ok.... I just caught someone connecting to my wifi, I have their computer name, but thats it... - Page 2

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - ok.... I just caught someone connecting to my wifi, I have their computer name, but thats it... (Page 2 of 2)

Posted: 11/18/2008 2:20:34 PM EDT

[#1]

WiFi that is not protected is free game. Simple as that. If you don't want them using it... which obviously you don't, then you need to protect your home WiFi network.

Posted: 11/18/2008 2:21:29 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
Secure your network if you dont want that.

Being angry at this is like being angry that someone can hear your music is playing.

Within reason, there is no limit to how many people can listen to his stereo without taking away his ability to use it himself. On the other hand, he has X bandwidth from his ISP, and when some fantastically cat-food-eating poor sleazy slob uses it, it deprives the rightful and paying user from accessing the complete amount. Theft, in other words. (But I know, its the 'easy' sort of theft that should be legal!)

Posted: 11/18/2008 2:32:19 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Secure your network if you dont want that.

Being angry at this is like being angry that someone can hear your music is playing.

Within reason, there is no limit to how many people can listen to his stereo without taking away his ability to use it himself. On the other hand, he has X bandwidth from his ISP, and when some fantastically cat-food-eating poor sleazy slob uses it, it deprives the rightful and paying user from accessing the complete amount. Theft, in other words. (But I know, its the 'easy' sort of theft that should be legal!)

Yeah I guess you're right about that. There are always asshats that bit torrent stuff off of wireless networks they find. But still, if you dont want other people using it, lock it. Especially if you live in an urban area. People will find it and use it.

Posted: 11/18/2008 2:40:08 PM EDT

[#4]

It's the cows, dude.

It's always the cows.

Posted: 11/18/2008 2:47:13 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Why not just turn on WEP encryption and only allow verified MAC addresses to connect to your wifi router?

Thats what we do.

Then you don't have to worry about other users on your wifi network.

Posted: 11/18/2008 2:48:03 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Secure your network if you dont want that.

Being angry at this is like being angry that someone can hear your music is playing.

Within reason, there is no limit to how many people can listen to his stereo without taking away his ability to use it himself. On the other hand, he has X bandwidth from his ISP, and when some fantastically cat-food-eating poor sleazy slob uses it, it deprives the rightful and paying user from accessing the complete amount. Theft, in other words. (But I know, its the 'easy' sort of theft that should be legal!)

Yeah I guess you're right about that. There are always asshats that bit torrent stuff off of wireless networks they find. But still, if you dont want other people using it, lock it. Especially if you live in an urban area. People will find it and use it.

If it is some clueless senior citizen who just doesn't know any better, let it slide, I say. Their 3 emails a month aren't going to eat too much bandwidth. But there are way too many folks (like you said, more in the urban areas than the spread out suburbs) who are just too cheap and sleazy to pay for what they use, and intentionally look for 'free' WiFi.

Posted: 11/19/2008 1:02:25 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Why not just turn on WEP encryption and only allow verified MAC addresses to connect to your wifi router?

+1

There is a tool for the Mac OS that will not only sniff and hack a WEP in under 5 minutes, it will also give you the mac addresses that are currently on that network. There is a command in linux/mac that will allow you to change your MAC address.

I'm telling you, if you are serious about securing your network, WPA2!

Posted: 11/19/2008 1:11:14 PM EDT

[#8]

You damn Kids! Get off my lawn!

Seriously. If you dont want your neighbors listening to your music then turn down the stereo.

Posted: 11/19/2008 1:13:49 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:

Quoted:
If you left your wifi unsecured, you're just asking for someone to connect to it.

Very literally, in fact.

so how dumb of an idea is it to use wep but not mac encryption? am i naive for feeling ok about it?

eta: another alternative would be to cover your house in tinfoil to secure them pesky interweb rays.

Posted: 11/19/2008 2:35:21 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
It's the cows, dude.

It's always the cows.

Fuck those guys.

Posted: 11/20/2008 12:45:09 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:

Quoted:
If you left your wifi unsecured, you're just asking for someone to connect to it.

Very literally, in fact.

so how dumb of an idea is it to use wep but not mac encryption? am i naive for feeling ok about it?

eta: another alternative would be to cover your house in tinfoil to secure them pesky interweb rays.

If you at least use WEP, even though it sucks badly, you are making someone commit a real crime to connect to your network.

It's all I bother to use, though I also disable SSID broadcasting. It just means that someone looking for a target will go to something easier.

