Connecting to the Wrong Wireless Network

By terry Leave a Comment

When you have a wireless notebook, or even a wireless desktop computer, you need to make sure you’re connecting to the correct router.

Most often, you want to connect to your own router in your house or apartment. Other times, it might be the wireless router in a coffee shop.

Our first type of accidental connection is an automatic connection to an unsecured network. Sometimes, you might want to do that because you’re at the coffee shop and want to use the wireless service they provide.

But, suppose you’re at home and turned on your notebook computer — configured just as it was when you went to the coffee shop?

You’ll probably connect to one of the unsecured routers in your neighborhood. And, you’ll wonder why your connection is so slow, why you can’t print, why you can’t …

Continue reading Accidental Wireless Connections

Filed Under: Networking, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Troubleshooting, Wireless Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Router Encryption — Increasing Wireless Security

By terry Leave a Comment

I answered a question recently from someone who was using WEP (the so-called “Wired Equivalent Privacy”) encryption on their wireless network. They were considering changing to WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access). The real answer is that they need to change to the second generation of WPA — WPA2.

The biggest question in their mind was whether they’d have to change the wireless passphrases on all their computers (quick answer: yes).

Why change? WEP is old, way, way old in computer terms. When it was first released, it was effective.

But, by 2004, second-generation WEP-cracking tools were widely available. In an article, SmallNetBuilder reports on a 2005 demonstration by a team of FBI agents who were able to crack a 128 bit WEP key in about three minutes.

Continue reading Router Encryption — Increasing Wireless Security

Filed Under: Broadband, Networking, Notebook computer, Security, Terry's Computer Tips, Troubleshooting, Wireless, Wireless Security

Wireless Security Issues

By terry Leave a Comment

In IP Addresses and Security, I wrote about how the Internet works — your computer has an IP address, your intended destination has an IP address, and both have to know and use the IP address of the other in order for communication to occur between them.

The article was in response to a reader who wrote to ask if he could keep his IP address secret, since he had been accused of copyright infringment by downloading a movie (which he says he didn’t do).

One of the potential issues was that his IP address could have been involved, even without him or anyone in his family being involved.

He uses a wireless router, as many of us do. He mentioned that he had a wireless password that had to be used in order to access his router. This kind of password is not a log-in password to the router — it is a password to the router’s encryption. Over the years, though, password security has gotten better and better. Unfortunately, some of the older encryption methods have become almost trivial for someone to crack with today’s fast computers.

However, even using the best wireless encryption available isn’t enough. There are other steps necessary to secure a wireless network.

Continue reading Wireless Security Issues

Filed Under: Internet Access, Internet Privacy, Intrusion Detection, Networking, Security, Wireless, Wireless Security

Wireless Networking

By terry Leave a Comment

Why have a Wireless Network?

By using a wireless network, you can share your Internet connection between computers that are not in the same room, without running wires from one room to another or from one end of the house to another.
Wireless Networking Flavors

* 802.11b – 11 Mbit/second, the original “consumer” wireless. This is the most common variety.
* 802.11a – 11 Mbit/second, but on a different frequency for better penetration of walls.
* 802.11g – 54 Mbit/second, compatible with 802.11b, but one person with a “b” card can slow entire network

Wireless Networking – Distances

The nominal maximum distance for 802.11b (the 11 megabit/second version) is 100’ indoors. In practice, this is a function of where you place the router, how many walls & how much glass the signal has to go through, metal window frames and ductwork between the router and the wireless client and whether you’re using the default antennas or optional hi-power versions. If you want to maximize the distance, you should place the router on a high shelf or in another high position.

However, a directional antenna can change all that — a 21 dB Yagi directional antenna can give a usable distance of 14 kilometers. Also, there are simple fabrication directions on the Internet. In other words, distance from you neighbor isn’t enough.
The Hook-Up

Getting your wireless network set up is often not much more difficult than setting up a wired network. The easiest and best approach is to have Windows XP (either Home or Professional, but I prefer Professional) on the computer(s). Windows XP is much more robust on networking than any earlier version of Windows. XP handles many updates and changes without requiring reboots, also.

Continue reading Wireless Networking


Filed Under: Internet Access, Networking, Terry's Computer Tips, Wireless, Wireless Security

Wi-Fi Hotspots and Computer Security

By terry Leave a Comment

Are you safe when you use the wireless network at your local coffee shop or airport? Maybe. Maybe not.

Are you accidentally sharing your files on your computer? Is your computer “trusting” connection attempts from the other computers at the hostspot?

A reader asked me

To improve security when using Wi-Fi at a coffee shop or traveling, I’ve seen advice to uninstall “File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks” on the active wireless connection in the Properties menu of Control Panel Network Connections. Is it necessary to do this – is there any downside to uninstalling this? Would it be sufficient to uncheck the box, or do I need to fully uninstall it?

Read more in Wi-Fi Hotspots and Computer Security

Filed Under: Broadband, Internet Privacy, Intrusion Detection, Networking, Security, Stability, Windows XP, Wireless, Wireless Security

Home Networking Basics

By terry Leave a Comment

Why should I network the computers in my home?

* Convenience, so you can share files and/or printers and/or the Internet connection
* Backup, so you can copy critical data files (e.g., your Quicken data) to the other machine for backup
* Computer access, so you can surf the Web while your spouse or kids are doing email or playing games

Read more in the Home Networking Basics article series at Terry’s Computer Tips.

Filed Under: Networking, Terry's Computer Tips, Wireless

Wireless Security

By terry Leave a Comment

First, be sure to connect to the router using an Ethernet cable for your configuration work – otherwise, with the first change, you’ll get locked out. If you are using wireless to login to the router, if you get locked out, you’ll have to wait for the router to time out and close that login.

Know these definitions,

* SSID = Server Set ID – basically, this is the network name
* MAC Address = a unique code for every networking device
* WEP = “Wired Equivalent Privacy” (don’t you believe it!)
* WPA = newer technology “Wi-Fi Protected Access”

First, I recommend that you secure your network.

Many people believe in having their network open — available to anyone who might want to use it. Without considering whether such sharing this may or may not be in compliance with your ISP’s terms and conditions of your service, you should consider the impact on the individual computers of your network.

Read more in my Wireless Security article.

Filed Under: Firewalls, Internet Privacy, Other, Security, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Wireless