WI-FI Security : I have none!

[nightstalker22]

I need assistance with my Wi-Fi system!

I am unsecured...and anyone can connect to my router. I have a wireless router connected to my router, and the server machine is Windows XP, but my girlfriends laptop is Windows Vista.

I did everything right setting up the WEP, I think, and am left to conclude that XP and Vista aren't compatible for WEP use... I'm sure I'm wrong, so what can I do?

 

[Shamus Turlough]

post make and model number of router and i will step you through configuring WEP

 

[Rykus]

Hail sir!

This is a brief overview of what you should do. If you'd like more precise instructions, you will need to post your router's make/model.

1. Setup WPA. Depending on the age of your router, this may simply be called WPA, WPA2, WPA-TKIP, or something similar. If given the choice, WPA2 is better.

WEP is the earliest of the encryption schemes for wifi, and is VERY EASY TO CRACK. Do not use WEP unless it is truly your only option for security.

2. Make sure you set an Admin password that is different than the default password. If a person gets into your router config, they an really mess you up, including loading a bogus firmware into the device, effectively destroying it.

3. Hide your SSID. This is not absolutely necessary, and can be a bit inconvenient for less-than-geeky people, but it is a good measure if you need an added bit of security.

MAC filtering is OK only if you already have these other measures in place. MAC spoofing is not really that difficult, and if someone is determined to gain access to your wifi, this is not going to stop them, the same goes for WEP.

I know this is a pretty borad overview, so please feel free to ask for clarity if this does not answer your question(s) fully.

 

[Taylor]

Open command promt and run "ipconfig /all". Note your IP addy.

Navigate to your IP addy in your browser. You'll now be accessing your router settings.

From settings, it should be fairly intuitive to figure out how to set your login/pass and encryption. Go with WAPA2, if possible. Don't go with WEP.

 

[Shamus Turlough]

Open command promt and run "ipconfig /all". Note your IP addy.

Navigate to your IP addy in your browser. You'll now be accessing your router settings.

From settings, it should be fairly intuitive to figure out how to set your login/pass and encryption. Go with WAPA2, if possible. Don't go with WEP.

No. Browse to the gateway IP, not your ip address.


Also, seconding what Ry said. Running aircrack I can have a 40bit WEP key in minutes, 128 bit in about an hour. Opt for WPA-PSK TKIP

 

[nightstalker22]

Hail sir!

This is a brief overview of what you should do. If you'd like more precise instructions, you will need to post your router's make/model.

1. Setup WPA. Depending on the age of your router, this may simply be called WPA, WPA2, WPA-TKIP, or something similar. If given the choice, WPA2 is better.

WEP is the earliest of the encryption schemes for wifi, and is VERY EASY TO CRACK. Do not use WEP unless it is truly your only option for security.

2. Make sure you set an Admin password that is different than the default password. If a person gets into your router config, they an really mess you up, including loading a bogus firmware into the device, effectively destroying it.

3. Hide your SSID. This is not absolutely necessary, and can be a bit inconvenient for less-than-geeky people, but it is a good measure if you need an added bit of security.

MAC filtering is OK only if you already have these other measures in place. MAC spoofing is not really that difficult, and if someone is determined to gain access to your wifi, this is not going to stop them, the same goes for WEP.

I know this is a pretty borad overview, so please feel free to ask for clarity if this does not answer your question(s) fully.

WEP is my only option on router...I suppose it is a Dinosaur ( The Software is Copyrighted 2003 ). Bought it years ago and never used it til i bought the laptop for Christmas last year.

Belkin
Model: F5D6130

I live in a neighborhood where the houses are between 16 and 20 feet apart, so I suppose only my neighbors on either side of me are in range, and maybe the ones across the street. I doubt any of them are computer savy. If I lived in an apartment complex or New York, I'd be more concerned. As it is now, someone would have to be in a car with a laptop trying to get access... but having peace of mind will make me go buy a new router with advanced encryption... if I have trouble with that one, I'll post again... thank you for your time and tips.

 

[Taylor]

Yes, IP gateway. Sorry.

 

[Wulf2k]

As it is now, someone would have to be in a car with a laptop trying to get access

Not as uncommon as you'd think.

*admits to nothing*

 

[Rykus]

I'm actually going out to do this tomorrow. One of my neighbors has an unsecured WRT54G router, and I simply can't let this go on.

The odds are in your favor that you will be OK with an unsecured wifi AP/router, for a little while anyway, but what if your neighbor likes to download inappropriate images of young children, or enjoys sharing copyrighted materials, using YOUR internet connection? Guess who's door the cops will be knocking on?

