Does encription slow things down?

I just installed a d-link 514 to link 2 desktops (hard-wired) and a laptop
(wireless) to my cable modem. Everything went perfect! Three questions:
since I'm the only one who has access to everything can I assume I don't
need to set up a password? And: I didn't set up encription, which I think
maybe I should have. Will it slow things down (I have a choice between 64
bit and 128 bit), and just what does it do? And can I add encription without
going thru the entire setup again?

j carter wrote:
> I just installed a d-link 514 to link 2 desktops (hard-wired) and a laptop
> (wireless) to my cable modem. Everything went perfect! Three questions:
> since I'm the only one who has access to everything can I assume I don't
> need to set up a password? And: I didn't set up encription, which I think
> maybe I should have. Will it slow things down (I have a choice between 64
> bit and 128 bit), and just what does it do? And can I add encription without
> going thru the entire setup again?
>
>
You need, at a minimum, to set a password to the router. Since you are
broadcasting, if someone connects to your network, the router settings
can be changed.

Wireless encryption (WEP) is not fully secure, but is good enough in
most circumstances. WPA encryption will be better when it becomes
generally available.

As to whether to encrypt, your choice. At my house, I don't. My signal
doesn't travel outside my yard, so I don't think I have a need. If you
are in close proximity to others, you may want to.

Encryption does take time, so it does slow response. But not enough you
will notice.

For example, at home and at work I have identical setups, with the
exception that I use encryption at work. I can't see any difference at
all in speed from the two sites.

Encryption will slow things down, the higher encryption the slower,

However run something like NetPerSec with and without
and test 4 yourself


"j carter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:HMidnbhUxJrfvWGiRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I just installed a d-link 514 to link 2 desktops (hard-wired) and a laptop
> (wireless) to my cable modem. Everything went perfect! Three questions:
> since I'm the only one who has access to everything can I assume I don't
> need to set up a password? And: I didn't set up encription, which I think
> maybe I should have. Will it slow things down (I have a choice between 64
> bit and 128 bit), and just what does it do? And can I add encription
without
> going thru the entire setup again?
>
>

> As to whether to encrypt, your choice. At my house, I don't. My signal
> doesn't travel outside my yard, so I don't think I have a need.

A directional high-gain antenna can likely receive the signal far beyond
your yard.

Best,
Christopher

Christopher Glaeser wrote:
>>As to whether to encrypt, your choice. At my house, I don't. My signal
>>doesn't travel outside my yard, so I don't think I have a need.
>
>
> A directional high-gain antenna can likely receive the signal far beyond
> your yard.
>
> Best,
> Christopher
>
>
Certainly. But the probability that someone wants badly to connect to my
home network is extremely slight.

Jerry Park wrote on [Wed, 07 Jan 2004 12:37:42 -0600]:
> Christopher Glaeser wrote:
>>>As to whether to encrypt, your choice. At my house, I don't. My signal
>>>doesn't travel outside my yard, so I don't think I have a need.
>>
>>
>> A directional high-gain antenna can likely receive the signal far beyond
>> your yard.
>>
>> Best,
>> Christopher
>>
>>
> Certainly. But the probability that someone wants badly to connect to my
> home network is extremely slight.

Of course, but security by obscurity is always a bad choice.

Justin <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> Jerry Park wrote on [Wed, 07 Jan 2004 12:37:42 -0600]:
>> Christopher Glaeser wrote:
>>>>As to whether to encrypt, your choice. At my house, I don't. My signal
>>>>doesn't travel outside my yard, so I don't think I have a need.
>>>
>>>
>>> A directional high-gain antenna can likely receive the signal far beyond
>>> your yard.
>>>
>>> Best,
>>> Christopher
>>>
>>>
>> Certainly. But the probability that someone wants badly to connect to my
>> home network is extremely slight.
>
> Of course, but security by obscurity is always a bad choice.

Security by apathy is a very popular choice...

Problem is, wardrivers often use high-gain antennas. They're not trying to
single you out, they're just trying to gather in as many signals as they
can. If a malicious wardriver is anywhere in your neighborhood, you may well
be seen, and you become a target of opportunity.

If you simply don't care if a stranger connects to your network and uses
your ISP, then of course there's no point in turning on encryption.
Otherwise, you really should use WEP or WPA preshared key. Security by
obscurity really doesn't work.

"Jerry Park" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:giYKb.3761$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Christopher Glaeser wrote:
> >>As to whether to encrypt, your choice. At my house, I don't. My signal
> >>doesn't travel outside my yard, so I don't think I have a need.
> >
> >
> > A directional high-gain antenna can likely receive the signal far beyond
> > your yard.
> >
> > Best,
> > Christopher
> >
> >
> Certainly. But the probability that someone wants badly to connect to my
> home network is extremely slight.
>

THANX to everyone for the answers. I'm going to add a password and TRY 64
bit encryption. I'll also test for my signal outside my house and, if
necessary, try to limit it by antenna orientation and placement or some sort
of shielding close to it.


"696" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:bthbnf$njm$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Encryption will slow things down, the higher encryption the slower,
>
> However run something like NetPerSec with and without
> and test 4 yourself
>
>
> "j carter" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:HMidnbhUxJrfvWGiRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I just installed a d-link 514 to link 2 desktops (hard-wired) and a
laptop
> > (wireless) to my cable modem. Everything went perfect! Three questions:
> > since I'm the only one who has access to everything can I assume I don't
> > need to set up a password? And: I didn't set up encription, which I
think
> > maybe I should have. Will it slow things down (I have a choice between
64
> > bit and 128 bit), and just what does it do? And can I add encription
> without
> > going thru the entire setup again?
> >
> >
>
>

The IP your ISP has given you, and can be detected by any website you visit,
leads to your router setup page.
If you don't have name and password anyone could access it and fiddle with
your router setup !
Regards,
Martin