KevinL Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 I have a laptop that belongs to the local soccer league. Turned it on tonight and noticed some icons in the lower right. Bottom line I found 4 wireless networks in my neighborhood, 2 secured and 2 unsecured. Was able to connect to 1 named "linksys" Can they tell that I am connected? What can they tell (computer name, etc)? What can they see on my pc (if anything)? Is there a safe way for me to take advantage of this situation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 I have a laptop that belongs to the local soccer league. Turned it on tonight and noticed some icons in the lower right. Bottom line I found 4 wireless networks in my neighborhood, 2 secured and 2 unsecured. Was able to connect to 1 named "linksys" Can they tell that I am connected? What can they tell (computer name, etc)? What can they see on my pc (if anything)? Is there a safe way for me to take advantage of this situation? Anybody stupid enough to leave their wireless unsecured isn't going to know you're on it. If your PC is up to date on patches and has the Windows firewall / Norton / Sygate / other Internet security program enabled, you'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliaz Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 I have a laptop that belongs to the local soccer league. Turned it on tonight and noticed some icons in the lower right. Bottom line I found 4 wireless networks in my neighborhood, 2 secured and 2 unsecured. Was able to connect to 1 named "linksys" Can they tell that I am connected? What can they tell (computer name, etc)? What can they see on my pc (if anything)? Is there a safe way for me to take advantage of this situation? There is a way to tell if you are connected to it but dollars to donuts if they left it unsecure then they have no idea what so ever on how to check on that. They can't see anything on your PC. They will be able to see if a MAC address is using their connect by checking the router. My neighbors have been using an unsecured connection for years now. Let me put it to you this way, the default (out of the box) name of a linksys router is "linksys". This means they just pulled it out and plugged it in. You're fine to use it. I highly doubt you'll get caught and if you do, all they'll do is secure their connection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckB Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 There is a way to tell if you are connected to it but dollars to donuts if they left it unsecure then they have no idea what so ever on how to check on that. They can't see anything on your PC. They will be able to see if a MAC address is using their connect by checking the router. My neighbors have been using an unsecured connection for years now. Let me put it to you this way, the default (out of the box) name of a linksys router is "linksys". This means they just pulled it out and plugged it in. You're fine to use it. I highly doubt you'll get caught and if you do, all they'll do is secure their connection. As of right now my wireless network is unsecure and I livr in an apartment. So what is the simplest way to secure my connection? Do I have to know the mac address of my Wii and Tivo to secure it oris there another way? I am a relative moron when it comes to this as I have never done it before. Sorry about hijackin the thread but any help would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puddy Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 As of right now my wireless network is unsecure and I livr in an apartment. So what is the simplest way to secure my connection? Do I have to know the mac address of my Wii and Tivo to secure it oris there another way? I am a relative moron when it comes to this as I have never done it before. Sorry about hijackin the thread but any help would be appreciated. White trash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Czarina Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 We just ordered a wireless router yesterday. So someone's going to be needing to tell me how to secure this stuff, because I surely have no idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 (edited) As of right now my wireless network is unsecure and I livr in an apartment. So what is the simplest way to secure my connection? Do I have to know the mac address of my Wii and Tivo to secure it oris there another way? I am a relative moron when it comes to this as I have never done it before. Sorry about hijackin the thread but any help would be appreciated. We just ordered a wireless router yesterday. So someone's going to be needing to tell me how to secure this stuff, because I surely have no idea. This thread may help you. But I am not sure if it is the same for a Mac. Edited February 25, 2007 by max Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocknrobn26 Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 This site helped me a lot when I first did it: http://www.practicallynetworked.com/security/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 We just ordered a wireless router yesterday. So someone's going to be needing to tell me how to secure this stuff, because I surely have no idea. RTFM. The manual will tell you how to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitman Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 (edited) As of right now my wireless network is unsecure and I livr in an apartment. So what is the simplest way to secure my connection? That would be not using your connection until it is secure. What kind of router do you have? Did it come with instructions? Setting up the security is very easy for most part. Usually