so i click view wireless networks and, well who is angel and joe d? (1 Viewer)

[TonyD]

i have a laptop connected to the desktop with a wireless router, linksys.

the last few days i clicked to look at the connections and it tells me to choose one.

i have the one that is supposed to be there and one called angel today.

so what are these extra nets, joe d and angel?

also i have a firewall on from microsoft but the list says my net connection is unsecured.
what's up with that.

win xp on both desk and lap.

 

[Chris]

It means other people have hopped on your wireless connection because it is not secured by a method like WPA, etc. So, you're seeing their "network" name that their PC lists. In other words: people are hijacking your internet connection

The connection that is unsecured is your wireless connection to your wireless router, which is probably not doing any filtering (obviously) by MAC, WEP, or WPA.

EDIT: Never mind, I realized you aren't seeing these in "MY Network Places" but rather in the wireless connection template; these are just neighboring wireless networks to yours.

 

[Joseph S]

They're probably just names of other wireless networks in your area, not folks on your network. The current encryption methods are a joke and not worth wasting your time. Just limit to known MAC addresses. Your browser handles encryption on secure pages.

 

[SethH]

Yeah, I don't think they're on your network. Those are just the names of the networks your neighbors have up and running.

A firewall does not secure a wireless network. You must go into the router and turn on WEP or WPA and also use MAC address filtering.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

They're unsecured networks in your area that are foolishly broadcasting their presence and their names. Make sure yours doesn't.

Regards,

Joe

 

[TonyD]

ok so i go into the setting s and turn on wep encryption.
then the connection is lost.
i notice something about a network key and confirm net key. and a check box to provide it automatically.

i guess i need to figure out what the key is?

 

[Greg*go]

When you are enabling WEP in your router, you can create your own key. I think WEP is restricted to using 0-9 and A-F? Just be sure to remember your WEP before you enable it.

Then when you connect your laptop, enter in the WEP code you entered into the router. I think the "automatically provide key" option you saw is if you have all ready entered it yourself once. That way you don't have to enter the long and difficult password everytime you want to connect your laptop to the network. Good luck!

Joseph S, MAC filtering is almost as useless as WEP. If someone really wants to get into your network, they can clone your MAC address. The only true safe way of securing your wireless network is not to have one. And with 2 other unsecure WAP in range of his house, he should feel confident about his WEP encryption (but maybe throw in MAC filtering as an extra measure.)

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

But first they have to get your MAC addresses - which means they have to have physical access to your devices if the network is secured to reject any connections not coming from approved MAC addresses. If the "hacker" has broken into your house I think you have bigger problems than wireless network security.

Joe

 

[Greg*go]

Joseph, I am by no means an expert, I just read about the various types of Wireless Security when I purchased my own wireless router.

According to this, MAC Address Filtering can be broken by just monitoring the network. I remember watching them break this fairly easily on The Screen Savers last year.

On a related note, here is a blog entry that I read last month. Although this is only one man's opinion, he ranks MAC filtering as being less secure then WEP:
The six dumbest ways to secure a wireless LAN


edit:

We all have to keep in mind though, that just using MAC or WEP should be enough to deter the average user from trying to use your network. Most people won't have to worry about the problems listed on all the links I've given in this post.

 

[Kimmo Jaskari]

The way to set up WEP is to first configure the access point with 128bit WEP. The easiest way to set up the encryption is to choose a passphrase. The AP will then convert that to the required hex characters.

After you have turned on WEP encryption in the access point, you just make sure you input the exact (exact!) same settings into whatever wireless devices you use; same passphrase etc.

Once that is done the devices should once again be able to communicate but eavesdropping or using the wireless network is more difficult for anyone trying to break in.

If anyone wants to break into a WEP "secured" network however - MAC filter or no MAC filter - it will take minutes. Very easy to do by just listening to the wireless traffic and then running a statistical cracker on the encrypted packages. There is no way to secure WEP, it is inherently broken.

It is, however, a lot better than having no encryption at all, as it will most likely discourage a casual snooper considering how many completely unsecured access points are out there.

What you really want to use, if possible, is WPA. WPA-PSK is a great deal more secure all round, but not all wireless devices support it (yet).

Enabling WPA-PSK is just as easy or easier; just enter a passphrase and then do the same on the client device(s).

 

[TonyD]

"Enabling WPA-PSK is just as easy or easier; just enter a passphrase and then do the same on the client device(s). "

that is one of the options that appears on the , options, so i'll givee that a shot.

 

[TonyD]

ok i figured out how to use wep to secure the wireless network.
i found the instructions on the cd that came with the router.

i'll try to figure out if i can use the wpa later.

thanks for the help.

now if i can figure out who angel and joe d are.

 

[Kimmo Jaskari]

I figure whoever they are, they should be within 300 meters of your wireless device, so you can always start knocking on your neighbourhood doors if you really need to know for some reason.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

They could be mobile too. Any strange cars in your neighborhood lately?

Glenn

 

[Ted Lee]

yeah, definitely keep an eye out for cars too. they could be war chalking.

http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/columns/article.php/1402401

 

[TonyD]

no strange cars.

but i did have to re enter the encryption key number today for some reason.
shouldnt that stay there and be remembered whenever i turn on the laptop?

 

[Ted Lee]

odd. you definitely should *not* have to re-enter your wep key. my setup (three desktops, two laptops) all use the same wep key with no issues, etc.