Linksys WRT54GS LAN Anomaly !

The Serial No: of my WRT54GS is CGN20DC54989.

I have the following LAN setup which has my IBM T60 laptop networked
to a desktop which connects to the Web through a ZyXEL DSL modem and a
LINKSYS WTR54GS router.

When I first switched on the laptop it detected this wireless network
by its SSID and which was described as an "unsecured wireless
connection."

I then attempted to secure this connection by inserting the router's
Installation CD into the desktop thus initiating the router setup
process. This stopped with the message :-

"The router is unable to connect to the Internet"

This is puzzling because the PC IS connected to the internet and so is
the laptop through its wireless hookup !I can surf the net without a
problem on both machines.

It also prevented me from proceeding to set encryption as I could not
get beyond this message.

I also don't know how to restrict access to PC'S by their MAC
addresses as recommended by many security articles - there doesn't
seem to be a facility to do this with this router.

I would , therefore , be glad of the answers to the following
questions:-

1.Can you tell me how do I secure this LAN in view of the problem
indicated in question 2?

2.Why does the Linksys CD say this router is not connected to the
internet when it is ?

In spite of having set the SSID transmission to "DISABLE" , my SSID (
renamed to "xxxxxx") is nevertheless being "seen" by the wirelessly
connected laptop.

3.Why is this happening? and , finally ,:-

4. Is it possible to restrict access to this wireless LAN by the
allocation of those MAC addresses which have been chosen?

B.N.
--

to reply by e-mail remove "admiral_"

On Sun, 28 Jan 2007 15:06:26 +0000, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>1.Can you tell me how do I secure this LAN in view of the problem
>indicated in question 2?

use the web interface of the WRT54GS - put its IP address into a
browser and away you go.

>2.Why does the Linksys CD say this router is not connected to the
>internet when it is ?

who knows, you don't need a CD with a router anyway - perhaps it
expects to see an external IP on the WAN port or something.

>In spite of having set the SSID transmission to "DISABLE" , my SSID (
>renamed to "xxxxxx") is nevertheless being "seen" by the wirelessly
>connected laptop.
>
>3.Why is this happening? and , finally ,:-
>
>4. Is it possible to restrict access to this wireless LAN by the
>allocation of those MAC addresses which have been chosen?

can't remember, a roam around the web interface should reveal an
authorised MAC list if it can be done.

Phil

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> The Serial No: of my WRT54GS is CGN20DC54989.

Not that it will help me help you any more, but the hardware and firmware
versions are the crucial information.

[snip]
> I then attempted to secure this connection by inserting the router's
> Installation CD into the desktop thus initiating the router setup
> process. This stopped with the message :-
>
> "The router is unable to connect to the Internet"
>
> This is puzzling because the PC IS connected to the internet and so is
> the laptop through its wireless hookup !I can surf the net without a
> problem on both machines.
[snip]
> 1.Can you tell me how do I secure this LAN in view of the problem
> indicated in question 2?

From a machine wired to the router, log into the router's web-based
administration utility (by default, http://192.168.1.1/ password "admin"),
go to the Wireless tab the click "Wireless Security". Use WPA PSK (AKA WPA
Personal) and TKIP for compatibility with all clients running Windows XP SP2
or later.

> 2.Why does the Linksys CD say this router is not connected to the
> internet when it is ?

Pass.

> In spite of having set the SSID transmission to "DISABLE" , my SSID (
> renamed to "xxxxxx") is nevertheless being "seen" by the wirelessly
> connected laptop.
>
> 3.Why is this happening? and , finally ,:-

Does the network show up if you disconnect and then search for available
networks?

> 4. Is it possible to restrict access to this wireless LAN by the
> allocation of those MAC addresses which have been chosen?

Yes: "Wireless MAC Filter" is also under the Wireless tab. Set it to "Permit
only" and then click on "Edit MAC Address Filter List" to enter the allowed
MAC address(es). Again, do this from a machine wired to the router.

Alex

(E-Mail Removed) declared for all the world to hear...
> can't remember, a roam around the web interface should reveal an
> authorised MAC list if it can be done.

Zyxel refer to this as "MAC Association".
--
Regards
Jon

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> In spite of having set the SSID transmission to "DISABLE" , my SSID (
> renamed to "xxxxxx") is nevertheless being "seen" by the wirelessly
> connected laptop.
>
> 3.Why is this happening? and , finally ,:-


Possibly another wirless router near you, read an article the otherday and a
chap had 8 wireless networks all around him.