Posted: 11/20/2008 12:50:10 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

Quoted:
If you left your wifi unsecured, you're just asking for someone to connect to it.

Very literally, in fact.

so how dumb of an idea is it to use wep but not mac encryption? am i naive for feeling ok about it?

eta: another alternative would be to cover your house in tinfoil to secure them pesky interweb rays.

If you at least use WEP, even though it sucks badly, you are making someone commit a real crime to connect to your network.

It's all I bother to use, though I also disable SSID broadcasting. It just means that someone looking for a target will go to something easier.

ah, good idea. i hadn't thought of that; thanks!

Posted: 11/20/2008 12:53:39 PM EDT

[#13]

lock that thing before someone steals ur internets and credit, then does a firmware update with bad firmware and bricks your router!

Posted: 11/20/2008 1:01:04 PM EDT

[#14]

Look, I'm telling you guys, I work in the IT world, you want to fully secure your wireless network, you will use WPA2, that is the only true method currently of securing your network.

With one tool I can do the following:

1) Detect what MAC addresses are being used on a network, in turn essentially changing the MAC on my wireless card (defeats MAC filtering)

2) Crack a WEP password in less that 5 minutes.

3) WPA has been cracked, it will take longer, but it can be cracked

4) Turn off broadcasting SSID, this does not work. Packet sniffers will stick pick up the SSID even though you "think" it's not being broadcast, it still it.

Do yourself a favor, enable WPA2 and use a key that is not a dictionary word, throw some symbols and numbers and random capitalized letters and you're good to go.

Posted: 11/20/2008 1:11:36 PM EDT

[#15]

We have our connection redirect piggybackers to a gay porn site every time they attempt to connect.

Posted: 11/20/2008 1:15:15 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
If you left your wifi unsecured, you're just asking for someone to connect to it.

Just like all those bitch whores in short skirts are begging to be raped, right man?

Posted: 11/20/2008 1:21:24 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Packet sniff his credit card info and send a box full of gay sex toys to his address. Do it on a Friday and opt for overnight delivery so it arrives Saturday when the wife is home.

No way you're getting in here!

Posted: 11/20/2008 1:29:17 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Quoted:
If you left your wifi unsecured, you're just asking for someone to connect to it.

Just like all those bitch whores in short skirts are begging to be raped, right man?

If they are also using a blow horn to yell to everyone in the area to "please rape me" then yes.

A wireless network is broadcasting "PLEASE CONNECT TO ME".

An unsecured network lets anyone in.

A secured one only lets those people you want in.

If you want anyone to walk into your house leave the door open. = leave it unsecured

If you want to only let certain people in close it and lock it. = activate security and select a password.

If you left it unsecured then you have NO RIGHT at all to be upset. You invited them to connect to your network. The only one to blame is you.

Posted: 11/20/2008 1:31:33 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Most wifi connections have a VERY short radius, so it had to be someone parked near your house.

But yea, secure that shit man. I live in a subdivision, and everyone has their locked down,

i am 175 feet from the road, my neighbor is about 170-200 feet away, and another guy lives across the street about 250 feet away.

There is a way take an old satellite dish and craft it into a receptor that could be pointed at your house to pick up your wifi signal at distances you didn't think possible.

Posted: 11/20/2008 1:32:33 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Why not just turn on WEP encryption and only allow verified MAC addresses to connect to your wifi router?

+1 This will stop all but the most determined hackers.

Posted: 11/20/2008 1:34:43 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
If they are also using a blow horn to yell to everyone in the area to "please rape me" then yes.

That's exactly what those Jezebels are doing by dressing that way. Anyone can see it.
Yep, if they weren't offering, they wouldn't be showing, right?

And if you walk into my unlocked front door uninvited, I will kill you.

Posted: 11/20/2008 1:42:06 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:

Quoted:
+++ on securing your network.

If you leave your front door unlocked, don't get pissed at the people who walk right in.

If you just walk into my house, don't get pissed when you end up shot

Posted: 11/20/2008 2:22:03 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Why not just turn on WEP encryption and only allow verified MAC addresses to connect to your wifi router?

+1

Next you will accuse them of stealing your air or listening to your radio.

Posted: 11/20/2008 2:22:57 PM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:

Quoted:
If they are also using a blow horn to yell to everyone in the area to "please rape me" then yes.

That's exactly what those Jezebels are doing by dressing that way. Anyone can see it.
Yep, if they weren't offering, they wouldn't be showing, right?

