Bought this think today from Costco and don't have a clue how to secure it from everybody and their neighbor.  How do I secure the wireless connection?  

I have had one for a year and the code to get it to work is 26 digets long. Letters upper and lower case plus numbers thrown in. If you lived next door and I gave you the code it would tell me you were on my connection. Pretty secure in my opinion. The manual should tell you how to set the code. Dino

best way is turn off ssid and mac security it and create a ssid thats not a easy guess

do the top way and your more then secured

wep or wap isnt going to stop someone if they want in.  and it slows your bandwith

Go to the manufacturers website and look up the owners manual.  Look in the "encryption" or "security" section, and they walk you through it.  I set up 128 bit encryption with no problems.

Write it down and keep it in several safe places, just a small word to the wise.

Depending on the security 64, 128, etc, they tell you what numbers and Letters to use.  You just string them together.  You set the wireless router, then when your computer finds the signal it will display "security enabled wireless blah, blah"  When you want to log on it will ask you what the code is, you type it in, and away you go.  

In no way am I close to using correct terminology, but start with security in the owners manual, and it should be easy.

I do not know this very product to tell exact ste on how to configure it.   However, they usually have a html interface that you can access from your PC (which should be hooked through a standard wired connection) to one of its ports and program your preferences.

Enable WEP/WAP (whatever it has) and the encryption key.   Use weird words (make them up) and mix letters and numbers.  Make sure you can either remember it or write it down in a safe place.

If you will only use one computer to access the router "wirelessly" try to set the router to accept only its MAC address (through the wireless interface) and also do what is suggested above regarding hiding SSID, etc.

That should keep most folks out.   However, if someone is really determined there's still no wireless protocol that can prevent access.

By the way... do not forget to enable the firewall and also use one in your PC(s).  I use Zone Alarm here.

Cheers!

Follow the directions incuded for setting it up. The most important step is to change the administrator password on the access point. If someone can gain access to your AP they can change the security settings and the nameservers to implement a man-in-the-middle attack (newly nicknamed a Pharming Attack).

What kind of equipment are you accessing it with? If its a recent version of Windows or Mac you should be using WPA encryption, NOT WEP which is horribly broken.

Make sure you use passwords that cannot be easily guessed, it is better to write them down in a safe place than to use something that can be guessed by a WarDriver. It also helps when things don't work and you have to reset the AP and start over from scratch.

First get it setup and working without WPA enabled. That way you know it is working at its basic level. Then enable WPA in the access point, writing down the password you use. Then enable it in Windows/Mac/Linux. The manual that came with the device should have a pretty clear description of exactly what steps to follow.

You can turn off the SSID, but that really provides no security. Changing it from its default is a good idea though, it makes it slightly harder to figure out the manufacturer (but not impossible, just harder).

If it doesn't seem to work right with encryption enabled you can always reset the AP and start from scratch, this usually involved holding down a reset button for 10 seconds or something similar.

After reading the manual for the third time I finally found the section on "wireless security".  I secured the WPA / WPA2 with a password.  
My desktop is connected with a CAT 5 cable as well as our other computer in the room next door.  (I even wired and intalled a Cat 5 jack for a clean look)  I only bought the wireless router so I can use my work laptop anywhere in the house and my son can play his Wii and PSP games on-line.
The router is from Costco.  $79.00 for a D-Link DIR-625 Rangebooster N Router.  (4x range and 12X speed)
Probably works good for my limited computer / network knowledge.

Thanks All..
50

i wont ever use wep or wpa if you mis type it its a world of hurt or if you forget it you have to clear it from everywhere.

easiest way is no ssid broadcast and mac.  no headaches at all and just have a decent firewall on your pc

Quoted: i wont ever use wep or wpa if you mis type it its a world of hurt or if you forget it you have to clear it from everywhere. easiest way is no ssid broadcast and mac.  no headaches at all and just have a decent firewall on your pc

The problem with that is that anyone driving by can watch your unencrypted connections (non-SSL web, pop3 email, smtp, IM, etc.) MAC can also be spoofed to gain access to the LAN (just watch for some activity and then copy the MAC). The only benefit to no SSID is that when you're not using the AP it isn't announcing its presence. While in use you see the SSID in the packets.

not at all. you need to know what the ssid is to log into the router.


if someone wants to sit out front and crack it by all means go at it. just makes them stand out like a bright light

Quoted: not at all. you need to know what the ssid is to log into the router. if someone wants to sit out front and crack it by all means go at it. just makes them stand out like a bright light

It's not that hard to figure out.

SSID as a security feature

The Service Set Identification is not meant as a security measure. It is not a "password" the users must know to be able to connect to the wireless network. Any client that configures his SSID to "Any" or _blank_ will discover and connect to the nearest available (and open) access point, regardless of the SSID used. This is because the access points broadcasts the SSID as part of the answer to clients calling for a "Broadcast Request".

There are several excellent tools that are capable of mapping the access points in the area. They are also useful tools for installation/deployment and detecting rogue access points.

NetStumbler (Windows) and MiniStumbler (Pocket PC)
PocketWarrior (Pocket PC)
Kismet (Linux)
Wellenreiter (Linux, experimental BSD)
802.11 Network Discovery Tools (Linux)
iStumbler (Mac)
AirMagnet (Windows, PDA)
THC-WarDrive (Linux)
PrismStumbler (Linux)
WaveStumbler (Linux)
ssidsniff (Linux)
WaveMon (Linux)

unless i am connected to my AP my ssid isnt shown on the sniffers

Quoted: unless i am connected to my AP my ssid isnt shown on the sniffers

Well there ya go.  As long as you are never using your computer, you don't have anything to be concerned with.

Trying to figure out what smart people were talking about made my head hurt and my nose start bleeding...

Quoted: i wont ever use wep or wpa if you mis type it its a world of hurt or if you forget it you have to clear it from everywhere. easiest way is no ssid broadcast and mac.  no headaches at all and just have a decent firewall on your pc

I cut and pasted mine to a notepad document and saved it to a thumbdrive and kept in my safe.  That way, if I have to add a workstation, I don't have to re-type the "code/password", etc.  I just copy and paste it again from my thumb drive.  And if you forget/lose it, it's real easy to reset - all you need is a paper clip.  YMMV, whatever works for you.  

it comes down if you live in a good neighborhood or not

ok teachers for the semi computer inept. What I am gathering here is a way to beat out the secrity features on wireless networks...

TEACH ME!!!!

its nice to be able to find a connection almost anywhere....

Quoted: ok teachers for the semi computer inept. What I am gathering here is a way to beat out the secrity features on wireless networks... TEACH ME!!!! its nice to be able to find a connection almost anywhere....

if you need to get online go to an apt complex and just searh for a wifi unsecured.

If the hardware you bought was made sometime after Mar of '06, then it's got to be WPA2-compliant, which is actually not a bad security standard.  You just have to tweak/adjust the settings & PWD when you set it up.

Quoted: ok teachers for the semi computer inept. What I am gathering here is a way to beat out the secrity features on wireless networks... TEACH ME!!!! its nice to be able to find a connection almost anywhere....

Better play on the honest side:  www.wififreespot.com/