Wireless Network Help

[wedge22]

Ok guys I am new to wireless and I have just setup a D Link DI 524 router and a USB DWL-G122 wifi adaptor. I am using the router plugged straight into my internet connection which is cable. I am then using the wi fi to connect to my pc as they are in different rooms. I just want to make sure my connection is secure so I have setup a password but I guess there are extra security measures I can take?

[burble]

What sort of password did you set? Was it WEP? WPA? WPA-2?

WPA2 > WPA > WEP.

[RavenNight]

Also, if you aren't going to be using lots of different devices with it you could set up MAC filtering.

[wedge22]

I have just setup a password to give me entry into the admin for the router, what else do I need?

[RAYK47]

You need to setup mac filtering and idealy also either WEP or WPA.

[RAYK47]

REMEMBER - do not make any changes to the router when connected over the wireless connection

To setup MAC filtering: -

1. you need the mac address of your wireless network card. On the laptop go to start/run and type cmd, press enter. At the prompt type ipconfig /all, press enter
2. you will see more than one network card listed, under the wireless card properties there will be something saying physical address followed by some characters seperated by hashes e.g 00.E0.00.A3.03.B4 Make a note of this address.
3. conect to your routers admin page and log in
4. Click on advanced tab (at the top menu), then on Filtering (left menu)
5. click MAC filtering radio button and radio button below saying "allow only computers with MAC address listed below"
6. type the relevant detais in the boxes below (name and MAC address) and click apply (router may reboot)
7. you should still be able to connect to the wireless network when it returns

[burble]

You need to setup mac filtering and idealy also either WEP or WPA.

MAC filtering and ideally WPA? No way, WPA is much much more important than MAC filtering.

Personally I wouldn't bother with MAC address filtering, if someone has managed to hack your WEP/WPA key then getting around MAC address filtering is trivial since the MAC address of the device connected to the AP is transmitted in every frame.

MAC filtering gives a false sense of security and in my experience it's just an extra hassle when trying to get another wireless device connected.

Forget about MAC filtering and get WPA-2 (or at least WPA) setup pronto. Just changing the password on the web management of the router doesn't secure the wireless network. WEP is so flaky it isn't worth bothering with - it can be hacked easily.

[wedge22]

I have setup a WEP key so hopefully this will do.

[burble]

Can you not use WPA instead? WEP is easily hackable.

[wedge22]

Ok I have just setup WPA instead.

[RAYK47]

MAC filtering and ideally WPA? No way, WPA is much much more important than MAC filtering.

Personally I wouldn't bother with MAC address filtering, if someone has managed to hack your WEP/WPA key then getting around MAC address filtering is trivial since the MAC address of the device connected to the AP is transmitted in every frame.

MAC filtering gives a false sense of security and in my experience it's just an extra hassle when trying to get another wireless device connected.

Forget about MAC filtering and get WPA-2 (or at least WPA) setup pronto. Just changing the password on the web management of the router doesn't secure the wireless network. WEP is so flaky it isn't worth bothering with - it can be hacked easily.

Agreed that WPA is the most important but I was trying to make it easier for him to setup (at least in the first option). There is no reason he cannot/shouldnt have both in place. As I have the same router I was goping to give him a quick guide to setting up WPA but didn't have the time.

WEP is certainly worth bothering with and is better than nothing.

The thing to remember here is that if someone REALLY wants to hack your connection then they will do it Regardless of what encryption you are using. The only real secure network is one that only uses wired devices. To say WEP is pointless is incorrect as the majority of people who are going to attempt to use your connection will only do so because it is not secured. If you have any form of security then that is a deterrent in itself.

If you can setup WPA then that would be first choice, if not use WEP. If you want to use MAC filtering then do so, its easy to setup and can only help although not really needed if you are usiung WPA/WEP.

[wedge22]

Am I going to be able to game online with this setup ok or do I need something with higher Mbps?

[burble]

You'll be fine, it'll be your internet connection being the limiting factor rather then the speed of your wireless.

[wedge22]

Great I have 10Mb for my internet, so that should work well.

[burble]

Aye, it'll be fine. The most throughput you'll get out of 802.11g is somewhere in the region of 25-30Mbps in my experience so plenty faster than your broadband.

[wedge22]

My connection speed only seems to be 11Mbps even though my signal strength is excellent, is there any way to improve this as its not so great.