And if you walk into my unlocked front door uninvited, I will kill you.

Quoted:

Quoted:
+++ on securing your network.

If you leave your front door unlocked, don't get pissed at the people who walk right in.

If you just walk into my house, don't get pissed when you end up shot

Unlocked and open = 2 different things.

An unsecured wifi is literally like me walking up to you and asking you to come to my house.
When you come to my house if my door is wide open... would you not walk in? you've been invited.

A secured wifi is still like me asking you to come to my house.
When you get there the door is closed and locked. If you have bad intentions you could try to pick the lock(hack in). if you have good intentions you could knock and I look out and see you and so let you in(give the password).

I don't think you would shot anyone you had invited over. WIFI is BROADCASTING an INVITATION.

So you say you would shoot someone you invited over and you left your door wide open? Have fun in jail.

Posted: 11/20/2008 2:54:33 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
WIFI is BROADCASTING an INVITATION.

So you say you would shoot someone you invited over and you left your door wide open? Have fun in jail.

First sentence: No, it's not. Unless I have told you in particular to use it, you are not invited to use it. Why do you keep making the nonsensical claim that unlocked means invited? That's foolishness. What is belongs to someone else is not yours to use just because someone didn't lock you out of it. If you didn't get it, leave it alone. Not a hard concept.

Second sentence: WTF? Way to jump way the hell over to a false conclusion.

Posted: 11/21/2008 7:54:18 AM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
Unless I have told you in particular to use it, you are not invited to use it. Why do you keep making the nonsensical claim that unlocked means invited? That's foolishness. What is belongs to someone else is not yours to use just because someone didn't lock you out of it. If you didn't get it, leave it alone. Not a hard concept.

The concept you are failing to grasp is the technology involved. An open wifi network, by design, is literally, actively, soliciting connections to itself.

Every time this discussion comes up, people without a clue come barging in and make authoritative declarations without knowing anything about the subject involved. Kinda like how Congress mandates all sorts of garbage without knowing shit about it.

Posted: 11/21/2008 7:56:54 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
Look, I'm telling you guys, I work in the IT world, you want to fully secure your wireless network, you will use WPA2, that is the only true method currently of securing your network.

With one tool I can do the following:

1) Detect what MAC addresses are being used on a network, in turn essentially changing the MAC on my wireless card (defeats MAC filtering)

2) Crack a WEP password in less that 5 minutes.

3) WPA has been cracked, it will take longer, but it can be cracked

4) Turn off broadcasting SSID, this does not work. Packet sniffers will stick pick up the SSID even though you "think" it's not being broadcast, it still it.

Do yourself a favor, enable WPA2 and use a key that is not a dictionary word, throw some symbols and numbers and random capitalized letters and you're good to go.

That's great. I have a home network, not a business network, and even the minimally-intrusive security I use is enough to keep 99.9999% of people out of my shit. The rest would be able to hack it anyway, and would commit several felonies doing it.

Posted: 11/21/2008 8:04:39 AM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:

Look, I'm telling you guys, I work in the IT world, you want to fully secure your wireless network, you will use WPA2, that is the only true method currently of securing your network.

With one tool I can do the following:

1) Detect what MAC addresses are being used on a network, in turn essentially changing the MAC on my wireless card (defeats MAC filtering)

2) Crack a WEP password in less that 5 minutes.

3) WPA has been cracked, it will take longer, but it can be cracked

4) Turn off broadcasting SSID, this does not work. Packet sniffers will stick pick up the SSID even though you "think" it's not being broadcast, it still it.

Do yourself a favor, enable WPA2 and use a key that is not a dictionary word, throw some symbols and numbers and random capitalized letters and you're good to go.

I've turned off SSID broadcasting , and enabled WPA2. Not sure why folks don't use the most secure option. Enabling WPA or WPA2 is no more time consuming or difficult that WEP. The only thing I haven't done is provided permission to specific MAC addresses. WTH, I'll probably do that this weekend as it's very easy to do. Can't hurt to make "it" as difficult as possible.

Posted: 11/21/2008 8:07:46 AM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
Look, I'm telling you guys, I work in the IT world, you want to fully secure your wireless network, you will use WPA2, that is the only true method currently of securing your network.

With one tool I can do the following:

1) Detect what MAC addresses are being used on a network, in turn essentially changing the MAC on my wireless card (defeats MAC filtering)

2) Crack a WEP password in less that 5 minutes.