I have 3 near me, 2 Secure the other less secure :S

On Mon, 29 Jan 2007 11:37:02 GMT, "Meggahurtz" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>
><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed).. .
>> In spite of having set the SSID transmission to "DISABLE" , my SSID (
>> renamed to "xxxxxx") is nevertheless being "seen" by the wirelessly
>> connected laptop.
>>
>> 3.Why is this happening? and , finally ,:-
>
>
>Possibly another wirless router near you, read an article the otherday and a
>chap had 8 wireless networks all around him.
>
>I have 3 near me, 2 Secure the other less secure :S

Yes , I also see those other transmissions .

However I KNOW that these are not mine because my SSID has been
changed to a unique SSID which nobody could possibly know except me .

The point I make here is that , in spite of selecting the transmission
to "DISABLE" this unique SSID is still being transmitted or is , at
least , being picked up by my wireless-equipped laptop.

Why is the "DISABLE" setting not doing its job ?

--

to reply by e-mail remove "admiral_"

On Sun, 28 Jan 2007 18:19:34 -0000, "Alex Fraser" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed).. .
>> The Serial No: of my WRT54GS is CGN20DC54989.
>
>Not that it will help me help you any more, but the hardware and firmware
>versions are the crucial information.

Thanks. FWIW the firmware version is v3.37.2
>
>[snip]
>> I then attempted to secure this connection by inserting the router's
>> Installation CD into the desktop thus initiating the router setup
>> process. This stopped with the message :-
>>
>> "The router is unable to connect to the Internet"
>>
>> This is puzzling because the PC IS connected to the internet and so is
>> the laptop through its wireless hookup !I can surf the net without a
>> problem on both machines.
>[snip]
>> 1.Can you tell me how do I secure this LAN in view of the problem
>> indicated in question 2?
>
>From a machine wired to the router, log into the router's web-based
>administration utility (by default, http://192.168.1.1/ password "admin"),
>go to the Wireless tab the click "Wireless Security". Use WPA PSK (AKA WPA
>Personal) and TKIP for compatibility with all clients running Windows XP SP2
>or later.
Thanks again - I eventually did that and ignored the CD!
>
>> 2.Why does the Linksys CD say this router is not connected to the
>> internet when it is ?
>
>Pass.

See above reply
>
>> In spite of having set the SSID transmission to "DISABLE" , my SSID (
>> renamed to "xxxxxx") is nevertheless being "seen" by the wirelessly
>> connected laptop.
>>
>> 3.Why is this happening? and , finally ,
>
>Does the network show up if you disconnect and then search for available
>networks?

Not sure whether I understand you completely here - do you mean to
completely disconnect the router from the PC?

If I do that - then I wouldn't be able to access the Web at all !
>
>> 4. Is it possible to restrict access to this wireless LAN by the
>> allocation of those MAC addresses which have been chosen?
>
>Yes: "Wireless MAC Filter" is also under the Wireless tab. Set it to "Permit
>only" and then click on "Edit MAC Address Filter List" to enter the allowed
>MAC address(es). Again, do this from a machine wired to the router.

Thanks - I think I now know how to do that bit !

B.N.
>
>Alex
>

--

to reply by e-mail remove "admiral_"

On Mon, 29 Jan 2007 21:49:18 +0000, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>The point I make here is that , in spite of selecting the transmission
>to "DISABLE" this unique SSID is still being transmitted or is , at
>least , being picked up by my wireless-equipped laptop.

it may be remembering it from before if you're using the windows
stuff, see if netstumbler sees the current one.

Phil

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Sun, 28 Jan 2007 18:19:34 -0000, "Alex Fraser" <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>><(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>news:(E-Mail Removed). ..
>>> In spite of having set the SSID transmission to "DISABLE" , my SSID (
>>> renamed to "xxxxxx") is nevertheless being "seen" by the wirelessly
>>> connected laptop.
>>>
>>> 3.Why is this happening? and , finally ,
>>
>>Does the network show up if you disconnect and then search for available
>>networks?
>
> Not sure whether I understand you completely here - do you mean to
> completely disconnect the router from the PC?

I meant disconnect the wireless connection. If you are using Windows to
manage connections, you can do this by clicking "Disconnect" when viewing
wireless networks.

I just did a little experiment, and found that this is not enough (at least
if you are using Windows to manage connections) - see also Phil's latest
post in this thread. You actually need to remove the connection from the
list that Windows knows about.

> If I do that - then I wouldn't be able to access the Web at all !

Indeed, but I didn't intend disconnection to be permanent. Just long enough
for you to see that the SSID isn't being regularly broadcasted .

Alex