Notebook Consultant

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    I have a Westell 237W or something along those lines sent to me by my DSL service provider, Verizon. It's a gateway which I understand makes it a router and a modem in one.
     
    inkyquills, Sep 10, 2005
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  7. daacon

    daacon Notebook Evangelist

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    WPA gets my vote as well.

    Not broadcasting the SSID not a real stealth mode - bottom line depending on where you are and how many SSID's are out there - average hacker will look for the eaisest and belive me there are lots (I see up to 7 where I live of which only 2 are encrypted ).

    So if your router and card support it WPA , if not the WEP (better than nothing)

    Good Luck ......................dy
     
    daacon, Sep 10, 2005
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  8. dr_st

    dr_st Notebook Deity

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    I agree with what was said above, but in a different order.

    First, turn off ESSID broadcasting. This will protect you from "casual" users looking to leech off your wireless or just curious as to what's on your network.

    Then, enable MAC address filtering. This will prevent even those knowing your ESSID somehow from connecting, at least without putting some work into it.

    Finally, enable WPA/WEP. This should protect you from the actual hackers. In most of the cases - an overkill, but why not? Better safe than sorry.
     
    dr_st, Sep 11, 2005
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