Newbie questions

Hi All
I have some confusion regarding "access" vs "eavesdropping" and how best to
configure my wireless network.

I have just set up a wireless home network (XP pro desktop and laptop,
netgear wireless router and Intel PRO/Wireless 2915 Dual Band 802.11a/b/g
54Mbps MiniPCI Wireless Card ). I have logged into the router and
specified the MAC address of my wireless card.

1)Does this mean no one else can access my network to send and receive data?
2) Does this mean that no one else can "see" what I am sending and receiving
(as they have no access)?
3) Are "authentication" key and " WEP encryption" required if you have
limited your wirelsss lan to known MAC addresses?

TIA

Sam

Yes, you need more security. Hackers can fake a mac address. Look up WPA for
info or start here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;895616

"Sam Lewis" wrote:

> Hi All
> I have some confusion regarding "access" vs "eavesdropping" and how best to
> configure my wireless network.
>
> I have just set up a wireless home network (XP pro desktop and laptop,
> netgear wireless router and Intel PRO/Wireless 2915 Dual Band 802.11a/b/g
> 54Mbps MiniPCI Wireless Card ). I have logged into the router and
> specified the MAC address of my wireless card.
>
> 1)Does this mean no one else can access my network to send and receive data?
> 2) Does this mean that no one else can "see" what I am sending and receiving
> (as they have no access)?
> 3) Are "authentication" key and " WEP encryption" required if you have
> limited your wirelsss lan to known MAC addresses?
>
> TIA
>
> Sam
>
>
>
>

Here's a good site: http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html

"Mary" wrote:

> Yes, you need more security. Hackers can fake a mac address. Look up WPA for
> info or start here:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;895616
>
> "Sam Lewis" wrote:
>
> > Hi All
> > I have some confusion regarding "access" vs "eavesdropping" and how best to
> > configure my wireless network.
> >
> > I have just set up a wireless home network (XP pro desktop and laptop,
> > netgear wireless router and Intel PRO/Wireless 2915 Dual Band 802.11a/b/g
> > 54Mbps MiniPCI Wireless Card ). I have logged into the router and
> > specified the MAC address of my wireless card.
> >
> > 1)Does this mean no one else can access my network to send and receive data?
> > 2) Does this mean that no one else can "see" what I am sending and receiving
> > (as they have no access)?
> > 3) Are "authentication" key and " WEP encryption" required if you have
> > limited your wirelsss lan to known MAC addresses?
> >
> > TIA
> >
> > Sam
> >
> >
> >
> >

Thanks Clark
So if I have this correct the mac filter helps prevent other devices
(people) from gaining access to your router/network. If they can not gain
access to your network then they cannot 1) get into your files and 2) they
cannot use your network for the purposes of sending and receiving their own
information at your expense.

Some form of encryption when sending and receiving your information prevents
others from reading your information they plucked from the air and that you
have broadcast over the wireless network. The point here is that people do
not have to access your router or network to see your information. I am
imagining this is just like a radio station for which you have no direct
access to the "records" but you can listen to whatever music is being
broadcast at the time if you tune in your radio to that station.

Thanks

Sam


"Clark" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:PZFqe.2569$(E-Mail Removed) m...
> Hopefully I have this right, but in answer to your questions, using MAC
> filtering is supposed to keep other MAC addresses from accessing your
> router. As was mentioned, this can be faked, but it certainly helps.
> There is also something called 802.1x which is think is more secure by
> needing some type of smart card or other ID device.
>
> In order to keep your "over the air" information from being read you need
> to encrypt it using WEP or WAP or something. Otherwise someone that is
> able to receive your signal can read it. If it is encrypted, they can
> still receive it, but hopefully not read it. I am not sure what the
> procedure is at Hot Spots to keep things private, but if you ever go to
> one you might check. I remember sitting in a car outside my daughter's
> house and happened to turn on my laptop and did a scan. Up popped
> someone's network and the router was wide open. They still had the
> original SSID name and password. Of course since I have the same router
> at home, I could have done all sorts of bad things. ;-) This was just
> after Christmas, so I assumed the person had not yet learned about
> wireless security.
>
> Clark
>
> "Sam Lewis" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Hi All
>> I have some confusion regarding "access" vs "eavesdropping" and how best
>> to
>> configure my wireless network.
>>
>> I have just set up a wireless home network (XP pro desktop and laptop,
>> netgear wireless router and Intel PRO/Wireless 2915 Dual Band 802.11a/b/g
>> 54Mbps MiniPCI Wireless Card ). I have logged into the router and
>> specified the MAC address of my wireless card.
>>
>> 1)Does this mean no one else can access my network to send and receive
>> data?
>> 2) Does this mean that no one else can "see" what I am sending and
>> receiving
>> (as they have no access)?
>> 3) Are "authentication" key and " WEP encryption" required if you have
>> limited your wirelsss lan to known MAC addresses?
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Sam
>>
>>
>>
>
>

Thanks for the references
Sam
"Mary" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:00E99C9C-D4B9-453F-8CD6-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Here's a good site: http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html
>
> "Mary" wrote:
>
>> Yes, you need more security. Hackers can fake a mac address. Look up WPA
>> for
>> info or start here:
>> http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;895616
>>
>> "Sam Lewis" wrote:
>>
>> > Hi All
>> > I have some confusion regarding "access" vs "eavesdropping" and how
>> > best to
>> > configure my wireless network.
>> >
>> > I have just set up a wireless home network (XP pro desktop and laptop,
>> > netgear wireless router and Intel PRO/Wireless 2915 Dual Band
>> > 802.11a/b/g
>> > 54Mbps MiniPCI Wireless Card ). I have logged into the router and
>> > specified the MAC address of my wireless card.
>> >
>> > 1)Does this mean no one else can access my network to send and receive
>> > data?
>> > 2) Does this mean that no one else can "see" what I am sending and
>> > receiving
>> > (as they have no access)?
>> > 3) Are "authentication" key and " WEP encryption" required if you have
>> > limited your wirelsss lan to known MAC addresses?
>> >
>> > TIA
>> >
>> > Sam
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >