Wireless Security Advice Req'd

Boldzak · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 14, 2004 Posts: 26

Hi

Hope this isn't too off-topic, but can anyone tell me if MAC Address Control is 'semi-secure' or is it necessary to use WEP or WAP in addition?

My SSID is hidden too, if that helps

I have a few applications which don't seem to like WEP/WAP, but I also don't want others seeing my network Smile

Thanks

kartracer · Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2005 11:57 am Post subject:

If you don't broadcast your SSID and also use MAC address filtering then you should be fairly secure. However MAC addresses can be spoofed so I would also want to use WEP in a business environment or if I had anything I really didn't want people poking their noses into. If it's just a home setup you should be fine, as the effort of breaking into your system probably wouldn't be worth the payback. First the potential crim has to find/guess your SSID, then they have to detect a MAC address you have enabled, then they have to spoof it somehow.
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Kam

Boldzak · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 14, 2004 Posts: 26

Thanks mate - it is just a home set-up and I've nothing too secret there, so hopefully MAC + hidded SSID will be fine

Ako · Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2005 10:29 pm Post subject:

I have set up WEP on my linksys wireless router. It isn't as arduous as you might at first think. You input a passphrase and it usually generates the key for you. What you may need to watch out for (as in my case) is the box where the key is shown may not be big enough to show the full key so you may need to scroll to view it all. As long as you put the same key in all PC's you should be ok. I remember reading somewhere that with 128bit WEP it would take a period measured in days sitting outside your house scanning the airwaves to get enough data to even think about trying to decode it. The router manufacturers web site should have instructions for setting it up.

Dave

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