securing w/l cnnction?

I have tried to secure my n/w.I have one cabled comp and two others via
wireless.tried to install McAfee total protection and after much time I was
told the firmware of my router was not compatible McA tech support wants to
know what the firmware is for my router and I do not know what to tell
them...should I go this way or is there another way to secure my w/less n/w?

ISP: Cox Cable Modem manufacturer: NETGEAR WG511v2

Operating System: Windows XP Pro








--
Thanks
Hank

Hi
Log to the Router interface (if you do not know how look at the manual),
there is an information menu that would state the version number of the
firmware.
BTW, if it was up to me I would get rid of the security suit and find a
better one instead of playing with the Router.
Jack (MVP-Networking).

"hankus" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:lwbni.38075$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have tried to secure my n/w.I have one cabled comp and two others via
>wireless.tried to install McAfee total protection and after much time I was
>told the firmware of my router was not compatible McA tech support wants to
>know what the firmware is for my router and I do not know what to tell
>them...should I go this way or is there another way to secure my w/less
>n/w?
>
> ISP: Cox Cable Modem manufacturer: NETGEAR WG511v2
>
> Operating System: Windows XP Pro
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Thanks
> Hank
>

Could i depend on the setup that came with the Netgear router?

--
Thanks
Hank
"Jack (MVP-Networking)." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi
> Log to the Router interface (if you do not know how look at the manual),
> there is an information menu that would state the version number of the
> firmware.
> BTW, if it was up to me I would get rid of the security suit and find a
> better one instead of playing with the Router.
> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
> "hankus" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:lwbni.38075$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I have tried to secure my n/w.I have one cabled comp and two others via
>>wireless.tried to install McAfee total protection and after much time I
>>was told the firmware of my router was not compatible McA tech support
>>wants to know what the firmware is for my router and I do not know what to
>>tell them...should I go this way or is there another way to secure my
>>w/less n/w?
>>
>> ISP: Cox Cable Modem manufacturer: NETGEAR WG511v2
>>
>> Operating System: Windows XP Pro
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Thanks
>> Hank
>>
>
>

hankus wrote:
> Could i depend on the setup that came with the Netgear router?
>

There are several aspects to securing your network.

With respect to the wireless connections, your McAfee suite won't help
much, if at all. You need to enable encryption on the router and on
each wireless client. If both clients and the router support it, use
WPA2. Otherwise use WPA. Do not use WEP. The "NETGEAR WG511v2" is not
your router. This is the model number of PCMCIA cards used as wireless
adapters for laptops. The router is the box that is connected to your
cable or DSL modem.

In addition to wireless encryption, you need a firewall, antivirus
protection, and anti-malware protection

Firewall
Most modern home routers include both NAT (network address translation)
and a firewall of some sort. Many find that this, plus the built-in
Windows XP sp2 "Windows Firewall," is sufficient. The main deficiency
is that this arrangement does not detect out-going unauthorized
communcations (e.g., you install some malware that then attempts to
phone home with your personal data).

Antivirus
Many posters in these Microsoft newsgroups highly recommend free
antivirus applications rather than commercial apps such as McAfee or
Symantec (Norton). Two apps often suggested are AVG and AVAST. NOD32
also is recommended, but not free.

If you want to provoke a rather lengthy discussion, post "what is the
best antivirus" or "what is the best firewall" in
microsoft.public.windowsxp.general. About the only thing you will get
agreement on is to not use either the Symantec or the McAfee security
suites.

Anti-malware
Download, frequently update, and regularly scan with
Spybot Search and Destroy http://www.safer-networking.net/en/index.html
and
Ad-Aware (free version)
http://www.lavasoft.com/download_and...48e38078d4977e



> Log to the Router interface (if you do not know how look at the manual),
> there is an information menu that would state the version number of the
> firmware.
> BTW, if it was up to me I would get rid of the security suit and find a
> better one instead of playing with the Router.
> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
> "hankus" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:lwbni.38075$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> >I have tried to secure my n/w.I have one cabled comp and two others via
>> >wireless.tried to install McAfee total protection and after much time I was
>> >told the firmware of my router was not compatible McA tech support wants to
>> >know what the firmware is for my router and I do not know what to tell
>> >them...should I go this way or is there another way to secure my w/less
>> >n/w?
>> >
>> > ISP: Cox Cable Modem manufacturer: NETGEAR WG511v2
>> >
>> > Operating System: Windows XP Pro
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >

--
Lem MS MVP -- Networking

To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer

Hi
To echo parts of Lem post and some more.
Wireless security protects you only form local neighbors leaching onto your
Wireless.
Wireless security has nothing to do with the Internet and does not protect
you from Internet “Junk”.
The master setting of Wireless security is in the Wireless Router and these
are the guidelines.
From the weakest to the strongest, Wireless security capacity is.
No Security
MAC______(Band Aid if nothing else is available).
WEP64____(Easy, to "Brake" by knowledgeable people).
WEP128___(Hard, but possible to Brake).
WPA-PSK__(Very Hard to Brake ).
WPA-AES__(Not functionally Breakable)
WPA2____ (Not functionally Breakable).
The documentation of your Wireless devices (Wireless Router, and Wireless
Computer's Card) should state the type of security that is available with
your Wireless hardware.
All devices MUST be set to the same security level using the same pass
phrase.
Therefore the security must be set according what ever is the best possible
of one of the Wireless devices.
I.e. even if most of your system might be capable to be configured to the
max. with WPA2, but one device is only capable to be configured to max . of
WEP, to whole system must be configured to WEP.
If you need more good security and one device (like a Wireless card that can
do WEP only) is holding better security for the whole Network, replace the
device with a better one.
Wireless Security - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html
As far as the Internet connection goes, this page explains what the Router
can do for you and what you need to boost it up.
http://ezlan.net/firewall.html
Here additional suggestions to Free Security Applications,
http://ezlan.net/security.html
Jack (MVP-Networking).

"hankus" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:iopni.58243$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Could i depend on the setup that came with the Netgear router?
>
> --
> Thanks
> Hank
> "Jack (MVP-Networking)." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Hi
>> Log to the Router interface (if you do not know how look at the manual),
>> there is an information menu that would state the version number of the
>> firmware.
>> BTW, if it was up to me I would get rid of the security suit and find a
>> better one instead of playing with the Router.
>> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>>
>> "hankus" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:lwbni.38075$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>I have tried to secure my n/w.I have one cabled comp and two others via
>>>wireless.tried to install McAfee total protection and after much time I
>>>was told the firmware of my router was not compatible McA tech support
>>>wants to know what the firmware is for my router and I do not know what
>>>to tell them...should I go this way or is there another way to secure my
>>>w/less n/w?
>>>
>>> ISP: Cox Cable Modem manufacturer: NETGEAR WG511v2
>>>
>>> Operating System: Windows XP Pro
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Thanks
>>> Hank
>>>
>>
>>
>
>