Linksys WCG200 wireless security and assorted issues

Initially purchased this combination router/wireless-g gateway/cable modem
because of the convenience of having one unit to share the internet and also
basic networking within my home. All in all works a charm with issues.

It appears to have only WEP available. I do have it set to 128bit encryption
as shared and have set a passhprase for the key as well as defined the key.

When setting up a wireless node, I am only asked for the key, never for the
passphrase.

It works, without the passphrase which rather bugs me. I did also set the
router to allow wireless-g connections only as well as by MAC address and
defined that address so it appears to be using that and the key alone to
authenticate?

All in all the WCG200 has severely limited logging capability ( Virtually
none ). It also has a measureable decrease in throuhput via the ethernet
(hardwired) connections compared to the USB or wireless. The test at
http://miranda.ctd.anl.gov:7123/ shows a duplex mismatch warning when tests
are run via the wired (CATV) connections no matter what I set the actual
NIC's duplex to and there is nothing I find in the WCG200 utils to monitor
or correct for this. Oddly I get much better throuhput via the USB or
wireless-g connections!

Anyway, ideas are warmly welcomed lol

"JoeT" <noway@today> wrote in message
news:eP2dnaah3MPS7b7fRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Initially purchased this combination router/wireless-g gateway/cable modem
> because of the convenience of having one unit to share the internet and
> also basic networking within my home. All in all works a charm with
> issues.
>
> It appears to have only WEP available. I do have it set to 128bit
> encryption as shared and have set a passhprase for the key as well as
> defined the key.
>
> When setting up a wireless node, I am only asked for the key, never for
> the passphrase.
>
> It works, without the passphrase which rather bugs me. I did also set the
> router to allow wireless-g connections only as well as by MAC address and
> defined that address so it appears to be using that and the key alone to
> authenticate?
>
> Anyway, ideas are warmly welcomed lol
>

Ok let me try this. Anyone have any ideas where I might find others with
first hand experience with the WCG200?
Other than Linksys support who told me to reflash the firwmware in a
response to an email in which I had stated they didn't have firmware
available for it? lol

JoeT wrote:

>
> "JoeT" <noway@today> wrote in message
> news:eP2dnaah3MPS7b7fRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Initially purchased this combination router/wireless-g gateway/cable
>> modem because of the convenience of having one unit to share the
>> internet and also basic networking within my home. All in all works a
>> charm with issues.
>>
>> It appears to have only WEP available. I do have it set to 128bit
>> encryption as shared and have set a passhprase for the key as well as
>> defined the key.
>>
>> When setting up a wireless node, I am only asked for the key, never
>> for the passphrase.
>>
>> It works, without the passphrase which rather bugs me. I did also set
>> the router to allow wireless-g connections only as well as by MAC
>> address and defined that address so it appears to be using that and
>> the key alone to authenticate?
>>
>> Anyway, ideas are warmly welcomed lol
>>
>
> Ok let me try this. Anyone have any ideas where I might find others
> with first hand experience with the WCG200?
> Other than Linksys support who told me to reflash the firwmware in a
> response to an email in which I had stated they didn't have firmware
> available for it? lol

Forgive me if I'm misunderstanding you and I've not got experience with
that particular piece of hardware, but in every wireless router I've
seen you enter the passphrase to generate the WEP key. The passphrase
is never used again; it isn't an additional security item. Then in the
wireless setups of the computers joining the network, you only enter in
the WEP key. The passphrase on the router is only to provide the
convenience of generating the WEP key.

Malke
--
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"

"Malke" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> JoeT wrote:
>
>>
>> "JoeT" <noway@today> wrote in message
>> news:eP2dnaah3MPS7b7fRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> Initially purchased this combination router/wireless-g gateway/cable
>>> modem because of the convenience of having one unit to share the
>>> internet and also basic networking within my home. All in all works a
>>> charm with issues.
>>>
>>> It appears to have only WEP available. I do have it set to 128bit
>>> encryption as shared and have set a passhprase for the key as well as
>>> defined the key.
>>>
>>> When setting up a wireless node, I am only asked for the key, never
>>> for the passphrase.
>>>
>>> It works, without the passphrase which rather bugs me. I did also set
>>> the router to allow wireless-g connections only as well as by MAC
>>> address and defined that address so it appears to be using that and
>>> the key alone to authenticate?
>>>
>>> Anyway, ideas are warmly welcomed lol
>>>
>>
>> Ok let me try this. Anyone have any ideas where I might find others
>> with first hand experience with the WCG200?
>> Other than Linksys support who told me to reflash the firwmware in a
>> response to an email in which I had stated they didn't have firmware
>> available for it? lol
>
> Forgive me if I'm misunderstanding you and I've not got experience with
> that particular piece of hardware, but in every wireless router I've
> seen you enter the passphrase to generate the WEP key. The passphrase
> is never used again; it isn't an additional security item. Then in the
> wireless setups of the computers joining the network, you only enter in
> the WEP key. The passphrase on the router is only to provide the
> convenience of generating the WEP key.
>
> Malke
> --
> MS MVP - Windows Shell/User
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"

Well now that's a detail I'd never seen in writing, not even in the unit's
manual. Thank you very much that at least calms one point of anxiety in my
setup.

JoeT wrote:

>
> "Malke" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> JoeT wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> "JoeT" <noway@today> wrote in message
>>> news:eP2dnaah3MPS7b7fRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>> Initially purchased this combination router/wireless-g
>>>> gateway/cable modem because of the convenience of having one unit
>>>> to share the internet and also basic networking within my home. All
>>>> in all works a charm with issues.
>>>>
>>>> It appears to have only WEP available. I do have it set to 128bit
>>>> encryption as shared and have set a passhprase for the key as well
>>>> as defined the key.
>>>>
>>>> When setting up a wireless node, I am only asked for the key, never
>>>> for the passphrase.
>>>>
>>>> It works, without the passphrase which rather bugs me. I did also
>>>> set the router to allow wireless-g connections only as well as by
>>>> MAC address and defined that address so it appears to be using that
>>>> and the key alone to authenticate?
>>>>
>>>> Anyway, ideas are warmly welcomed lol
>>>>
>>>
>>> Ok let me try this. Anyone have any ideas where I might find others
>>> with first hand experience with the WCG200?
>>> Other than Linksys support who told me to reflash the firwmware in a
>>> response to an email in which I had stated they didn't have firmware
>>> available for it? lol
>>
>> Forgive me if I'm misunderstanding you and I've not got experience
>> with that particular piece of hardware, but in every wireless router
>> I've seen you enter the passphrase to generate the WEP key. The
>> passphrase is never used again; it isn't an additional security item.
>> Then in the wireless setups of the computers joining the network, you
>> only enter in the WEP key. The passphrase on the router is only to
>> provide the convenience of generating the WEP key.

>
> Well now that's a detail I'd never seen in writing, not even in the
> unit's manual. Thank you very much that at least calms one point of
> anxiety in my setup.

You're most welcome. Glad that solved your issue and thanks for taking
the time to let me know.

Malke
--
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"