Unsure of security of my connection...

Hey all,

I'm getting confusing feedback from WinXP, so hopefully sometone cna tell me
if this is just a bug I can ignore or if I have an issue.


Microsoft states:
Windows XP now prompts you to validate whether you want to create a
nonsecured preferred wireless network. Nonsecured is defined as an Open
system authenticated connection that does not use encryption to help protect
data. Additionally, when connected to a nonsecured wireless network, the
wireless network is displayed with the label Unsecured. These changes were
added to make sure that you are aware that you are connecting to a wireless
network that is susceptible to security attacks.

So here is my problem...I've secured my home wireless to have almost
excessive security..and it works fine...UNTIL I got rid of DHCP and gave my
machines static IP addresses. Since then, about 50% of the time, when I wake
my laptop, the little notification bubble shows:

Network-name (unsecure)
Speed: 54 Mbit
Signal strenght: Excellent
Status: Connected

Now to give you an idea of what I did to my home lan..

I have a Linksys WRT54GL on which I replaced the Linksys software with
software from DD-WRT.com.

DD-WRT allows me to enable/use channels 12 and 13...I've forced it to
Channel 13 (not supposed to do it cause I live in Canada, but oh well). Won't
accept connections on any other channel
WPA2 with PSK (long string of random characters), using AES encryption
Non-broadcasting SSID
Forced to G only speeds
Changed router internal IP from a .1 to something else.
Disabled WIFI management of router.

Right up until this point, it all works fine


Then I disabled DHCP...everything still works, but that message comes up
intermittently..

So now I am stuck wondering...with all the security and hardening I did, the
fact that my laptop can access the network, it SHOULD be secure, yet
WindowsXP is saying it's not..

So can someone please tell me why forcing static IP on my WIFI caused this
issue (and yes it goes away if I go back to DHCP)....and more
importantly...is my connection secure or not and can I safely ignore that
message?

Thanks

Hi
Try to switch On the SSID broadcast (which is No security measure to begin
with).
Jack (MVP-Networking).

"Ottawa_m_29" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:F6790230-FD9E-4638-8276-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hey all,
>
> I'm getting confusing feedback from WinXP, so hopefully sometone cna tell
> me
> if this is just a bug I can ignore or if I have an issue.
>
>
> Microsoft states:
> Windows XP now prompts you to validate whether you want to create a
> nonsecured preferred wireless network. Nonsecured is defined as an Open
> system authenticated connection that does not use encryption to help
> protect
> data. Additionally, when connected to a nonsecured wireless network, the
> wireless network is displayed with the label Unsecured. These changes were
> added to make sure that you are aware that you are connecting to a
> wireless
> network that is susceptible to security attacks.
>
> So here is my problem...I've secured my home wireless to have almost
> excessive security..and it works fine...UNTIL I got rid of DHCP and gave
> my
> machines static IP addresses. Since then, about 50% of the time, when I
> wake
> my laptop, the little notification bubble shows:
>
> Network-name (unsecure)
> Speed: 54 Mbit
> Signal strenght: Excellent
> Status: Connected
>
> Now to give you an idea of what I did to my home lan..
>
> I have a Linksys WRT54GL on which I replaced the Linksys software with
> software from DD-WRT.com.
>
> DD-WRT allows me to enable/use channels 12 and 13...I've forced it to
> Channel 13 (not supposed to do it cause I live in Canada, but oh well).
> Won't
> accept connections on any other channel
> WPA2 with PSK (long string of random characters), using AES encryption
> Non-broadcasting SSID
> Forced to G only speeds
> Changed router internal IP from a .1 to something else.
> Disabled WIFI management of router.
>
> Right up until this point, it all works fine
>
>
> Then I disabled DHCP...everything still works, but that message comes up
> intermittently..
>
> So now I am stuck wondering...with all the security and hardening I did,
> the
> fact that my laptop can access the network, it SHOULD be secure, yet
> WindowsXP is saying it's not..
>
> So can someone please tell me why forcing static IP on my WIFI caused this
> issue (and yes it goes away if I go back to DHCP)....and more
> importantly...is my connection secure or not and can I safely ignore that
> message?
>
> Thanks

Hi
If the Router Wireless security is On and the laptop can connect to it than
it is secure.
Just make sure that you are not actually connected to someone else's
connection that is Not secured.
Jack (MVP-Networking).

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:7ff0226d-9785-4d12-bd91-(E-Mail Removed)...
That didn't make any difference.

Can I just safely ignore what Windows is telling me, since my
connection is working? How was a static IP configuration vs. DHCP
affect the encryption and security of a connection?


On Dec 27, 12:17 pm, "Jack \(MVP-Networking\)."
<j...@discussiongroup.com> wrote:
> Hi
> Try to switch On the SSID broadcast (which is No security measure to begin
> with).
> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
> "Ottawa_m_29" <Ottawa_m...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>
> news:F6790230-FD9E-4638-8276-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>
>
> > Hey all,
>
> > I'm getting confusing feedback from WinXP, so hopefully sometone cna
> > tell
> > me
> > if this is just a bug I can ignore or if I have an issue.
>
> > Microsoft states:
> > Windows XP now prompts you to validate whether you want to create a
> > nonsecured preferred wireless network. Nonsecured is defined as an Open
> > system authenticated connection that does not use encryption to help
> > protect
> > data. Additionally, when connected to a nonsecured wireless network, the
> > wireless network is displayed with the label Unsecured. These changes
> > were
> > added to make sure that you are aware that you are connecting to a
> > wireless
> > network that is susceptible to security attacks.
>
> > So here is my problem...I've secured my home wireless to have almost
> > excessive security..and it works fine...UNTIL I got rid of DHCP and gave
> > my
> > machines static IP addresses. Since then, about 50% of the time, when I
> > wake
> > my laptop, the little notification bubble shows:
>
> > Network-name (unsecure)
> > Speed: 54 Mbit
> > Signal strenght: Excellent
> > Status: Connected
>
> > Now to give you an idea of what I did to my home lan..
>
> > I have a Linksys WRT54GL on which I replaced the Linksys software with
> > software from DD-WRT.com.
>
> > DD-WRT allows me to enable/use channels 12 and 13...I've forced it to
> > Channel 13 (not supposed to do it cause I live in Canada, but oh well).
> > Won't
> > accept connections on any other channel
> > WPA2 with PSK (long string of random characters), using AES encryption
> > Non-broadcasting SSID
> > Forced to G only speeds
> > Changed router internal IP from a .1 to something else.
> > Disabled WIFI management of router.
>
> > Right up until this point, it all works fine
>
> > Then I disabled DHCP...everything still works, but that message comes up
> > intermittently..
>
> > So now I am stuck wondering...with all the security and hardening I did,
> > the
> > fact that my laptop can access the network, it SHOULD be secure, yet
> > WindowsXP is saying it's not..
>
> > So can someone please tell me why forcing static IP on my WIFI caused
> > this
> > issue (and yes it goes away if I go back to DHCP)....and more
> > importantly...is my connection secure or not and can I safely ignore
> > that
> > message?
>
> > Thanks- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -