mayhem_metal
asked on
WIRELESS NETWORKING TIPS
Hello
My cousin has requested me to Install a wireless network at his place with three laptops & a Netgear Wireless Modem Router. I have a fair idea about Wireless but not installed one as of yet. So its a good opportunity to learn.
Request your kind assistance on Wireless Networking maybe some weblinks with TIPS on Wireless Security mainly.
For i.e My COUSIN has already got one Laptop configured in another country where he is staying and using wireless.
He was saying sometime like his Laptop & network is invisible & cannot been seen & wants the same setting to be done.
Any idea how this could be done.
Would appreciate any suggestion
Thanks in advance
Mayhem
My cousin has requested me to Install a wireless network at his place with three laptops & a Netgear Wireless Modem Router. I have a fair idea about Wireless but not installed one as of yet. So its a good opportunity to learn.
Request your kind assistance on Wireless Networking maybe some weblinks with TIPS on Wireless Security mainly.
For i.e My COUSIN has already got one Laptop configured in another country where he is staying and using wireless.
He was saying sometime like his Laptop & network is invisible & cannot been seen & wants the same setting to be done.
Any idea how this could be done.
Would appreciate any suggestion
Thanks in advance
Mayhem
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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3 points
* MAC filtering
* WPA-SPA, WEP is junk
* Turn off DHCP, set a unfamilar IP range (instead of default usually 192.168.1.1 try 10.0.0.0 or 172.0.0.0)
That's the most you can do, if they can see your SSID, so what. If a hacker wants to use your WAP, they can easily find your SSID
* MAC filtering
* WPA-SPA, WEP is junk
* Turn off DHCP, set a unfamilar IP range (instead of default usually 192.168.1.1 try 10.0.0.0 or 172.0.0.0)
That's the most you can do, if they can see your SSID, so what. If a hacker wants to use your WAP, they can easily find your SSID
A few points on Netgear....
(this is true with most hardware, but even more so here....I have had some nightmares)
+ Upgrade to the latest Firmware on the router before configuring the wireless. Many of the newer routers this feature automaticallty.
+ Download the latest install software for each adapter, keep the CD in the box. Install the software before inserting the hardware. (again, this may go with common sense, but I have setup probably 100+ networks using Netgear products [exclusive re-seller] and they can be very finnicky at times)
+ While the Netgear configuration utility works great most of the time, if you cannot connect for the life of you, try using the MS wireless client. (many times where one won't work for anything, the other works flawlessly).
(this is true with most hardware, but even more so here....I have had some nightmares)
+ Upgrade to the latest Firmware on the router before configuring the wireless. Many of the newer routers this feature automaticallty.
+ Download the latest install software for each adapter, keep the CD in the box. Install the software before inserting the hardware. (again, this may go with common sense, but I have setup probably 100+ networks using Netgear products [exclusive re-seller] and they can be very finnicky at times)
+ While the Netgear configuration utility works great most of the time, if you cannot connect for the life of you, try using the MS wireless client. (many times where one won't work for anything, the other works flawlessly).
ASKER
Hi All,
Thanks for the replies.
Yes I read about the points from RiceyRice(3 points) including disable broadcast of SSID. But I was not sure I was under the impression that I was still missing few security tips to make the nework invisible to Hackers. (I know Hackers can can break through however strong your security is.)
So If the above setting is taken care of, anyone using netstumbler would not find the network or the laptop present right.
Ok before I close this topic would like to know If my cousin Laptop is already configured to a wireless connection somewhere else. could I configure the Laptop to the wireless network which I would be installing without disturbiting the setting of the Laptop to use it agian on the other wireless connection??
Thanks once agian for your replies
Thanks for the replies.
Yes I read about the points from RiceyRice(3 points) including disable broadcast of SSID. But I was not sure I was under the impression that I was still missing few security tips to make the nework invisible to Hackers. (I know Hackers can can break through however strong your security is.)
So If the above setting is taken care of, anyone using netstumbler would not find the network or the laptop present right.
Ok before I close this topic would like to know If my cousin Laptop is already configured to a wireless connection somewhere else. could I configure the Laptop to the wireless network which I would be installing without disturbiting the setting of the Laptop to use it agian on the other wireless connection??
Thanks once agian for your replies
Honestly, JayJay and ShankShank pretty much covered it...there is simply nothing more you can do (MAC filter, Hide SSID name, WPA will make it as bullettproof as its going to get!!).
As far as messing up his existing settings, not likely. When a wireless client is in range of a network it has been configured for, it will (or should) connect. Try a reboot if it does not. Most wireless clients can store the settings for multiple networks and "wander" about them seamlessly.
As far as messing up his existing settings, not likely. When a wireless client is in range of a network it has been configured for, it will (or should) connect. Try a reboot if it does not. Most wireless clients can store the settings for multiple networks and "wander" about them seamlessly.
thankyou :)
In terms of security, I would use WPA-PSK. WEP can be cracked fairly easily with countless freely available tools, while MAC filtering is even easier to circumvent by someone with a certain amount of networking knowledge.
The ideal thing you want to do with passphrases for encryption is to have a *complex* passphrase that's at least 20 characters long. I know it's hard to memorize, so I know you'd have it stored somewhere so you can retrieve it when need be. Here's a website you can use to generate one: https://www.grc.com/passwords
Different wireless devices have different rules in terms of allowed characters... but alphanumeric is the safe bet across all devices. 63 characters is about the limit... but you could use the first 20 or so if you wanted. Should be sufficient securitywise. (No you won't die if you don't follow this, but I don't think you really would appreciate unauthorized people on your network either)