I have just setup my wireless router.. Everything is working fine. My wife wants to use her laptop to pay bills. Is the encryption enough security.. Or do I need to worry about somneone being able to hack my signal?

Hopefully you hare using WPA encryption. Also you want to hide your ssid network name.

WPA should be plenty unless the NSA is after you.  

Ditto to Shorty's advice. You wouldn't beleive the amount of suckers that leave their SSID out in the open, I just park in front of their driveway and mooch their network access

Quoted: Ditto to Shorty's advice. You wouldn't beleive the amount of suckers that leave their SSID out in the open, I just park in front of their driveway and mooch their network access

Thanks guys,

Yes Im using WPA.. how do I 'hide' the SSID? (sorry..)

WPA encryption + Hide your SSID + MAC address filtering = secure wireless network

Also, regardless of encryption of your wireless on your end, the website you are using to pay bills will be SSL/HTTPS (or better be).  So if that is the case, even if your wireless network was wide open the connection from your browser to the server is encrypted anyway.
No worries if that is the case.

C

Go to your wireless router's control panel (possibly http://192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) and it is likely to be in the advanced settings tab.

I don't know what hardware you have so my instructions are generalized.

+1  What they said ^ .

Quoted: Go to your wireless router's control panel (possibly http://192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) and it is likely to be in the advanced settings tab. I don't know what hardware you have so my instructions are generalized.

Thanks,

Im running a Linksys router. I am enabled the reccomended thingys.. I just now need to 'authorize' my wifes laptop.. does this sound right?

Quoted: Quoted: Go to your wireless router's control panel (possibly http://192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) and it is likely to be in the advanced settings tab. I don't know what hardware you have so my instructions are generalized. Thanks, Im running a Linksys router. I am enabled the reccomended thingys.. I just now need to 'authorize' my wifes laptop.. does this sound right?

You shouldn't need to authorize it if you only changed the SSID Broadcast, it should find it automatically, since you have a WPA key stored on the computer.

XP Pro?

Quoted: Also, regardless of encryption of your wireless on your end, the website you are using to pay bills will be SSL/HTTPS (or better be).  So if that is the case, even if your wireless network was wide open the connection from your browser to the server is encrypted anyway. No worries if that is the case. C

+1.  You should have your wireless network secured, but the bank's site should be using SSL anyways so you'd be safe either way.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Go to your wireless router's control panel (possibly http://192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1) and it is likely to be in the advanced settings tab. I don't know what hardware you have so my instructions are generalized. Thanks, Im running a Linksys router. I am enabled the reccomended thingys.. I just now need to 'authorize' my wifes laptop.. does this sound right? You shouldn't need to authorize it if you only changed the SSID Broadcast, it should find it automatically, since you have a WPA key stored on the computer. XP Pro?

Yeah Im running XP Pro, I enabled the MAC filtering, I think that is why I had to add the MAC address to allow her to connect? At any rate.. its working for now.... Until I try to add the Tivo next week.. lol

Thanks!

Quoted: WPA encryption + Hide your SSID + MAC address filtering = a moresecure wireless network

Wireless can never be totally secure.  But those make it as secure as it usually can be.

This explaination covers more than just the wireless piece, but:

As log as you have the wireless encryption setup on the router/pc's, you're ok/safe with the wireless piece.  (And she is connecting to sites using SSL, 128 bit encryption when doing financial transactions)

You also must have the pc's in the house fully patched with Microsoft updates, running updated Anti-Virus definitions, and make sure (as best as you can) that they are spyware free (using Ad-Aware, Webroot, Microsoft, others).  The only scenarios that you're still vulnerable to losing financial info (even if you've got wireless encryption setup and your machines fully patched/cleaned) would be by being comprimised by new/unknown Spyware (and Phishing) attacks.

Make sure (if you have kids for example) that they are not surfing questionable sites like free gaming/entertainment sites for example (or free porno sites ), as there are very often hidden "active content attacks" that can deliver key loggers, spyware etc...even by just visiting the site.  You don't necessarily even need to click on anything...there are such things as "drive-by downloads".  I've known people that have done all the security controls and have still been comprimised because of seemingly bad "surfing habits" that exposed them to a new/unknown spyware attack.  

Lastly, if you click on questionable content in emails, they can download and execute spyware, keyloggers etc.  Or if you get tricked via email or a link in a webpage into going to a fake "Paypal", "Ebay" or "Banking" site and enter your personal information...that's called a phishing attack.

No matter how many controls you put in place and how patched/secure your systems are, there are still traps.  It takes due-dilligence with keeping your systems secure, and exhibiting the right behavior with email and surfing on the internet to stay uncomprimised.

Even then you're really not 100% risk free.  There is no such thing as 100% security.  Do all of the above, and the odds are well in your favor.

Ok, I'm really lost on this wireless thing.
Found my router thru http posted & it says SSID enabled & WEP Security.
Mac filtering is off & if u enable it has several options>???
Do I need to change all these settings & if so am I gona be able to get reconnected?

Quoted: WPA encryption + Hide your SSID + MAC address filtering = more secure wireless network

Fixed it for ya.  
There's no such thing as "secure wireless network".
Just like there's no "safe sex".

Quoted: Quoted: WPA encryption + Hide your SSID + MAC address filtering = a moresecure wireless network Wireless can never be totally secure.  But those make it as secure as it usually can be.

yup

You arfcommers have defeated WPA protocol already? I doubt it.

Secure is of course a relative term but WEP is just a black mark on the whole thing that never should have happened.

WEP encryption + Hide your SSID + MAC address filtering = SCREWED?

tag for home ... just got a linksys router and cannot figure out how to get it set up.

Quoted: WEP encryption + Hide your SSID + MAC address filtering = SCREWED?

It's better than nothing if you're stuck with a client that can't do WPA.

If possible you want WPA2 or 802.11i encryption.  This is typically only available on newer and more expensive routers and cards.  

GunLvr