Linksys BEFW11S4 V2 Router and SMC 2662W Client BSSID Problem

BACKGROUND:
3 computers on home network - one wired, two wireless
Linksys BEFW11S4 V2 Router
One SMC 2662W USB client
One Linksys WUSB11 V2.6 USB client

All PCs running Windows XP
All currently running latest drivers / firmware.
Have tried many combinations of older firmware / drivers with all hardware
to resolve issue.
802.11b network. Running WEP. Have changed network name, IP range, Admin
name & password.

I understand the limitations of WEP encryption. However, not being made of
$$$, I must wait for a while to upgrade equipment to WPA level encryption or
whatever is available at that time. I am trying to take all reasonable and
available security measures to secure my network.

PROBLEM:
All of the security precautions listed above have been in place since
shortly after purchasing the equipment. The recent explosion in the
popularity of wireless networks has made me reexamine my security settings.
(Heck, when I bought the stuff, nobody had it around me anyway...) My
approach to security is to make myself the "least tempting" target around
and to discourage casual / accidental snoopers. It has always made me
nervous that my router is currently performing the electronic equivalent of
yelling "HERE I AM" or putting a sign in my front yard that says "WIRELESS
NETWORK HERE".

The remaining security precaution that I could alter is to disable the
Broadcast SSID option. Whenever I disable the Broadcast SSID option, the
SMC USB adapter looses its connection to the network. It looses its
connection even if it is connected while I disable the option at the router.
The Linksys USB adapter will connect without the Broadcast enabled, with it
enabled, and maintain the connection if you change the setting while
connected to the router. I have switched the two adapters between the two
computers and the same problem persists. It does not appear to be related
to the location of the PC - the SMC is usually on a computer that is closest
(approximately 30 feet) from the router. In this location, signal strength
is excellent.

If I had it to do over again - I would purchase all wireless equipment from
one manufacturer to avoid some of these problems, but alas I am stuck for
the time being with what I've got. (Silly me, I believed in the
"standardized" 802.11b protocol.)

Any ideas???

Thanks in advance!

>
> Any ideas???
>


Yeah, go to the XP O/S and disable the Wireless Zero Configuration on the
machine. That makes the machine see other networks in your area, and in
general, presents a security risk as malware that could compromise the
machine can use WZC service to get out, even if it doesn't have a
wireless NIC installed. It also can cause problems with the connection
wireless connection at times.

Limit the number of DHCP IP(s) that can be issued to the number of
machines you have connected to the router. It's not 100% because someone
could easily use a static IP. But you'll know something is up if one of
your machines cannot use a DHCP IP, because someone hijacker it.

Use Wallwatcher (free use Google) to review traffic to and from the
router on a routine basis.

Use a sophisticated SSID and rotate/change it on a routine basis.

Change the router's Admin password to something else, since everyone else
in the world knows it too.

Use Active Ports (free) and Process Explorer (free) and look around on
the machines from time to time for yourself to see what's happening.

Use IPsec that's on the XP O/S to further secure the LAN and the Windows
Networking Ports. IPsec can block inbound or outbound by port, IP,
protocol, DNS, etc.

http://www.petri.co.il/block_ping_tr...with_ipsec.htm
http://www.analogx.com/contents/articles/ipsec.htm

You may also want to use VPN connections between machines on the LAN and
setting IPsec to only allow VPN connections from the LAN, preventing any
one not using VPN to be able to access a machine via wireless that is not
using VPN.

The buck stops at the O/S in the security and everything else is
secondary to the O/S, including the router, etc. You should *harden* the
O/S to attack.

http://www.uksecurityonline.com/husdg/windowsxp.php

use the Host

http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
http://accs-net.com/hosts/HostsToggle/

Duane