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Wireless Hackers

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DavidDownes | 18:03 Fri 04th May 2007 | Internet
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How do I find out and stop people using my internet connection? I 've got an Netgear ADSL Wireless Router and not sure at all what to do.
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A few things. In the instructions it'll tell you about a page to get to by typing in 192.168.1.1 (or similar number), in your web browser. once you get there and type in the default username and password,

In the wireless security section to the left, enable WPA-PSK and enter a password for the wireless. Also, untick the box saying 'broadcast SSID'. The next time you connect wirelessly to the router you will have to manually enter the network name and password.

also, change the default username and password (elsewhere on the 192.168 thing), from whatever the default is (probably admin and password respectively).
And set the Mac filter.

Firstly - find your MAC address. At start - run type

cmd

In the black box at the flashing cursor, type

ipconfig/all

You will see Physical Address - this is the MAC address

Copy it carefully, and enter that into the MAC filter. Do the same with all other computers you want to access your connection.

Some routers will enter your MAC address automatically, but if yours doesn't - you know how to do it yourself.

MAC Address filtering is only for casual security. It is easily bypassed as the MAC address is not encrypted otherwise TCP/IP would not work.

WPA/PSK is subjectable to brute force attacks so make the key long. www.grc.com/pass will give you the max length key. This will make brute force attacks take so long we will all be dead by the time it got it.

Turn off you wireless access point once you finsihed using it.

NEVER EVER USE WEP SECURITY its unsecure
MAC Address filtering is only for casual security. It is easily bypassed as the MAC address is not encrypted otherwise TCP/IP would not work.

WPA/PSK is subjectable to brute force attacks so make the key long. www.grc.com/pass will give you the max length key. This will make brute force attacks take so long we will all be dead by the time it got it.

Turn off you wireless access point once you finsihed using it.

NEVER EVER USE WEP SECURITY its unsecure

Change the SSID to something random
MAC filtering is a very useful extra, though.

One should do everything possible to secure a wireless network - and every little helps.
My Netgear router doesn't do MAC selections, so maybe DavidDownes' doesn't either.

I agree with the comment about making the WPA-PSK key long (I think my passphrase is about 30 characters).
Ethel - totally agree that every little helps.

Didnt mean to my post to mean not to use it. Just wanted to make the point that its for casual use.
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I don't mean to be rude. But I haven't a clue what you guys are talking about. I don't think that the router has a MAC filter.

I've looked into the Local Area Connection properties and don't recognise anything from what you guys are saying.
Sorry David - All to easy to get carried away with techno babble.

All of the things mentioned are typical things that you can configure in the router configuration pages. Depending on the type and cost of your router you may or may not have these options

SSID - This is a name given to identify your router/network so that when you try to connect to your network. Some people put their address or leave the default eg Linksys. Change your to something random. Usually you can turn this off by the setting called "Disable SSID broadcast"

MAC Address - The network card (Wireless or wired version) in you PC comes with a unique code like eg 02-00-54-55-6G-01. This number identifies your network card/computer bit like your house no and post code. Some routers allow you to list the MAC addresses/PC's so only these computers can use you internet access.

WPA/PSK - When you use your router with no security you send your data unscrambled meaning someone with the right tools can look at you data and read it. To stop this and scamble your data we use WPA/PSK to make you data unreadable. This also stops anybody else using your internet connection. The older security is WEP. WEP is now unsecure and should not be used.

If you still feel lost then get a local IT support company to install it for you just to be sure its been configured properly
David just noticed your talking about the "Local Area Connections".

The setting were are talking about are found in the router config pages access via internet explorer

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