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DADDY BOB'S COMPUTER Q & A
February 24,
2008
Q. I am setting up a
wireless network in my home and will use it
primarily for allowing more than one
computer to share my broadband connection.
Should I be worried about securing it?
A. In a word
YES!! At the very least, there are some
things that you should do. First a little
information about wireless routers normally
used in home networks.
Most routers come with a
generic IP address and either a default or
no password that are needed to access the
router's setup. These can be found in the
manual supplied with the router, but
unfortunately they are also readably
available from the Internet. The router also
comes with a default SSID, Service Set
IDentifier that is probably set to the
router manufacturer's name, and set by
default to be broadcasted.
With the router
manufacturer's name, anyone in range can
obtain its default IP address and password,
allowing them using a laptop computer to
access your router's setup and play havoc
with it and your network.
For example, they could
change the SSID to anything they want,
causing you to broadcast a name composed of
profanity, etc., that you may deem
undesirable. They could install an access
password that would prevent you from
changing any of the router's settings. They
could also set a wireless security password
that would prevent you from using it to
access the Internet from any of your
wireless computers. And, they can do all of
this without your knowledge and without
being in your house.
Why, you ask, would anyone do
a thing like that? Why do people vandalize
schools and other public places, deface
things with vulgar graffiti and the like?
Because in this world, some get their
thrills this way and believe they can get
away with it without being caught. Here's
what you can do to prevent this from
happening. All of these should be done
before any wireless computer is connected.
First and foremost, read the
manual. Then following instructions in it,
you should change the router's access
password. This is probably the easiest
setting there is to change. Once this has
been done, no one without the password can
change its settings. You could also change
the routers IP address but I strongly
recommend against doing this unless you are
very sure you know what you are doing.
Next should change the SSID
to one that suits your situation so that
your wireless computers can find the router
when you set them up. You can, of course,
choose to not broadcast the SSID at all, but
then connecting your own wireless computers
becomes more difficult. It is usually
recommended that your SSID be broadcast and
this in itself, poses no security danger.
The third thing that is
recommended is that you set up some wireless
security in the form of wireless encryption.
(Notice I said third because my first
suggestion, reading the manual, is rarely
ever done) There are usually three types
available, those being 64 bit WEP the
weakest, 128 bit WEP middle strength and
256 bit WPA-PSK, the strongest currently
used for home networks. WEP stands for Wired
Equivalent Protection and WPA-PSK for WiFi
Protected Access-Pre-Shared Key.
For most home networks,
keeping out all but the most sophisticated
hackers, the 64 or 128 bit WEP is probably
adequate. 64 bit requires a 10 digit hex
number and the 128 bit WEP requires a 26
digit hex number for the password. The hex
number can be any combination of numbers
from 0 to 9, and/or letters from A to F.
Many ISPs will use the persons 10 digit
telephone number as their password if they
set up your system for you. For obvious
reasons, this is not a good idea.
Remember the type of
encryption and the password as you will need
it when you connect any wireless computer to
your network for the first time. After that,
the wireless computer will remember it, and
connect automatically.
Be advised that only a
computer connecting wireless is affected by
this encryption. Any computer connected via
an Ethernet cable to your router doesn't
need the password. Of course, any computer
connected with a wire is difficult to hide
form you so no unwanted access is probable.
There are many other settings
that can be made with your wireless router.
However, those mentioned herein should be
adequate for keeping vandals and other
unwanted people out while still allowing you
relative ease in connecting your own
wireless computers.
One other note about routers.
Most routers have a way for them to be reset
to factory defaults. This is usually done by
pressing a small button on the router. Check
your instruction manual for this option.
This option can come in handy should you
forget a password, or some settings have
been changed without your knowledge. Be
advised that this will remove any settings
that have been made and return it to the
exact condition as when you bought it.
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