How do I secure my network with a wirless connection, I just installed Linksys, but don't know how to secure?

Answer 1

If you just installed your Linksys (assuming you have something like a WRT54G or similar) then open your web broswer and go to 192.168.1.1 and the default login username is admin with password admin. First things first, CHANGE the default password.

Now, under Wireless and then Basic Wireless Settings, you might want to change your SSID to something other than the default "linksys". You can also disable the SSID broadcast, but don't let anyone tell you that's a security measure. This is a common misconception. SSID broadcast supression is not meant to be a security feature, it only supresses the SSID in the beacon messages only and doesn't protect you from wireless attacks, turning off SSID broadcast is more to prevent accidental associations.

Next, under Wireless and then Wireless Security, you can select WEP (minimal protection) or WPA PreSharedKey (preferred). WEP is weak and easily cracked for someone who knows how to do it with the right tools and is within range of your network. I like to say "WEP keeps your honest neighbors honest" and leave it at that. Most secure is to use WPA PSK with the AES algorithm, and use a decent length key, a passphrase of some sort up to 63 characters, the longer the better. Whichever you choose, WEP or WPA, you'll configure this on both your wireless router or access point, as well as the wireless client machines themselves. If/when you install a Linksys or other PCI card, or maybe a PCMCIA card in a laptop, you will use the client utility to connect to your SSID and provide the WEP or WPA info the same way. Or perhaps you have a laptop with a built-in 802.11 radio and you will use the Windows wireless network config tool... right click My Network Places and select Properties, then right click your wireless network connection and select Properties, then select the Wireless Network tab and you can configure it from there.

Finally, you can also use wireless MAC address filtering (the next tab to the right of Wireless Security) to lock down the access point so it will only accept frames from the MAC addresses you decide to allow. On your wireless PC bring up a command prompt (start, Run, "cmd") and give the command "ipconfig /all" and you'll see the MAC address of 12 hexadecimal digits. You can put this MAC address, such as 00:16:6F:7A:B8:15, into the list, and select the option to "Permit Only" those MAC addresses.

Hope this helps, good luck.

Answer 2

I you have WPA security enabled it should be fine. WEP is not that secure but it's better than nothing. I you have no security enabled, then anyone withing range can log on to your network. Maybe this will help http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wirelesssecurity/tp/wifisecurity.htm

Answer 3

I basically put in a Linksys instant router. I made my community maintain, however the learning could be diverse for various fashions. i may additionally assist you if i be responsive to your form quantity? My router form quantity is WRT54G, what's yours?