wireless hardware choices

I am close to purchasing the required hardware to network my laptop
wirelessly (*and directly too at times) and desktop (host to cable Modem). I
am assuming all I need is the Router between the Cable Modem and the
Desktop, and then a wireless NIC for the laptop. Going for the G standard I
am thinking of the following purchase and just wanted some other ppls
experiences and the pros and cons considering the OS for each computer.

Router - Netgear WGR614 (Does this require an integrated Access Point too?)
NIC - NetGear WG511(so I can use B and G)

(competitors prices dont differ too much for it to be an issue, so its
compatibility and reliabilty I am looking for)

Desktop - XP Home Edition
Laptop - Dual Boot (windows98 rarely used) Windows 2000 Professional

Am I in for anything nasty for XP Home and Win2k Pro networked? I noticed
the ICS feature of XP is not supported by 2k but is for Win98. Or does the
software with my purchase bypass all the ICS issues and do it independently?
Any advice on firewalls and NAT and VPN would be welcome as I am unfamiliar
with the whole networking craft and I want to implement the highest security
I can.

Due to security - I will be using my laptop close to the desktop/router most
of the time and so will just use the CAT 5 cable from the router to the
laptop. Will I continually need to alter settings etc. to swap from wireless
to direct link and vice versa? At the moment I am just unplugging the RJ45
connector from one computer and into the other and vice versa as the laptop
has an internal NIC/modem but requires me to reset power to the external
cable modem each time.

Feel free to repost or email me direct

Regards In Advance

Dave

my recommendation is to check out www.epinions.com regarding the product you
are chosing.
good luck, i just entered the world of "wireless" myself.
J5


Dave wrote:
> I am close to purchasing the required hardware to network my laptop
> wirelessly (*and directly too at times) and desktop (host to cable
> Modem). I am assuming all I need is the Router between the Cable
> Modem and the Desktop, and then a wireless NIC for the laptop. Going
> for the G standard I am thinking of the following purchase and just
> wanted some other ppls experiences and the pros and cons considering
> the OS for each computer.
>
> Router - Netgear WGR614 (Does this require an integrated Access Point
> too?) NIC - NetGear WG511(so I can use B and G)
>
> (competitors prices dont differ too much for it to be an issue, so its
> compatibility and reliabilty I am looking for)
>
> Desktop - XP Home Edition
> Laptop - Dual Boot (windows98 rarely used) Windows 2000 Professional
>
> Am I in for anything nasty for XP Home and Win2k Pro networked? I
> noticed the ICS feature of XP is not supported by 2k but is for
> Win98. Or does the software with my purchase bypass all the ICS
> issues and do it independently? Any advice on firewalls and NAT and
> VPN would be welcome as I am unfamiliar with the whole networking
> craft and I want to implement the highest security I can.
>
> Due to security - I will be using my laptop close to the
> desktop/router most of the time and so will just use the CAT 5 cable
> from the router to the laptop. Will I continually need to alter
> settings etc. to swap from wireless to direct link and vice versa? At
> the moment I am just unplugging the RJ45 connector from one computer
> and into the other and vice versa as the laptop has an internal
> NIC/modem but requires me to reset power to the external cable modem
> each time.
>
> Feel free to repost or email me direct
>
> Regards In Advance
>
> Dave

DO NOT use ICS. With a router, it isn't needed and in fact will mess things
up.
the router connects you to the Internet, not a "host" computer as with ICS.
Desktop can connect to router with cat 5 cable and laptop by wireless
adapter.
Then do all usual networking set up, and don't forget to enable security
once it's all working OK. Not before.
The router has a decent firewall built in. VPN gets complicated and
expensive - if with a larger corporation at work, check with your techie
there.
if not, forget it.


