Security - Wireless Internet Connection.

#1 (**permalink**) 10-13-2005, 08:20 PM

I gave up my dial-up connection and installed to my computer a wireless
connectivity from TRENDware, USA (TEW-229UB, 11Mbps 802.11 Wireless USB
Adapter, Wi-Fi compliant with IEEE 802.11b devices).
During Installation/configuration I was trying to enable 'encryption' Key
Length: 40/64 Bit. Format: Hex. But when doing so, a connection to the net
could not be established. So I unchecked this security feature in order to
establish network connection.

It's been suggested that if I can't secure a wireless connection then you
should go wred and not wireless
otherwise I may be the object of "War Driving".
And one way to keep others out and to make the connection more secure is to
record the mAC
address of the Network Interface Cards (NIC) of each PC that is on your home
LAN and only
allow those MAC addresses to use the wireless connection.

In C:\WINDOWS\Help\infrared.chm is a lot of information concerning security
(WEP, WAP) relating to eavesdropping and unauthorized access all of which I
consider as very important but is a bit beyond my comprehension.

Is there short-easy-to-understand-way (i.e. check points or step-by-step
instruction) to make
my wireless workstation more secure?

My System Information:-
Platform: OS Microsoft Win32 XPPro Version 5.12600 SP2 Build 2600
Processor: x86 Family 15 Model 3 Stepping 4 GenuineIntel ~2400Mhz, Pentium4
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00, Total Physical Memory 512MB.

Many thanks in advance.

#2 (**permalink**) 10-13-2005, 08:57 PM

[POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <dimfj0$35s$1@domitilla.aioe.org> on Fri, 14 Oct 2005 03:20:45 +0700,
"Kayman" <khkay@-invalid-csloxinfo.com> wrote:

>I gave up my dial-up connection and installed to my computer a wireless
>connectivity from TRENDware, USA (TEW-229UB, 11Mbps 802.11 Wireless USB
>Adapter, Wi-Fi compliant with IEEE 802.11b devices).
>During Installation/configuration I was trying to enable 'encryption' Key
>Length: 40/64 Bit. Format: Hex. But when doing so, a connection to the net
>could not be established. So I unchecked this security feature in order to
>establish network connection.
>
>It's been suggested that if I can't secure a wireless connection then you
>should go wred and not wireless
>otherwise I may be the object of "War Driving".
>And one way to keep others out and to make the connection more secure is to
>record the mAC
>address of the Network Interface Cards (NIC) of each PC that is on your home
>LAN and only
>allow those MAC addresses to use the wireless connection.

MAC addresses can be easily spoofed, so that's *not* a good security solution.

>In C:\WINDOWS\Help\infrared.chm is a lot of information concerning security
>(WEP, WAP) relating to eavesdropping and unauthorized access all of which I
>consider as very important but is a bit beyond my comprehension.
>
>Is there short-easy-to-understand-way (i.e. check points or step-by-step
>instruction) to make
>my wireless workstation more secure?
>
>My System Information:-
>Platform: OS Microsoft Win32 XPPro Version 5.12600 SP2 Build 2600
>Processor: x86 Family 15 Model 3 Stepping 4 GenuineIntel ~2400Mhz, Pentium4
>MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00, Total Physical Memory 512MB.

"Configuring Windows XP IEEE 802.11 Wireless Networks for the Home and Small
Business"
<http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/wifisoho.mspx>

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>

#3 (**permalink**) 10-13-2005, 09:46 PM

Thank you for directing me to this informative website. I have just one more
question please.
As my Wireless LAN USB Adapter is presently plugged to my computer, is it
safe to unplug this device while using the Wireless Network Wizard to
Configure a Wireless Network?
Best regards,

"John Navas" <spamfilter0@navasgroup.com> wrote in message
news:eTz3f.138127$qY1.37743@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> [POSTED TO alt.internet.wireless - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]
>
> In <dimfj0$35s$1@domitilla.aioe.org> on Fri, 14 Oct 2005 03:20:45 +0700,
> "Kayman" <khkay@-invalid-csloxinfo.com> wrote:
>
>>I gave up my dial-up connection and installed to my computer a wireless
>>connectivity from TRENDware, USA (TEW-229UB, 11Mbps 802.11 Wireless USB
>>Adapter, Wi-Fi compliant with IEEE 802.11b devices).
>>During Installation/configuration I was trying to enable 'encryption' Key
>>Length: 40/64 Bit. Format: Hex. But when doing so, a connection to the net
>>could not be established. So I unchecked this security feature in order to
>>establish network connection.
>>
>>It's been suggested that if I can't secure a wireless connection then you
>>should go wred and not wireless
>>otherwise I may be the object of "War Driving".
>>And one way to keep others out and to make the connection more secure is
>>to
>>record the mAC
>>address of the Network Interface Cards (NIC) of each PC that is on your
>>home
>>LAN and only
>>allow those MAC addresses to use the wireless connection.
>
> MAC addresses can be easily spoofed, so that's *not* a good security
> solution.
>
>>In C:\WINDOWS\Help\infrared.chm is a lot of information concerning
>>security
>>(WEP, WAP) relating to eavesdropping and unauthorized access all of which
>>I
>>consider as very important but is a bit beyond my comprehension.
>>
>>Is there short-easy-to-understand-way (i.e. check points or step-by-step
>>instruction) to make
>>my wireless workstation more secure?
>>
>>My System Information:-
>>Platform: OS Microsoft Win32 XPPro Version 5.12600 SP2 Build 2600
>>Processor: x86 Family 15 Model 3 Stepping 4 GenuineIntel ~2400Mhz,
>>Pentium4
>>MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00, Total Physical Memory 512MB.
>
> "Configuring Windows XP IEEE 802.11 Wireless Networks for the Home and
> Small
> Business"
> <http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/wifisoho.mspx>
>
> --
> Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
> John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>