There are lots of reasons why you should secure your wireless networking equipment.

 

[Hildebrand]

I've been running my DLink DIR-655 with no security at my house. I'm in a good and very spread out neighborhood.

Maybe I should shut the SSID, but secure it? I don't feel like it.

 

[Rykus]

I've been running my DLink DIR-655 with no security at my house. I'm in a good and very spread out neighborhood.

Maybe I should shut the SSID, but secure it? I don't feel like it.

heh.. To each his own. It really only takes a minute or two to set an Admin PW, and a WPA key. My personal sense of paranoia would keep me awake at night knowing my wireless was open for the taking...

Keep in mind that there are bad people everywhere, no matter how good the neighborhood is. All it takes is some bored adolescent that's home for the summer, and a directional antenna - such as a Pringles can. That can get you connected to a wifi AP a half mile (or more) away rather easily. I know this from personal experience.

http://www.3nw.com/pda/wireless/wi_fi_pringles_can_yagi_antenna.htm

 

[Tay M'real]

you need to set the security - use WPA or one of the other available options and select a password and you will be fine

 

[Setnaffa]

I've been running my DLink DIR-655 with no security at my house. I'm in a good and very spread out neighborhood.

Maybe I should shut the SSID, but secure it? I don't feel like it.

If you don't do it, somebody will eventually do it for you....probably locking you out in the process.

2 minutes is all it will take. You never have to type the password in again if you have your machine automatically authenticate.

 

[Shamus Turlough]

I used to love guys like this...

I worked IT for a little while at my university as a fledgling geek and would sit out in front of the apartments I lived in. On any given day I could connect to at least half a dozen open WAP's. First thing I did was scanned for alive ip's, and searched the live ones for open shares. You would be surprised at the number of people who unknowingly share the root of C with open permissions...

 

[Hildebrand]

My sense of euphoria is being sapped by you people.

I know how to do it. And I know WPA2 is much better with less hit on throughput.

You're saying someone can hack my settings menu and put a password on it? I thought the settings can only be accessed via hard LAN connection.

 

[Shamus Turlough]

Nope. All it takes is the router giving you an ip address. And if you know what you are doing, sometimes it doesnt even take that...

 

[IanJames]

that's correct. If nothing else, please change the admin password from whatever the default is.

 

[Hildebrand]

I've already changed the passwords. That's is the FIRST priority.

I should change the SSID too.

 

[mutau]

Be careful if you have kids with handheld games that can connect to the internet. My friend caught his 10yr old with his PSP on the internet via his unsecured WIFI. The boy was looking at porn sites. LMAO Just walking down the street of my town, the nephews will alert me if they are able to connect. lol.

 

[Patty Pickaxe]

Saw this today on Yahoo:

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/147906

WPA encryption cracked in one minute

Thu Aug 27, 2009 1:43PM EDT

See Comments (0)
Buzz up!49 votes

The second generation of Wi-Fi security systems has now been broken as badly as its notoriously insecure predecessor: Japanese researchers say they can crack WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), the successor to the old-school WEP, inside of a minute's time spent eavesdropping on a wireless network.

Details on the mechanics of the attack are set to be announced next month at a computer conference, but it's tentatively described as taking to "a new level" the previous method by which WPA had been roughly compromised, adapting previously theoretical holes in the WPA system and turning them into practical attack techniques.

The previous method of attacking WPA devices took up to 15 minutes to be successful, and didn't always work. The new method is said to work on far more devices and, obviously, much more quickly. However, as with the old attack, the new one only works on WPA devices that use the TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) algorithm, which is a setting in your router and device setup.

WPA devices that use the newer AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) algorithm, plus devices that use WPA2 -- the third generation of wireless security standards -- are still safe for now.

However, this does mean that it won't be long before this attack technique trickles out into software that malicious hackers can use to invade WPA networks. With access to your wireless network, a hacker can potentially eavesdrop on any traffic sent, access shared folders on computers attached to the network, and of course send and receive data (like illegal file sharing or even child pornography) which could then be blamed on you.

To protect yourself, upgrade the security settings on your devices to WPA2 if they all support the standard. Alternately, you can upgrade any WPA device from TKIP security to AES. Check in your router administration console and on your computer for and where how to do this.

 

[Patty Pickaxe]

Anyone want to help me set up a WPA2 (if I can)? I tried following the instructions in this thread, but I am very computer illiterate! I have an HP Laptop with Vista and use Verizon Fios. I am currently setup with a WEP.

 

[Shamus Turlough]

What is the model number and manufacturer of your router? I will try to post a walkthrough.

 

[Patty Pickaxe]

I'll send you a PM.