[gamehead200]

So, my mom was driving me over to my friend's house, and I had my laptop and wireless card plugged in. I turned the corner, and I found a wireless network using Network Stumbler... I didn't find it surprising, so I just forgot about it... We started going one of the main streets and one after another, I was finding wireless networks! How crazy is that!? On my way to my friend's house, which is about 5 to 10 KM away, I found 62 wireless networks, who were all broadcasting their SSIDs and 20 which had WEP enabled... I found it crazy... I kept telling my mother to pull over so I could surf the net, but the car was going a bit too fast, so I couldn't connect...

My question is, should I tell all these people with WANs that their networks are probably being accessed by people like me or just let it go?

[sven]

up to you, but do you really want to go to 62 houses just to tell them their internet is accessible from the street. how many people drive around with their laptops searching for wireless networks to connect to. Your call.

[gamehead200]

sven, on Feb 22 2004, 06:10 PM, said:

how many people drive around with their laptops searching for wireless networks to connect to.

One so far!

Would be nice, I guess... Giving them a business card, them calling me up, me getting paid!

sven, think about it!

[sven]

the question is, how many care

[likuidkewl]

I know I don't I leave mine open to others if they abuse it I ban them, via MAC. So really it is up to you.

[black~cobra]

gamehead200, on Feb 22 2004, 04:59 PM, said:

So, my mom was driving me over to my friend's house, and I had my laptop and wireless card plugged in.  I turned the corner, and I found a wireless network using Network Stumbler... I didn't find it surprising, so I just forgot about it... We started going one of the main streets and one after another, I was finding wireless networks! How crazy is that!? On my way to my friend's house, which is about 5 to 10 KM away, I found 62 wireless networks, who were all broadcasting their SSIDs and 20 which had WEP enabled... I found it crazy...  I kept telling my mother to pull over so I could surf the net, but the car was going a bit too fast, so I couldn't connect...

My question is, should I tell all these people with WANs that their networks are probably being accessed by people like me or just let it go?

Hi , i know that i dont post alot but if you could answer my question, it would be very appreciated

I am running in my house a wireless network (1 desktop wired & 1 laptop wireless) and i would like to secure it, so what happened to you wouldn't happen here. Finding 62 open wireless network is not so good --> I dont want anybody to access my network except my 2 computer.

I have already set the dhcp server to be only 2 computer, and added the mac address of each computer in the mac filter of my dlink di614+.

What i would like to know is, Is there anything else to do to block access to my network, only allowing my 2 computer to access network/web ??

Thanks alot

Black~Cobra

[gamehead200]

Well, first of all my WAN is secure.

What you want to do is restrict access to only those 2 computer by MAC addresses. Also enable WEP and disable the broadcasting of your SSID and you should be fine!

[rcwalker]

Your MAC address filtering is just fine, it's beatable, but only by someone who "knows" what they are doing. As far as WEP, make sure you have a good key with the max encryption, again it's beatable, but that takes time. See if your wireless cards and router(access point) have the ability for a firmware update to use WPA, sometimes the software is also included with the products but just check. Both "ends" must be WPA for this to work.

Remember it's wireless, if someone really wants in, over a period of time they may be able to, so change your encrytion keys every now and then. This will prevent "war-drivers" from gaining access. Not that they is always malicious intent, but it's just good practice.

[StOrM]

Me and my mate once went war driving, and we left a nice text file on all the desktops, telling them to encrypt there WLANs

[R600]

I've got McD's opposite my house and they have WiFi enabled. However, I'm not as lucky as you are since they have their connections encrypted.

[R600]

One thing I want to ask regarding SSID broadcasts.

Will I be able to get all my PCs connected to the access point if I disabled the SSID broadcast on it?
I've tried it once, but I couldn't connect to it. Maybe it was because I hadn't connected to the access point (and saving the access code) before hiding the SSID.

[rcwalker]

If you're not going to be broadcasting the SSID, you have to know it. Try using a "war driver" application to connect if you can't by just entering the SSID. I know boingo may work as well as some others.

[black~cobra]

Thanks alot gamehead200 and rcwalker

So, with what i said, my network is (so far) secure ??

Btw, when i tried to disable the broadcasting of my SSID, the laptop(wireless) couldnt connect to the web. If i disable the broadcasting of my SSID, what does i have to do to re-gain internet access on my laptop ??

Thanks alot again

Black~Cobra

[gamehead200]

You have to tell your laptop what SSID you want to connect to!

Works for me!

BTW, I use Net Stumbler!

[black~cobra]

gamehead200, on Feb 27 2004, 04:35 PM, said:

You have to tell your laptop what SSID you want to connect to!

Works for me!

BTW, I use Net Stumbler!

Nice website !! Added it to my favorite

Can you tell me what SSID does exactly ?? I looked in my router help file , but there's nothing interessting about that

Let say that my SSID name is "MSFN" , if someone put "MSFN" in their SSID name could they log into my network?

And finally , what does the router do when the broadcasting of my SSID is "ON" ?? Does it send a wireless signal to find computer that have the same SSID name ?? And when the broadcasting of my SSID is "OFF" , does it stop sending a signal to find computer with the same SSID name ??

Its still kinda confusing for me , i have been using it since september last year but i cant say that i know how it work / how to set it up correctly :/

Thanks again .

Black~Cobra

[gamehead200]

SSID is an ID given to a wireless access point. When it is being broadcasted, it basically means that any wireless computer searching for a wireless access point will be able to find it. When it is not being broadcasted, your wireless computer will probably find it, but under a blank name. You will need the SSID to connect!

[black~cobra]

gamehead200, on Feb 27 2004, 09:03 PM, said:

SSID is an ID given to a wireless access point.  When it is being broadcasted, it basically means that any wireless computer searching for a wireless access point will be able to find it.  When it is not being broadcasted, your wireless computer will probably find it, but under a blank name.  You will need the SSID to connect!

Thank again gamehead200

Very appreciated

Black~Cobra

PS: Do you know how to update the firmware of a wireless card (the laptop pcmcia card (its a d-link Dwl-650+)). I updated the Router firmware , that's was easy, just log in 192.168.0.1 , in misc. update firmware , but the wireless card ??? i looked at it a little, and the only place for it, is in device manager. Is that normal ?

When i installed the wireless card , the cd-rom that came with it , only installed the wireless driver, no app.

[Aaron]

Its doubtful there are firmware updates for a PCI device, because drivers fix most of the bugs/issues.

[black~cobra]

AaronXP, on Feb 28 2004, 11:38 AM, said:

Its doubtful there are firmware updates for a PCI device, because drivers fix most of the bugs/issues.

Ok, thanks AaronXP

Black~Cobra