3) WPA has been cracked, it will take longer, but it can be cracked

4) Turn off broadcasting SSID, this does not work. Packet sniffers will stick pick up the SSID even though you "think" it's not being broadcast, it still it.

Do yourself a favor, enable WPA2 and use a key that is not a dictionary word, throw some symbols and numbers and random capitalized letters and you're good to go.

I usually sit back and watch these threads. I had to comment just to say that you are one of the few that get it. MAC filtering and disabling the broadcast are false securities. Most people don't realize to crack WEP you collect the SSID and MAC addresses in the process (kismet). The only thing those two things do is slow me down when I need to get valid devices on the network.

To reiterate: WPA2 with a strong key is the best things you have available in consumer WiFi.

Caveat: WEP will keep out most but if you have WPA2 available then use it.

Posted: 11/21/2008 8:08:53 AM EDT

[#30]

WPA2 personal with AES. Make up some random numbers/letters code that's about 15 digits long as the encryption key

Turn off the SSID broadcast, too.

Go ahead and do MAC filtering if you want, but that's pretty easy to spoof.

Posted: 11/21/2008 8:09:18 AM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Look, I'm telling you guys, I work in the IT world, you want to fully secure your wireless network, you will use WPA2, that is the only true method currently of securing your network.

With one tool I can do the following:

1) Detect what MAC addresses are being used on a network, in turn essentially changing the MAC on my wireless card (defeats MAC filtering)

2) Crack a WEP password in less that 5 minutes.

3) WPA has been cracked, it will take longer, but it can be cracked

4) Turn off broadcasting SSID, this does not work. Packet sniffers will stick pick up the SSID even though you "think" it's not being broadcast, it still it.

Do yourself a favor, enable WPA2 and use a key that is not a dictionary word, throw some symbols and numbers and random capitalized letters and you're good to go.

That's great. I have a home network, not a business network, and even the minimally-intrusive security I use is enough to keep 99.9999% of people out of my shit. The rest would be able to hack it anyway, and would commit several felonies doing it.

But how are you going to prove who did it? The first thing a hacker will do is change his MAC address on his wireless card, not hard to do. Even if you knew exactly who the person was and the authorities checked his computer, they would compare your router logs to match up the MAC address that logged on to the MAC address on his computer. By that time, he has already switched it back, end of investigation, they have no way to prove he was on your network.

You don't have to have a "business" network to enable WPA2, that comes standard on any router built in the last 2 years. I personally would not want to be responsible for somebody else's activities on my IP address.

Some hacker get's on your network and starts transmitting kiddie porn around, who's door do you think the cops are going to be knocking on? Do you want to take all the time and possibly a lawyer to defend that you were not the one spreading it? They would have a pretty solid case against you, all traffic for the kiddie porn was originating from your IP address!

Or, would you take two minutes and change your wireless security from WEP to WPA2 and feel secure? Seems like a simple solution to me!

Posted: 11/21/2008 8:10:32 AM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Look, I'm telling you guys, I work in the IT world, you want to fully secure your wireless network, you will use WPA2, that is the only true method currently of securing your network.

With one tool I can do the following:

1) Detect what MAC addresses are being used on a network, in turn essentially changing the MAC on my wireless card (defeats MAC filtering)

2) Crack a WEP password in less that 5 minutes.

3) WPA has been cracked, it will take longer, but it can be cracked

4) Turn off broadcasting SSID, this does not work. Packet sniffers will stick pick up the SSID even though you "think" it's not being broadcast, it still it.

Do yourself a favor, enable WPA2 and use a key that is not a dictionary word, throw some symbols and numbers and random capitalized letters and you're good to go.

I usually sit back and watch these threads. I had to comment just to say that you are one of the few that get it. MAC filtering and disabling the broadcast are false securities. Most people don't realize to crack WEP you collect the SSID and MAC addresses in the process (kismet). The only thing those two things do is slow me down when I need to get valid devices on the network.

To reiterate: WPA2 with a strong key is the best things you have available in consumer WiFi.

Caveat: WEP will keep out most but if you have WPA2 available then use it.

Kismac is the exact same tool that I use as well, once you learn what that app can do, you will realize quickly how SSID disabling and WEP are a complete and utter joke!

Posted: 11/21/2008 8:15:12 AM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Look, I'm telling you guys, I work in the IT world, you want to fully secure your wireless network, you will use WPA2, that is the only true method currently of securing your network.

With one tool I can do the following:

1) Detect what MAC addresses are being used on a network, in turn essentially changing the MAC on my wireless card (defeats MAC filtering)

2) Crack a WEP password in less that 5 minutes.

