Wireless settings......

[Dark Atheist]

What settings do people use? i know there isn't a single setting you can use to make thing secure, because any pc on the net is never going to be secure.

Its coming to the point where i am fed right up with all the wires and stuff i have in here, so i am thinking of using wireless for the laptop and mac, so im just trying to get an idea of settings that would give people the biggest amount of headache to any penis (or the neighbours) who wants to sit outside your house in their car trying to steal your bw.

I am thinking of using WPA2 using a 64bit hex code from grc.com's random code generator and set it to change every 600 seconds (10mins), along with tying it to the mac addresses.

As i have said i know if someone wants to get in they will, i just want to make it as hard as hell for them to do so

edit: also meant to say, the main pc will stay wired, and the connection to the router is done though https, and has been set only to allowed wired connections to administrate.

Also what is the best channel to use - if there is a "best" channel, i know its an idea not to use the same channel as any routers near you, same goes for the encryption, should you use tkip or aes ?

 

[LordOfLA]

i believe tkip is stronger than aes, however if you are worried about security, don't use wireless.

 

[X-Istence]

WPA2 is just AES, there is no TKIP anymore. TKIP is the weak part of WPA1 which allows one to attempt to brute force the password after getting just 4 packets, the hand shake between the wireless router and the user.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_Protected_Access

TKIP is thus less secure than AES. As of yet there are no good attacks against WPA2, at least any that are feasible within a standard time frame, other than brute forcing it.

 

[Dark Atheist]

ok - just that there is an option on the router to select

tkip
aes
tkip+aes

so wasnt to sure. As to the rest of the settings are they good enough?

 

[LeeJend]

Don't transmit the network name. A nuisance to an expert, but unless they are looking for your signal an amatuer will not know you are there.

WPA2 but if the laptop/router/MAC is old it may not support WPA2.

Use a bitch of a security key
"jkshgf73qrfj781368901376*(%#$)_(@#$%()()JHFDYTRWD&FVGHI_OTRW#$%*"
is a good start. 1234 is a bad start...

Control your signal. Use a Windsurfer to force transmissions in a limited direction from the router. Mine points into the house (away from the street) and down, limiting range in my 2 major risk axis. IF signal strength is high some routers let you cut transmit power down.

Bidirectional firewall on all machines. Inbound to block LAN access, outbound to protect other machines if a hacker gets past security on one machine.

You do not need to keep the wireless up 24/7. Turn it off when you are not around or are sleep and not using it. Less access time for people to attack it.

 

[Dark Atheist]

Yes - i meant to say i never broadcast the ssid - as to the key its a 64hex character, i was looking at directional antennas when i get new router as it looks like my current one may be on the way out

I always turn off wireless when it nots in use over night

 

[vern]

I use WEP because my PSP can't seem to connect to my router unless I use WEP although the PSP does support WPA/WPA2.

I am not too concerned about security.

 

[bmclaughlin]

I use WEP because my PSP can't seem to connect to my router unless I use WEP although the PSP does support WPA/WPA2.

I am not too concerned about security.

It's good that you're not concerned about security. It takes 5-10 minutes to crack WEP encryption.

 

[vern]

It's good that you're not concerned about security. It takes 5-10 minutes to crack WEP encryption.

I knew that. Still not concerned.