you can configure your router by going to the setup page (i.e. 192.168.xxxx) You can even change the Network name from "Linksys", "Belkin", "Netgear", "D-link", etc. to something unique AND require a password to access your wireless network. Edited February 25, 2007 by Hitman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 That would be not using your connection until it is secure. What kind of router do you have? Did it come with instructions? Setting up the security is very easy for most part. Usually you can configure your router by going to the setup page (i.e. 192.168.xxxx) You can even change the Network name from "Linksys", "Belkin", "Netgear", "D-link", etc. to something unique AND require a password to access your wireless network. And only allow specific MAC addresses to attach to it, as well as tell it not to advertise itself (so it won't show up in a list of visible wireless networks). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 And only allow specific MAC addresses to attach to it, as well as tell it not to advertise itself (so it won't show up in a list of visible wireless networks). Those are two good steps. Also use WPA encryption. This will only work with XP SP2 and you'll most likely have to update the drivers for your wireless network card, but it is well worth the effort IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckB Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 (edited) And only allow specific MAC addresses to attach to it, as well as tell it not to advertise itself (so it won't show up in a list of visible wireless networks). Cliaz actually pm'd me and gave me some help but because I am using a Nintendo Wii and a Tivo he said I would have to use the mac addresses and told me to pm you for help so any further instructions for the computer handicapped would be appreciated. I have a Netgear router and would very much like to secure my wireless connection.......Thanks Edited February 26, 2007 by ChuckB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montster Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 Cliaz actually pm'd me and gave me some help but because I am using a Nintendo Wii and a Tivo he said I would have to use the mac addresses and told me to pm you for help so any further instructions for the computer handicapped would be appreciated. I have a Netgear router and would very much like to secure my wireless connection.......Thanks i have a belkin router and use the 128-bit WEP protection. i don't know whether that would be enough protection to satisfy others on this board, but i can tell you that i'm able to maintain the protection while also connecting my wii, ps3 and xbox 360 to my network. if you want details, PM me. as for MAC address filtering, the wii should have the MAC address on it somewhere (i'm too lazy to check mine), and i'm assuming you're using some kind of wireless adapter for the tivo, in which case the MAC address should be printed on the adapter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckB Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 i have a belkin router and use the 128-bit WEP protection. i don't know whether that would be enough protection to satisfy others on this board, but i can tell you that i'm able to maintain the protection while also connecting my wii, ps3 and xbox 360 to my network. if you want details, PM me. as for MAC address filtering, the wii should have the MAC address on it somewhere (i'm too lazy to check mine), and i'm assuming you're using some kind of wireless adapter for the tivo, in which case the MAC address should be printed on the adapter. You are correct I have my Wii's mac address and the wireless adapter for my Tivo does have the mac address on it. Now all I need to do is figure out how to set up the security settings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveman_Nick Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 You are correct I have my Wii's mac address and the wireless adapter for my Tivo does have the mac address on it. Now all I need to do is figure out how to set up the security settings. If you have a linksys, it's pretty intuitive. there is a management web site built into the box. The site has a security tab. it's all right there, very easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdrudge Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 And only allow specific MAC addresses to attach to it, as well as tell it not to advertise itself (so it won't show up in a list of visible wireless networks).MAC based security as well as SSID broadcast are neither very good security precautions. MAC based security is very easily spoofed. SSID also is easily discovered if there is any traffic flowing. The only real way to lock down a network is to use WPA or WPA2 encryption. WEP is better then nothing, but it's flawed and is easily broken anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 MAC based security as well as SSID broadcast are neither very good security precautions. MAC based security is very easily spoofed. SSID also is easily discovered if there is any traffic flowing. The only real way to lock down a network is to use WPA or WPA2 encryption. WEP is better then nothing, but it's flawed and is easily broken anymore. That may well be the case and I agree about WPA but the number of spoofers traveling past my house and finding my unadvertised network is very low and for the average Joe, MAC address limitation is quite a good precaution, among others. Certainly better than just taking the router out of the box and leaving it unsecured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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