3) WPA has been cracked, it will take longer, but it can be cracked

4) Turn off broadcasting SSID, this does not work. Packet sniffers will stick pick up the SSID even though you "think" it's not being broadcast, it still it.

Do yourself a favor, enable WPA2 and use a key that is not a dictionary word, throw some symbols and numbers and random capitalized letters and you're good to go.

That's great. I have a home network, not a business network, and even the minimally-intrusive security I use is enough to keep 99.9999% of people out of my shit. The rest would be able to hack it anyway, and would commit several felonies doing it.

But how are you going to prove who did it? The first thing a hacker will do is change his MAC address on his wireless card, not hard to do. Even if you knew exactly who the person was and the authorities checked his computer, they would compare your router logs to match up the MAC address that logged on to the MAC address on his computer. By that time, he has already switched it back, end of investigation, they have no way to prove he was on your network.

You don't have to have a "business" network to enable WPA2, that comes standard on any router built in the last 2 years. I personally would not want to be responsible for somebody else's activities on my IP address.

Some hacker get's on your network and starts transmitting kiddie porn around, who's door do you think the cops are going to be knocking on? Do you want to take all the time and possibly a lawyer to defend that you were not the one spreading it? That would have a pretty solid case against you, all traffic for the kiddie porn was originating from your IP address!

Or, would you take two minutes and change your wireless security from WEP to WPA2 and feel secure? Seems like a simple solution to me!

I'm not saying you're wrong, because you aren't.

For one, I would have to buy new hardware to use WPA2. Secondly, I am adrift in an urban sea, and there are never-ending supply of little fish that are more obvious than my network. I'm not very worried, and I'd rather spend that extra cash on ammo instead of a new wireless router.

If you like the feeling that your security steps give you, great. I'm satisfied with my anonymity and my ability to keep track of what's actually going on on my network.

Posted: 11/21/2008 8:18:08 AM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Look, I'm telling you guys, I work in the IT world, you want to fully secure your wireless network, you will use WPA2, that is the only true method currently of securing your network.

With one tool I can do the following:

1) Detect what MAC addresses are being used on a network, in turn essentially changing the MAC on my wireless card (defeats MAC filtering)

2) Crack a WEP password in less that 5 minutes.

3) WPA has been cracked, it will take longer, but it can be cracked

4) Turn off broadcasting SSID, this does not work. Packet sniffers will stick pick up the SSID even though you "think" it's not being broadcast, it still it.

Do yourself a favor, enable WPA2 and use a key that is not a dictionary word, throw some symbols and numbers and random capitalized letters and you're good to go.

That's great. I have a home network, not a business network, and even the minimally-intrusive security I use is enough to keep 99.9999% of people out of my shit. The rest would be able to hack it anyway, and would commit several felonies doing it.

But how are you going to prove who did it? The first thing a hacker will do is change his MAC address on his wireless card, not hard to do. Even if you knew exactly who the person was and the authorities checked his computer, they would compare your router logs to match up the MAC address that logged on to the MAC address on his computer. By that time, he has already switched it back, end of investigation, they have no way to prove he was on your network.

You don't have to have a "business" network to enable WPA2, that comes standard on any router built in the last 2 years. I personally would not want to be responsible for somebody else's activities on my IP address.

Some hacker get's on your network and starts transmitting kiddie porn around, who's door do you think the cops are going to be knocking on? Do you want to take all the time and possibly a lawyer to defend that you were not the one spreading it? That would have a pretty solid case against you, all traffic for the kiddie porn was originating from your IP address!

Or, would you take two minutes and change your wireless security from WEP to WPA2 and feel secure? Seems like a simple solution to me!

I'm not saying you're wrong, because you aren't.

For one, I would have to buy new hardware to use WPA2. Secondly, I am adrift in an urban sea, and there are never-ending supply of little fish that are more obvious than my network. I'm not very worried, and I'd rather spend that extra cash on ammo instead of a new wireless router.

If you like the feeling that your security steps give you, great. I'm satisfied with my anonymity and my ability to keep track of what's actually going on on my network.

That's cool man, I'm not trying to piss in your Cheerios, I'm just trying to give you some useful information for you to think about, but no means am I trying to force anything down your throat.

I am just ultra paranoid that with the nasty shit that take place on the internet these days, I just want to make sure I'm covered 100%.