"Jammers" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:biu5k7$pkt$(E-Mail Removed)...
> my recommendation is to check out www.epinions.com regarding the product
you
> are chosing.
> good luck, i just entered the world of "wireless" myself.
> J5
>
>
> Dave wrote:
> > I am close to purchasing the required hardware to network my laptop
> > wirelessly (*and directly too at times) and desktop (host to cable
> > Modem). I am assuming all I need is the Router between the Cable
> > Modem and the Desktop, and then a wireless NIC for the laptop. Going
> > for the G standard I am thinking of the following purchase and just
> > wanted some other ppls experiences and the pros and cons considering
> > the OS for each computer.
> >
> > Router - Netgear WGR614 (Does this require an integrated Access Point
> > too?) NIC - NetGear WG511(so I can use B and G)
> >
> > (competitors prices dont differ too much for it to be an issue, so its
> > compatibility and reliabilty I am looking for)
> >
> > Desktop - XP Home Edition
> > Laptop - Dual Boot (windows98 rarely used) Windows 2000 Professional
> >
> > Am I in for anything nasty for XP Home and Win2k Pro networked? I
> > noticed the ICS feature of XP is not supported by 2k but is for
> > Win98. Or does the software with my purchase bypass all the ICS
> > issues and do it independently? Any advice on firewalls and NAT and
> > VPN would be welcome as I am unfamiliar with the whole networking
> > craft and I want to implement the highest security I can.
> >
> > Due to security - I will be using my laptop close to the
> > desktop/router most of the time and so will just use the CAT 5 cable
> > from the router to the laptop. Will I continually need to alter
> > settings etc. to swap from wireless to direct link and vice versa? At
> > the moment I am just unplugging the RJ45 connector from one computer
> > and into the other and vice versa as the laptop has an internal
> > NIC/modem but requires me to reset power to the external cable modem
> > each time.
> >
> > Feel free to repost or email me direct
> >
> > Regards In Advance
> >
> > Dave
>
>

Thanks for the info,

Ok - sounds like the router does a good job with security on broadband cable
end, but what about security from the laptop to the router? Is this where
hackers can get a signal and if so - they have basically bypassed the router
and are therefore in the network? I assume my software firewalls on the
desktop and the laptop come into play here - but how secure is that section
of the line??

Regards

Dave


"Len West" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:IWD4b.298$(E-Mail Removed)...
> DO NOT use ICS. With a router, it isn't needed and in fact will mess
things
> up.
> the router connects you to the Internet, not a "host" computer as with
ICS.
> Desktop can connect to router with cat 5 cable and laptop by wireless
> adapter.
> Then do all usual networking set up, and don't forget to enable security
> once it's all working OK. Not before.
> The router has a decent firewall built in. VPN gets complicated and
> expensive - if with a larger corporation at work, check with your techie
> there.
> if not, forget it.
>
>
> "Jammers" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:biu5k7$pkt$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > my recommendation is to check out www.epinions.com regarding the product
> you
> > are chosing.
> > good luck, i just entered the world of "wireless" myself.
> > J5
> >
> >
> > Dave wrote:
> > > I am close to purchasing the required hardware to network my laptop
> > > wirelessly (*and directly too at times) and desktop (host to cable
> > > Modem). I am assuming all I need is the Router between the Cable
> > > Modem and the Desktop, and then a wireless NIC for the laptop. Going
> > > for the G standard I am thinking of the following purchase and just
> > > wanted some other ppls experiences and the pros and cons considering
> > > the OS for each computer.
> > >
> > > Router - Netgear WGR614 (Does this require an integrated Access Point
> > > too?) NIC - NetGear WG511(so I can use B and G)
> > >
> > > (competitors prices dont differ too much for it to be an issue, so its
> > > compatibility and reliabilty I am looking for)
> > >
> > > Desktop - XP Home Edition
> > > Laptop - Dual Boot (windows98 rarely used) Windows 2000 Professional
> > >
> > > Am I in for anything nasty for XP Home and Win2k Pro networked? I
> > > noticed the ICS feature of XP is not supported by 2k but is for
> > > Win98. Or does the software with my purchase bypass all the ICS
> > > issues and do it independently? Any advice on firewalls and NAT and
> > > VPN would be welcome as I am unfamiliar with the whole networking
> > > craft and I want to implement the highest security I can.
> > >
> > > Due to security - I will be using my laptop close to the
> > > desktop/router most of the time and so will just use the CAT 5 cable
> > > from the router to the laptop. Will I continually need to alter
> > > settings etc. to swap from wireless to direct link and vice versa? At
> > > the moment I am just unplugging the RJ45 connector from one computer
> > > and into the other and vice versa as the laptop has an internal
> > > NIC/modem but requires me to reset power to the external cable modem
> > > each time.
> > >
> > > Feel free to repost or email me direct
> > >
> > > Regards In Advance
> > >
> > > Dave
> >
> >
>
>

On Tue, 2 Sep 2003 01:24:50 +1000, "Dave" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Thanks for the info,
>
>Ok - sounds like the router does a good job with security on broadband cable
>end, but what about security from the laptop to the router? Is this where
>hackers can get a signal and if so - they have basically bypassed the router
>and are therefore in the network? I assume my software firewalls on the
>desktop and the laptop come into play here - but how secure is that section
>of the line??

