Security question

I use a linksys router and laptop. I currently have it set to not broadcast
the SSID, WPA PSK, Mac filtering.

My primary intent is to protect the data on my computer. Does this really
have that effect or does this just help prevent someone from hopping a free
ride on my network? If that is all that I am accomplishing I can reduce the
level of security.

The reason I ask is that I also have a work laptop and the geniuses with my
company have configured it in such a way that I can't get it connected, at
least with this level of security.I have been told that it should work
setting it to WEP.

Jim

"Jim" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:vhlEh.4662$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I use a linksys router and laptop. I currently have it set to not broadcast
>the SSID, WPA PSK, Mac filtering.
>
> My primary intent is to protect the data on my computer. Does this really
> have that effect or does this just help prevent someone from hopping a
> free ride on my network? If that is all that I am accomplishing I can
> reduce the level of security.
>
> The reason I ask is that I also have a work laptop and the geniuses with
> my company have configured it in such a way that I can't get it connected,
> at least with this level of security.I have been told that it should work
> setting it to WEP.

Turning off SSID broadcast and mac filtering arn't very good ways of
securing a network.
Mac addresses can be spoofed very easily and not broadcasting your SSID
means that someone else will likely not see your using a channel and plop on
top of you.

WEP is not very secure at all it can take someone with the right tools under
10 minutes to crack a wep key.
WPA is much harder to crack and so long as you have a 7+ digit random
(number, letters and Caps) shared key you're likely to be fine.
It's not to say that mac filtering is a bad idea, if someone did get in they
would again have a harder time but it would not take long for them to figure
that out either.

Adair

No.

Blank SSIDs are presented as "unknown" or blank with a MAC adress or a brand
name.

Mac filtering is part of securing a network, and 128bits WEP keys should be
changed every week; so if you want more security without having the
possibility to have 256 or 512 bit WEP, WPA with a strong passphrase and a
radius server is best.

Ciao @+



Adair Witner wrote:

>
> "Jim" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:vhlEh.4662$(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I use a linksys router and laptop. I currently have it set to not
>>broadcast the SSID, WPA PSK, Mac filtering.
>>
>> My primary intent is to protect the data on my computer. Does this really
>> have that effect or does this just help prevent someone from hopping a
>> free ride on my network? If that is all that I am accomplishing I can
>> reduce the level of security.
>>
>> The reason I ask is that I also have a work laptop and the geniuses with
>> my company have configured it in such a way that I can't get it
>> connected, at least with this level of security.I have been told that it
>> should work setting it to WEP.
>
> Turning off SSID broadcast and mac filtering arn't very good ways of
> securing a network.
> Mac addresses can be spoofed very easily and not broadcasting your SSID
> means that someone else will likely not see your using a channel and plop
> on top of you.
>
> WEP is not very secure at all it can take someone with the right tools
> under 10 minutes to crack a wep key.
> WPA is much harder to crack and so long as you have a 7+ digit random
> (number, letters and Caps) shared key you're likely to be fine.
> It's not to say that mac filtering is a bad idea, if someone did get in
> they would again have a harder time but it would not take long for them to
> figure that out either.
>
> Adair

"Jim" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:vhlEh.4662$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I use a linksys router and laptop. I currently have it set to not broadcast
>the SSID, WPA PSK, Mac filtering.
>
> My primary intent is to protect the data on my computer. Does this really
> have that effect or does this just help prevent someone from hopping a
> free ride on my network? If that is all that I am accomplishing I can
> reduce the level of security.
>
> The reason I ask is that I also have a work laptop and the geniuses with
> my company have configured it in such a way that I can't get it connected,
> at least with this level of security.I have been told that it should work
> setting it to WEP.
>
> Jim

Jim,
My wife has the same problem with her laptop. When using it at home we
attach it via network cable into a port on our wireless router. Works fine
and I do not have to compromise the security of my network.

Jon

I appreciate the responses but maybe I haven't presented the question
properly.

Does securing the network protect the network from access by outsiders or
the data on computer from them or both?

Jim

Jim wrote:
> I appreciate the responses but maybe I haven't presented the question
> properly.
>
> Does securing the network protect the network from access by outsiders or
> the data on computer from them or both?
>
> Jim
>
>
Both

On Mon, 26 Feb 2007 21:16:54 -0500, Pen <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Jim wrote:
>> I appreciate the responses but maybe I haven't presented the question
>> properly.
>>
>> Does securing the network protect the network from access by outsiders or
>> the data on computer from them or both?
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>
>Both

How do you figure? Securing a network does just that. It secures the network. It
doesn't protect the data on the computers. If the network is breached there is
no data protection.

Johann Beretta <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:(E-Mail Removed):

>>>
>>> Does securing the network protect the network from access by
>>> outsiders or the data on computer from them or both?
>>>
>>> Jim
>>>
>>>
>>Both
>
> How do you figure? Securing a network does just that. It secures the
> network. It doesn't protect the data on the computers. If the network
> is breached there is no data protection.
>

If the network is breached, then it is not secured.

In article <Xns98E483135E039thisnthatadelphianet@194.177.96.7 8>, DanS <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>Johann Beretta <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
>news:(E-Mail Removed) :
>
>>>>
>>>> Does securing the network protect the network from access by
>>>> outsiders or the data on computer from them or both?
>>>>
>>>> Jim
>>>>
>>>>
>>>Both
>>
>> How do you figure? Securing a network does just that. It secures the
>> network. It doesn't protect the data on the computers. If the network
>> is breached there is no data protection.
>>
>
>If the network is breached, then it is not secured.
>

What of users on the network who are not authorized for certain files etc
on various computers on the network?

fundamentalism, fundamentally wrong.

On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 18:48:39 +0100 (CET), DanS
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

<snip>
>>
>
>If the network is breached, then it is not secured.

Anything can be eventually breached.