Posted: 11/21/2008 8:34:28 AM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:
That's cool man, I'm not trying to piss in your Cheerios, I'm just trying to give you some useful information for you to think about, but no means am I trying to force anything down your throat.

I am just ultra paranoid that with the nasty shit that take place on the internet these days, I just want to make sure I'm covered 100%.

It's all good, I know you were being helpful. The info you gave was very good, and could help people that are more exposed. Educating people about dangers that they might not be aware of is always a good thing.

Posted: 11/21/2008 8:41:16 AM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
Dang, I read "wife" instead of "wifi".

So did I.

Posted: 11/21/2008 8:52:28 AM EDT

[#37]

If your router supports it, use a WPA passkey (no server) it's 64 characters, anything on the keyboard, as apose to a 24 hexadecimal for WEP.
Filter all MAC addresses, except the ones of the computers in your home.
Turn off 'ssid' broadcast, this will make it so your network doesn't even show when the badguy looks, unless he really knows his shit.
Change the default ip address of your router to anything other than 192.168.0.1
Make the DHCP ip range only enough to accommodate the computers in your home, you can give your pc's static ip's just for this purpose.
Lastly password protect your router, it'll be in the settings.
None of this is 'bulletproof', if the guy wants in and knows his shit, he's in. But many deterrents should have most folks giving up.

Posted: 11/21/2008 9:16:09 AM EDT

[#38]

WTF dude? Your signals are trespassing on his property. Secure that shit ASAP if it bothers you so much.

Posted: 11/21/2008 9:31:12 AM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:

Packet sniff his credit card info and send a box full of gay sex toys to his address. Do it on a Friday and opt for overnight delivery so it arrives Saturday when the wife is home.

Ok, but to do that wouldn't you need to know what a gay sex toy is? Hmmmm?

Posted: 11/21/2008 10:03:58 AM EDT

[#40]

ok guys i secured my wifi, with WPA-PSK.

I was originally just gonna not have my SSID broadcast, and leave it unsecured.

but apparently there is something wrong with how that works or I was doing it wrong.

Probably the latter.

I couldnt get my other computers to reconnect to the network after the SSID broadcast was turned off. they were connected when i changed it over, but after a restart of the computers then they couldnt.

so no clue on that, i thought it worked like that but im wrong or something is lame about my router....

ANYWAYS...

thanks for all your smart ass comments, they were well worth it.

Posted: 11/21/2008 10:37:14 AM EDT

[#41]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Look, I'm telling you guys, I work in the IT world, you want to fully secure your wireless network, you will use WPA2, that is the only true method currently of securing your network.

With one tool I can do the following:

1) Detect what MAC addresses are being used on a network, in turn essentially changing the MAC on my wireless card (defeats MAC filtering)

2) Crack a WEP password in less that 5 minutes.

3) WPA has been cracked, it will take longer, but it can be cracked

4) Turn off broadcasting SSID, this does not work. Packet sniffers will stick pick up the SSID even though you "think" it's not being broadcast, it still it.

Do yourself a favor, enable WPA2 and use a key that is not a dictionary word, throw some symbols and numbers and random capitalized letters and you're good to go.

I usually sit back and watch these threads. I had to comment just to say that you are one of the few that get it. MAC filtering and disabling the broadcast are false securities. Most people don't realize to crack WEP you collect the SSID and MAC addresses in the process (kismet). The only thing those two things do is slow me down when I need to get valid devices on the network.

To reiterate: WPA2 with a strong key is the best things you have available in consumer WiFi.

Caveat: WEP will keep out most but if you have WPA2 available then use it.

+1 to everything said by both.

I was at a Doctor's house last night getting his Macbook and iPhone syncing with MobileMe (which is pretty damn cool, btw) and noticed his wireless wasn't encrypted. The tech from Cox Cable set it up for him, and when the doc had asked about security, the tech told him (nah, there's just a bunch of old people in this subdivision".

Out of the seven wireless networks immediately accessible from his house, two were secured. Guess that tech was doing his job. All of the five allowed me to browse around, netbios-style (after changing my workgroup name) and see what all was on there. Several computers weren't password protected either.

Bottom line is, casual WEP is better than nothing, and will stop the occasional person that drops in. WPA2 will keep out the baddies, even without MAC filtering. MAC filtering may take an extra ten seconds for a h4><0R to start busting your encryption, but really it just serves as a pain in the ass when a friend comes over with a laptop and wants to borrow some bandwidth.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - ok.... I just caught someone connecting to my wifi, I have their computer name, but thats it... (Page 2 of 2)

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