Wireless Router - Security

[Dav0s]

ok, so ive just ordered a new router, and im going wireless. well, my bro paid for it because he basically needs it for his ps3 and laptop. i told him to get a linksys wrt54gl after reading some good reviews on it, and hearing it could be flashed with 3rd party firmware so should be nice and stable.

but this is my very first venture into wireless networking, and i have NO idea how to set up any kind of security, so i could do with some help.

here's how the network will be set up...

im on cable, so modem into router, 2 pc's (XP) running wired into the router and a laptop (vista) and ps3 running wireless into the router.

1. what security do i need to set up, and how do i do it

2. should i flash the router straight away, or see how it runs on linksys firmware first?

cheers for any help guys

 

[!TIMMY!]

Sup Dave,

I just got the same router a few weeks ago, and I have only to reboot it once in that time. I immediately flashed it with the DD-WRT firmware. There is loads of info on DD-WRT and I remember reading that WEP security is rubbish and you want 128bit WPA security.

Other 3rd party firmware are 'Tomato' and 'Open-WRT'.

Linksys Info is also a good resource.

Hope this helps.

 

[Dav0s]

from what i read, tomato was more stable, tho dd-wrt had more features. im pretty sure i wont need half of the features of either, but i like the idea of stability

i might aswell flash it straight away otherwise ill never get round to it lol, is there much risk?

 

[!TIMMY!]

Just follow the instruction word for word, or you might end up bricking your router! For example, use IE not FF. For DD-WRT there was very details instruction on their website. I don't know about Tomato as I never flashed my router with it.

With the DD-WRT I had to flash with the DD-WRT Mini firmware because the Linksys firmware only allows a max of a 3mb firmware file. Then I had to flash to the DD-WRT Standard firmware.

 

[FarFarAway]

And yeah you need WPA PSK 128 bit encryption, the most secure home encryption out right now (afaik)

 

[Dav0s]

how do i set up the WPA? is it trough the router itself or through windows?

 

[!TIMMY!]

Yes it will be through the router. Make your own WPA 128bit key in the options of your router, and then use that key when connecting to your router with your laptop and PS3.

 

[Hassan]

If you want best security look no further than wpa2. Thats right wpa2. Much much harder to crack - nearly impossible.

 

[BloomerzUK]

Just access the router through the ip: 192.168.1.1 or 2.1.

 

[Kerotan]

lol, I've just downgraded- from wireless to wired. Got me a nice 30m flat LAN cable and ran it under carpets, up stairs and around skirting boards as frankly I was pretty sick of the crap ping and connection drops my wireless was giving me. Also it's pretty secure to boot, but good luck with your router.

 

[Hassan]

lol, I've just downgraded- from wireless to wired. Got me a nice 30m flat LAN cable and ran it under carpets, up stairs and around skirting boards as frankly I was pretty sick of the crap ping and connection drops my wireless was giving me. Also it's pretty secure to boot, but good luck with your router.

Instead of getting 30m lan cable you should've got 30m ADSL cable.

 

[FarFarAway]

Instead of getting 30m lan cable you should've got 30m ADSL cable.

? A CAT 5e or CAT 6 cable is correct for a wired router

 

[ionicle]

change the IP address of your router from any of the standard ones to somthing completly random, then use WEP 128 Hex, and you should be fine, its what i use..

 

[FarFarAway]

WEP 128's not hugely secure tbh, WPA is far more secure and WPA2 even more secure if you're router/kit supports it....

 

[ionicle]

it suports WPA, but as far as i can tell, you cant detect the network on wpa automatically, and you have to manually set all the settings, and i really cant be arsed with that

 

[Hassan]

There ain't no point changing the IP address of the router if you set your router security to WEP coz after that is hacked in something like 5 minutes, it won't take a genius to figure out the router IP address.

 

[ionicle]

even if you set it to (for example, one i used two routers ago) 64.241.162.200 ?

summet mad and random...literally

 

[Hassan]

even if you set it to (for example, one i used two routers ago) 64.241.162.200 ?

summet mad and random...literally

yeah coz after connecting to the router wirelessly the router gives the computer the gateway address which is the router ip.

You can easily see it in the connection status

 

[ionicle]

ahh, ye, true

but i still prefer wep, i prefer 64 bit wep tbh...

but 128 bit i figured was more safe

the little padlock is enough to put the majority of people off it lol

 

[Hassan]

ahh, ye, true

but i still prefer wep, i prefer 64 bit wep tbh...

but 128 bit i figured was more safe

the little padlock is enough to put the majority of people off it lol

Just pray that I don't live in your neighborhood