Wireless security

I fiinally got ahold of someone at netgear and they managed to get me up and running. There a box checked by default that for my lappy shouldn't have been. Oh well. Anyway he had me setup a 64bit security WEP. I was reading the sticky on this. Is there really any reason for me to change security settings? I live in a nice area where my average neighbor is probably 55 or 60. Is 64bit WEP ok?

I think so. You can check your router periodically to see if there's anyone on your network that shouldn't be and you can do ip blocking and only allow certain IPs like I do.
And I wouldn't worry about your neighbors so much as people driving throught your neighborhood and sitting in front of your house.
And if someone wants in, reguardless of your WEP, it's not that hard to get past so I would go the only allowing certain IPs route.

That depends on how secure you want to be. WEP is easy to break, so if that is all you are using then you are not secure. The only thing you are protected from is someone accidentily connecting to your network.

The difference between unencrypted broadcast traffic and WEP-encrypted broadcast traffic is a legal line in the sand really.

WEP+closed SSID means "Back down, don't try this, I like my network privacy." It isn't an effective deterrent against a determined attacker, but it also means that someone can't 'accidentally' use your network.[1]

WEP isn't 'wired equivalent privacy' at all. It's not particularly robust, and bugs in certain code generators (don't recall if NetGear is vulnerable) actually reduce the code space significantly (estimates vary, but some say between 40 and 24 bits).

Advice: also use MAC address filtering. Only permit the devices you know on your network. (You can spoof a MAC, of course...but that requires effort, and is also clearly attempted breaking and entering.)

[1] Note that 'accidental use' actually can also constitute unauthorized access depending on your locality.

ToiletDuck said:

I fiinally got ahold of someone at netgear and they managed to get me up and running. There a box checked by default that for my lappy shouldn't have been. Oh well. Anyway he had me setup a 64bit security WEP. I was reading the sticky on this. Is there really any reason for me to change security settings? I live in a nice area where my average neighbor is probably 55 or 60. Is 64bit WEP ok?

Click to expand...

WEP is crackable in a matter of minutes.
Best security option is WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK TKIP & AES


WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK
This selection allows clients to use either WPA (with AES) or WPA2 (with TKIP). If selected, encryption must be TKIP + AES. The WPA passphrase (Network key) must also be entered.

Also , issue a strong password. Nothing like plain letter. For example my password is a combination of ))()() and .... and &^%

My feelings on the issue are pretty much that if someone wants to get into the network they will. I have nothing that interesting or important stored that I would think someone might be trying to signal me out for attack. Any type of security just wards off the casual attacker (that unsecured network available in the same space is just as good, but easier to get into), and stupid neighbors who can't get onto there own wireless networks.

Real wireless security costs tons of money, and the best wireless security is no wireless network.

ErikD said:

My feelings on the issue are pretty much that if someone wants to get into the network they will. I have nothing that interesting or important stored that I would think someone might be trying to signal me out for attack. Any type of security just wards off the casual attacker (that unsecured network available in the same space is just as good, but easier to get into), and stupid neighbors who can't get onto there own wireless networks.

Real wireless security costs tons of money, and the best wireless security is no wireless network.

Click to expand...

Until the cops come banging on your door wanting the person who was hacking into gov't computers or downloading all that child porn

An unsecured network is ripe to be abused.

Kendan said:

Until the cops come banging on your door wanting the person who was hacking into gov't computers or downloading all that child porn

An unsecured network is ripe to be abused.

Click to expand...

I never said I didn't secure MY network. Any network I setup is secured with AT LEAST WEP. I just mean that in any given area there will be plenty of unprotected networks, and they are so much easier to get onto, just click on that network and surf. In general I feel that the biggest threat with WiFi is just people looking to steal your bandwidth, or download illegal things using your connection. As such if they have the option of just choosing a network and starting, or needing to break through various security which would be the mroe likely choice?

My rule of thumb is to be more secure than everyone around you, and hopefully you are the least likely target. If anyone really wanted to know what was on your PC it would be easy enough to do anyway.