HEXUS.guides :: Wireless security

[Steve]

Thinking of setting up a wireless network, but worried about your network's security? Our latest HEXUS.guide looks at common techniques and terms used in securing your wireless network.

http://www.hexus.net/content/reviews...lld19JRD0xNTUx

[BlackDwarf]

Thats a nice little guide.

I know for a fact that where i live, and also where i work, you can wonder around with a laptop with a card in and nab their wireless because it hasnt been encrypted.

Hardware is an issue though, as the wireless cards we use at work don't like 128 encryption, so we have to use a reasonably strong 64 bit key... which isnt as good... but we're only a school

[Rhomboid]

There are too many people out there that think MAC filtering or SSID hiding or disabling DHCP will improve security. They might deter the casual person just looking for free wifi, but they provide zero actual security to anybody that knows what they're doing. So, I'm glad to see this article doesn't even mention MAC filtering and paints SSID hiding in a poor light.

A good link on wifi myths is http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/?p=43

[ArmagoN]

But lets not forget, only if you were a huge network, transfering valuable information, would it be worth somone going all that effort to break your security. for home use a simple password and mac filtering will do, why would any one else need to break into your network at a guess that you are not usng a firewall to protect your self.

and any one who keeps MAJOR credit card and debit card details on there machine in a totally accessible shared drive, in your limewire shared folder included, should understand that they are risking something .....

My pennies done and Great guide helps make people who haven't had to do it before understand, GG WP and we want more !!!!

[peterb]

MAC filtering will help prevent someone getting into your network (but does nothing to secure the information passing over the link.

[Rhomboid]

MAC filtering will help prevent someone getting into your network (but does nothing to secure the information passing over the link.

Uh, how exactly is that? Because one can set his MAC address to anything he wants, so all I have to do is observe a few packets of traffic and then clone that MAC address. There is absolutely zero access control provided by MAC filtering.