802.11b Question

So if I buy a US Robotics Wireless Access Point designed for 802.11b and
plug it into my existing Linksys Etherfast Cable/DSL Router that is
presently servicing two PC's I am ready to go with a new WI Fi compatible
computer?

This easy?

Well don't forget that you have to configure security on the Access Point
unless you want your neighbors to use your internet, also hackers. That
includes setting up WEP Encryption, MAC filtering, and maybe SSID broadcast
disabling. So it's not just easy plug and pray.
"Toady" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Sun, 24 Aug 2003 02:22:23 GMT, "Steve Schukei"
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >So if I buy a US Robotics Wireless Access Point designed for 802.11b and
> >plug it into my existing Linksys Etherfast Cable/DSL Router that is
> >presently servicing two PC's I am ready to go with a new WI Fi compatible
> >computer?
>
> Yup.
> >
> >This easy?
> >
> It might be easy. It might be a pain in the butt.

On Sun, 24 Aug 2003 07:42:18 GMT, "Nite Rider"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Well don't forget that you have to configure security on the Access Point
>unless you want your neighbors to use your internet, also hackers. That
>includes setting up WEP Encryption, MAC filtering, and maybe SSID broadcast
>disabling. So it's not just easy plug and pray.

Most people seem to forget security. I was looking at the reviews for
the Netgear wireless router at the Circuit City website, and each one
of them went on about how they just plugged it in an now they are
wireless, it was so easy. Yeah, but now their whole neighborhood is
wireless on their connection because they haven't enabled WEP, and
that, I'm finding, takes some time if you haven't done it before.

Not quite that easy, but not very difficult either. Do a little reading,
and as other here recommended, enable any, and all security that you can.
Don't totally rely on WEP, as it's not a big obstacle for a professional.
Make sure you only share what's necessary, and not your entire hard drive.
Use strong passwords on your shares! Consider a software firewall, such as
Norton, or ZoneAlarm.

Bill Crocker


"Steve Schukei" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:zjV1b.239186$YN5.161204@sccrnsc01...
> So if I buy a US Robotics Wireless Access Point designed for 802.11b and
> plug it into my existing Linksys Etherfast Cable/DSL Router that is
> presently servicing two PC's I am ready to go with a new WI Fi compatible
> computer?
>
> This easy?
>
>

Toady <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
: Most people seem to forget security. I was looking at the reviews for
: the Netgear wireless router at the Circuit City website, and each one
: of them went on about how they just plugged it in an now they are
: wireless, it was so easy. Yeah, but now their whole neighborhood is
: wireless on their connection because they haven't enabled WEP, and
: that, I'm finding, takes some time if you haven't done it before.

But MAC filtering is extremely easy to setup and is just as effective
for keeping your neighbors out. Each computer on your network has a
unique MAC address; all you do is say "Only these computers can get on
my network". Your neighbors won't be able to connect.

Of course, any "neighbor" with the right equipment and inclination can
mimic a valid MAC address, but they'd also be able to crack your WEP
keys after a bit anyway. Point is, though, it's easy to keep the
"honest" people out.

Andrew
--
----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
************************************************** *****************
----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
************************************************** *****************

On 24 Aug 2003 17:03:09 GMT, (E-Mail Removed) (Andrew)
wrote:

>Toady <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>: Most people seem to forget security. I was looking at the reviews for
>: the Netgear wireless router at the Circuit City website, and each one
>: of them went on about how they just plugged it in an now they are
>: wireless, it was so easy. Yeah, but now their whole neighborhood is
>: wireless on their connection because they haven't enabled WEP, and
>: that, I'm finding, takes some time if you haven't done it before.
>
>But MAC filtering is extremely easy to setup and is just as effective
>for keeping your neighbors out. Each computer on your network has a
>unique MAC address; all you do is say "Only these computers can get on
>my network". Your neighbors won't be able to connect.
>
>Of course, any "neighbor" with the right equipment and inclination can
>mimic a valid MAC address, but they'd also be able to crack your WEP
>keys after a bit anyway. Point is, though, it's easy to keep the
>"honest" people out.

Somebody with a packet sniffer can intercept your unencrypted network
traffic without MAC spoofing. There are ways around everything.

When you increase physical security on your home people often say "if
they want to get in they can get in no matter what." But "they" is
usually some snot nosed sixteen year old, and if it's too hard to get
into the first house he tries then he moves on to the next. It's the
same with computer security, use whatever is available to tighten
things up, and it will likely be too much bother for most local
hackers. There are too many open and unprotected wireless networks
around.

Toady

Toady <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
: On 24 Aug 2003 17:03:09 GMT, (E-Mail Removed) (Andrew)
: wrote:

: >Toady <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
: >: Most people seem to forget security. I was looking at the reviews for
: >: the Netgear wireless router at the Circuit City website, and each one
: >: of them went on about how they just plugged it in an now they are
: >: wireless, it was so easy. Yeah, but now their whole neighborhood is
: >: wireless on their connection because they haven't enabled WEP, and
: >: that, I'm finding, takes some time if you haven't done it before.
: >
: >But MAC filtering is extremely easy to setup and is just as effective
: >for keeping your neighbors out. Each computer on your network has a
: >unique MAC address; all you do is say "Only these computers can get on
: >my network". Your neighbors won't be able to connect.
: >
: >Of course, any "neighbor" with the right equipment and inclination can
: >mimic a valid MAC address, but they'd also be able to crack your WEP
: >keys after a bit anyway. Point is, though, it's easy to keep the
: >"honest" people out.

: Somebody with a packet sniffer can intercept your unencrypted network
: traffic without MAC spoofing. There are ways around everything.

Should I just repeat my last paragraph?

Of course, any "neighbor" with the right equipment and inclination
can mimic a valid MAC address, but they'd also be able to crack your
WEP keys after a bit anyway. Point is, though, it's easy to keep
the "honest" people out.

More specifically: WEP seems to be a pain to setup, but MAC filtering
is very easy to setup. Do both if you can, but at least do MAC
filtering.

Andrew
--
----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
************************************************** *****************
----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
************************************************** *****************

Why do you say WEP is difficult to set up? Seemed rather straight-forward
here. MAC filtering required about the same minimal hassle.

"Andrew" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...> Of course, any "neighbor" with
the right equipment and inclination
> can mimic a valid MAC address, but they'd also be able to crack your
> WEP keys after a bit anyway. Point is, though, it's easy to keep
> the "honest" people out.
>
> More specifically: WEP seems to be a pain to setup, but MAC filtering
> is very easy to setup. Do both if you can, but at least do MAC
> filtering.
>

Airman XPLaptop <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
: Why do you say WEP is difficult to set up? Seemed rather straight-forward
: here. MAC filtering required about the same minimal hassle.

Because it's a pain for one to trasfer the keys around. I'm using
Windows XP (home) on my laptop, and the initial Windows handling of
WEP required a cryptic entry of WEP keys. I have done Windows updates
and it looks like they have improved the interface for WEP, however .
Still, it took me about an hour to figure it out initially, and I am
no novice! I can imagine novices giving up easily. This is widely
reported about WEP, by the way - I'm hardly the first person to make
such a statement.

By contrast, MAC filtering is simple: you give access to one computer
at a time to your network, then that's it. You do not have to give a
key to each computer.

And again, I'm not saying MAC filtering is unbreakable by any means -
just that it is relatively easy to setup and keeps your novice
neighbor - smart enough to detect your SSID with Windows XP and click
"Connect" - from jumping on your network.

Andrew
--
----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
************************************************** *****************
----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
************************************************** *****************

Steve Knoblock <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
: The WEP setup experience could not have been simpler for my D-Link. It comes
: with a utility and I choose to use that instead of XP's (just uncheck Use
: Windows to configure my wirless network settings in the Wireless Network
: Connection Properties; the instructions for doing this were in the manual).

: The utility has a page called Encryption.

: You check one box to enable Data Encryption.

: There are four inputs to enter keys. You can use one to get started.

: Select 128bits.

: Enter a string of random numbers (with letters limited to A-F if in Hex)
: until the input beeps end of input and you're done.

: Write the string down before clicking Apply. Go into the other computer and
: enter the key you wrote down in the same input on the same screen.

: Describing it makes it sound harder than it really is with some common
: sense. The hardest part of this was the manual never said where I get the
: "key" from. It dawned on me that you just make this up yourself.

My Netgear WAP/router was just as easy to setup. The difficulty was
in setting up my other computer, my Windows XP laptop. As I said,
this looks to have been improved since I installed all the Windows XP
updates (including SP1). But when I first tried to setup WEP on it,
it was anything but intuitive. I did finally figure it out.

The other problem with WEP is: to make it effective, you need to
change your keys often. And how many of your average users are willing
to take the time to change them often, when doing so requires changing
them on all your computers? My guess is very few non-professionals
bother to change their WEP keys if they bother to setup WEP on their
networks at all.

Andrew
--
----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
************************************************** *****************
----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
************************************************** *****************