StarDestroyer.Net BBS

OK I have a wireless network at home that I originally setup as unencrypted. How do I encrypt it now? I think someone might be poaching my bandwith.

In my case the software that came with the US Robotics WLAN thingy and connects my computer to the router has a tab in which you can set the security level. Perhap it´s the same with yours.

salm wrote:In my case the software that came with the US Robotics WLAN thingy and connects my computer to the router has a tab in which you can set the security level. Perhap it´s the same with yours.

Yes it was as simple as running the setup disk that came with it. Thought it would involve more than that as there was no icon in the Control Panel for it. Thanks anyways.

Giving us the model of your wireless modem/routeur would be a help
anyway:
try tapping 192.168.1.1 in your browser
should normally prompt an admin login and password.
type the one you set (or the default one written in your manual)
the go to wireless or security and switch from unencrypted to WPA (or WEP if you someone in the family use a a gizmo non-compatible with WPA (like a DS)) then choose you password, save the setting maybe do a soft reboot for taking in account change in the protocols then don't forget to configure wireless access on your laptops.

Mobius wrote: try tapping 192.168.1.1 in your browser

Different routers will use different addresses, but this is the way.

As noted, WPA will give you better security, and you get to set the passphrase yourself, so you won't have to cope with WEP keys, which are long and awkward.

Vendetta wrote:
Different routers will use different addresses, but this is the way.

As noted, WPA will give you better security, and you get to set the passphrase yourself, so you won't have to cope with WEP keys, which are long and awkward.

Apperently WEP which I initially chose because it offered 128 bit encryption wasn't compatible with my DSL modem. So I went with WPA and 64 bit which didn't give me any problems. I might have the WPA AND WEP bit backwards but I think that's what happened. Anyway the important bit is that no one will be poaching my connection anymore.

Unfortunately, WEP is literally worthless security. If you're using WEP, someone can capture some traffic and break your key in no time at all. I can't use my DS online for this reason - I'm not going to reduce my wireless security to nothing for a game... and my neighbourhood has many wireless networks that have name formats similar to mine (thus, they've already sniffed my network, so if I was using WEP they'd have broken the security).

Yeah, but it's not so bad unless someone is really trying to make a dedicated effort to get into your wireless network. Simply having the WEP would discourage people from 'casually' getting onto your network.

WPA2 is best, but even many fairly recent adapter cards and routers don't support it. My 18 month old Dell Inspiron 9300 with an intel 2200BG card supports WPA2, while my brand new Latitude 131L with a Dell 1390 mini PCIe wireless card doesn't.

That said, WPA is enough security for home use.

Before I sold off my spare routers, I'd leave one powered up with no encryption enabled.
The 'problem' was that the router wasn't connected to anything after I changed the configuration password from the default.
Can you imagine the look on some leech's face when he'd try and try to connect to the internet and get nowhere?

Normally we pout a little, unless there is another unsecured network that does give it up.

InnocentBystander wrote:Normally we pout a little, unless there is another unsecured network that does give it up.

... something like that.