Detecting a Wireless LAN

I have a laptop with 802.11G and want to get a wireless ADSL 'modem' so I
can move around the house.

I know you can detect a wireless LAN in the area, even if it's secured,
but could anyone pinpoint its location to my house?

I'm thinking about burgulars working out that I have a LAN and then
assuming there's mobile equipment ready to carry off in the middle of the
night!


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"Jack Dee" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
newspsce16m1p27azd6@your-vimqhg1d72:

> I have a laptop with 802.11G and want to get a wireless ADSL 'modem'
> so I can move around the house.
>
> I know you can detect a wireless LAN in the area, even if it's
> secured, but could anyone pinpoint its location to my house?
>
> I'm thinking about burgulars working out that I have a LAN and then
> assuming there's mobile equipment ready to carry off in the middle of
> the night!
>
>

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/...ess_secure.htm

Duane

Yea, anyone "war driving", e.g. looking for wireless access points can
pinpoint the source of your network as your house. However, it seems
unlikely that people would look for such in a residential neighborhood vs.
business locations.

--
Bob Alston
Home: 918.494.4913
Lake: 231.893.8044
(E-Mail Removed)
http://members.cox.net/tulsaalstons/
"Jack Dee" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
newspsce16m1p27azd6@your-vimqhg1d72...
> I have a laptop with 802.11G and want to get a wireless ADSL 'modem' so I
> can move around the house.
>
> I know you can detect a wireless LAN in the area, even if it's secured,
> but could anyone pinpoint its location to my house?
>
> I'm thinking about burgulars working out that I have a LAN and then
> assuming there's mobile equipment ready to carry off in the middle of the
> night!
>
>
> --
> Using Opera's revolutionary Email client: http://www.opera.com/m2/


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On Sun, 08 Aug 2004 14:53:00 +0100, "Jack Dee" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>I have a laptop with 802.11G and want to get a wireless ADSL 'modem' so I
>can move around the house.

What you want is a "wireless router".

>I know you can detect a wireless LAN in the area, even if it's secured,
>but could anyone pinpoint its location to my house?

Yes, very easily with a directional antenna such as a dish.
Transmitter hunting is lots of fun. I've designed several automatic
and manual direction finders but strangely have never bothered to make
one for 2.4Ghz. However, methinks it should be quite simple to do and
I'm sure someone has done it. Maps of known wi-fi access points are
even published on the internet.
http://maps.netstumbler.com

>I'm thinking about burgulars working out that I have a LAN and then
>assuming there's mobile equipment ready to carry off in the middle of the
>night!

Yeah, that's a potential problem. However, in my limited experience,
burglars are not known for their technical sophistication. Mostly
they are smash, grab, and run. They don't want to linger. You can
reduce your exposure by simply NOT placeing your laptop in front of an
accessible window or putting it away so that it can't be easily seen
from the outside.

--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 AE6KS 831-336-2558

"Duane Arnold" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Xns953F60F1FDA6Cnotmenotmecom@216.148.227.77. ..
> "Jack Dee" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> newspsce16m1p27azd6@your-vimqhg1d72:
>
> > I have a laptop with 802.11G and want to get a wireless ADSL 'modem'
> > so I can move around the house.
> >
> > I know you can detect a wireless LAN in the area, even if it's
> > secured, but could anyone pinpoint its location to my house?
> >
> > I'm thinking about burgulars working out that I have a LAN and then
> > assuming there's mobile equipment ready to carry off in the middle of
> > the night!
> >
> >
>
> http://www.practicallynetworked.com/...ess_secure.htm
>
> Duane

Although this is a decent article, I have three problems with it:

1) It says don't use TCP/IP for File Sharing. This is good advice if
you're trying to thwart intruders from the Internet, where they must be
coming in via TCP/IP. But despite the articles claim that wireless
intruders must be connecting to you with TCP/IP, it isn't true. They can
use whatever layer-3 protocol they wish. If an intruder runs a sniffer on
your AP, s/he will see what protocols you are using.

2) It says to use WEP for data and authentication. If WPA is not
available, then WEP encryption is a good thing. But WEP authentication is a
bad thing. It was poorly implemented, and it reveals too much about your
keys. You should prefer Open Authentication to Shared Key Authentication.

3) It says "Don't send your ESSID." Aside from the misuse of the term
ESSID, there has been much discussion on this NG about broadcasting SSIDs.
Even proponents of not broadcasting SSIDs admit that it's just weak
"security by obscurity." There are even administrative downsides to hiding
your SSID. If you're using encryption, you have no need to hide your SSID.

Ron Bandes, CCNP, CTT+, etc.