"They" can't "bypass" the router - they can only get *through* it - if your
router allows them through.

Stuff that gets through because you need those ports open get stopped by the
software firewall running on each LAN client.

That is, after all, what most of us depend on to work...

/daytripper

So "they" cannot tap into the "wireless" signal? That is what I meant by
"bypassing" the router. The signal from the laptop to the router (wireless)
is where my concern was. I guess my lack of tech knowledge has me
visualizing an open link in that signal in "mid air".. Obviously the desktop
is safe though, as it is protected via the router and the joining CAT 5
connection.

Dave


"daytripper" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Tue, 2 Sep 2003 01:24:50 +1000, "Dave" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
> >Thanks for the info,
> >
> >Ok - sounds like the router does a good job with security on broadband
cable
> >end, but what about security from the laptop to the router? Is this where
> >hackers can get a signal and if so - they have basically bypassed the
router
> >and are therefore in the network? I assume my software firewalls on the
> >desktop and the laptop come into play here - but how secure is that
section
> >of the line??
>
> "They" can't "bypass" the router - they can only get *through* it - if
your
> router allows them through.
>
> Stuff that gets through because you need those ports open get stopped by
the
> software firewall running on each LAN client.
>
> That is, after all, what most of us depend on to work...
>
> /daytripper

On Tue, 2 Sep 2003 02:22:04 +1000, Dave spoketh

>So "they" cannot tap into the "wireless" signal? That is what I meant by
>"bypassing" the router. The signal from the laptop to the router (wireless)
>is where my concern was. I guess my lack of tech knowledge has me
>visualizing an open link in that signal in "mid air".. Obviously the desktop
>is safe though, as it is protected via the router and the joining CAT 5
>connection.
>
>Dave
>

Unless you've secured the wireless connection, it is a piece of cake for
anyone to tap into your network. If there's a DHCP server on your
network, they'll get an IP address, and can start snooping around real
easy. If there are wired computers on the same network, they can be
accessed through the wireless connections as well.

The recommended procedure to secure your wireless access points is to
disable SSID broadcasts, use the best encryption possible for your setup
(128 bit WEP, or preferably WPA), and also do MAC address filtering on
the wireless access point.


Lars M. Hansen
http://www.hansenonline.net
(replace 'badnews' with 'news' in e-mail address)

"Lars M. Hansen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...

> The recommended procedure to secure your wireless access points is to
> disable SSID broadcasts

Which does next to nothing because SSIDs can be detected easily anyway.

> use the best encryption possible for your setup
> (128 bit WEP, or preferably WPA)

Well, we know WEP is iffy at best. How good is WPA? My router/NIC
(Netgear) don't support WPA at this point to my knowledge.

> and also do MAC address filtering on
> the wireless access point.

How easy is it to spoof a MAC address? How would a hacker know the MAC
address to spoof? It seems like this is a good security precaution. How
easily can it be defeated?

-Jeremy

On Mon, 1 Sep 2003 14:30:22 -0500, yirm spoketh

>"Lars M. Hansen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed).. .
>
>> The recommended procedure to secure your wireless access points is to
>> disable SSID broadcasts
>
>Which does next to nothing because SSIDs can be detected easily anyway.
>
But it does enough to keep the "accidental" snooper away.
>
>> use the best encryption possible for your setup
>> (128 bit WEP, or preferably WPA)
>
>Well, we know WEP is iffy at best. How good is WPA? My router/NIC
>(Netgear) don't support WPA at this point to my knowledge.
>
WEP isn't the best encryption available, but it's better than none, and
it does keep the amateurs out.

WPA is a lot better. It offers a few choices with regards to encryption
algorithm, including AES. I know the Linksys access points now support
WPA through firmware upgrades (1.08 for the WAP54G supports WPA, it
appears otherwise very unstable, at least for me). Other brands will
probably come with firmware upgrades for WPA as well. Right now, WPA is
really only available for WindowsXP. W2K users have to purchase a 3rd
party software solution...

>
>> and also do MAC address filtering on
>> the wireless access point.
>
>How easy is it to spoof a MAC address? How would a hacker know the MAC
>address to spoof? It seems like this is a good security precaution. How
>easily can it be defeated?
>
>-Jeremy
>


Lars M. Hansen
http://www.hansenonline.net
(replace 'badnews' with 'news' in e-mail address)