security question about wireless g

Just set up a Wireless router, I would like to know if WEP 64 bit encryption
is good enough for a home
network or would 128 bit be overkill.
I also changed the name of the wireless network from the default setting.
I am using Wireless G but the router is also B compatible.

TIA

"BigJIm" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:bK0Hb.467985$Dw6.1377439@attbi_s02...
> Just set up a Wireless router, I would like to know if WEP 64 bit
encryption
> is good enough for a home
> network or would 128 bit be overkill.
> I also changed the name of the wireless network from the default setting.
> I am using Wireless G but the router is also B compatible.
>
> TIA
>

That depends on whether you live in a high risk environment. WEP 64 and 128
bit can be cracked. If you just want to fend off casual snoopers, any WEP is
enough.

I would also suggest MAC filtering.
"PT Wang" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Vj1Hb.446$(E-Mail Removed) y.com...
>
> "BigJIm" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:bK0Hb.467985$Dw6.1377439@attbi_s02...
> > Just set up a Wireless router, I would like to know if WEP 64 bit
> encryption
> > is good enough for a home
> > network or would 128 bit be overkill.
> > I also changed the name of the wireless network from the default
setting.
> > I am using Wireless G but the router is also B compatible.
> >
> > TIA
> >
>
> That depends on whether you live in a high risk environment. WEP 64 and
128
> bit can be cracked. If you just want to fend off casual snoopers, any WEP
is
> enough.
>
>
>

It has been tested (not by me) that going from no WEP to 64bit doesnt change
performance, but 128bit does degrade permance.
Having said that, you probably know with time and effort even 128 can be
crack. Depend on your risk, may be toy arround with MAC filtering

"PT Wang" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:Vj1Hb.446$(E-Mail Removed) y.com...
>
> "BigJIm" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:bK0Hb.467985$Dw6.1377439@attbi_s02...
> > Just set up a Wireless router, I would like to know if WEP 64 bit
> encryption
> > is good enough for a home
> > network or would 128 bit be overkill.
> > I also changed the name of the wireless network from the default
setting.
> > I am using Wireless G but the router is also B compatible.
> >
> > TIA
> >
>
> That depends on whether you live in a high risk environment. WEP 64 and
128
> bit can be cracked. If you just want to fend off casual snoopers, any WEP
is
> enough.
>
>
>

"BigJIm" <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

> Just set up a Wireless router, I would like to know if WEP 64 bit encryption
> is good enough for a home

It's better than most people do, but cryptographically it's pretty
weak.

> network or would 128 bit be overkill.

In my opinion, 128 is where to start. No reason not to. But, WEP is
flawed and breakable. Check with your manufacturer to see if a
firmware upgrade that includes WPA security is available. It address
the known security flaws in WEP.

> I also changed the name of the wireless network from the default
> setting. I am using Wireless G but the router is also B compatible.


--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

MAC filtering is okay, but it is trivial to defeat. WEP can be broken, but
it usually takes a few hours of effort to to do it. Increasing key length
makes it a little harder, but not as much harder as you may think. On the
other hand, if you can get 64 bit keys working, then it should be no extra
effort to 128 bit keys working. There should be no performance penalty
unless you have older equipment, especially 802.11b, running on a host with
a slow cpu.

WPA is your best protection if you have an upgrade to support it. WEP with
long keys is the next best bet - especially if you change your keys fairly
often. MAC filtering alone is essentially no security at all, even if you
changed your SSID. You may also be able to tell your router to not broadcast
the SSID. This won't hurt, but an eavesdropper can still find out your SSID
quite easily.

As to whether you need WEP or better, that has to be your call. You will get
a range of opinion from "chill, dude - don't worry about it" if you live in
the country, to "build your house out of brick, little piggy" from the
security-conscious. Personally, I'd lock my doors even if I lived in the
country.

"BigJIm" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:bK0Hb.467985$Dw6.1377439@attbi_s02...
> Just set up a Wireless router, I would like to know if WEP 64 bit
encryption
> is good enough for a home
> network or would 128 bit be overkill.
> I also changed the name of the wireless network from the default setting.
> I am using Wireless G but the router is also B compatible.
>
> TIA
>
>

BigJIm wrote:

> Just set up a Wireless router, I would like to know if WEP 64 bit
> encryption is good enough for a home
> network or would 128 bit be overkill.
> I also changed the name of the wireless network from the default setting.
> I am using Wireless G but the router is also B compatible.

Both are breakable, but 128 bit is much tougher. Got with it.

--

Fundamentalism is fundamentally wrong.

To reply to this message, replace everything to the left of "@" with
james.knott.