Wireless router info?

[gardener]

We've been through several wireless routers at our house and none have worked more than three or four days to date. A tech friend suggested that we get a wireless router from our service provider (AT&T DSL in this case) and that should solve the problem. We'll be hooking up the new AT&T router tonight but am concerned that (according to same tech) anyone within range can use "our" wireless system to boot up their own computer on the net. After some blah blah stuff that I didn't even come close to understanding, I did at least get the impression that one can modify settings or SOMETHING so that this won't be possible or at least it will be improbable.
Our main Dell desktop is hooked directly into the incoming line and the wireless will be used for an existing Dell laptop and probably another desktop (most likely Dell) to be purchased soon. Can someone with computer/router knowledge offer some easy to understand (PLEASE) instructions to make the necessary settings so we can do it ourselves? I've paid at least three times to have this stuff hooked up and when they leave, all is working fine only to have the router capability poop out after several days. Routers check out fine even after all the rebooting and such, they just don't do wireless any more although the direct hookup keeps on churning out a usable signal.
We came to the conclusion long ago that we're not very computer tech minded once it goes beyond mechanical issues so any help would be much appreciated. We also know that many of our acquaintenances use wireless and their experience has been that one just plugs it in and everything works for the most part with few if any issues.
Thanks,
Steve W

[TXhummer2]

Practically Networked has online tutorials. But if you don't want to wade through that, call a local computer tech, pay him/her, and just ask "Secure our network".

[ndsimm]

what is the brand/model of the equipment you got from ATT?
if it is the 2Wire modem, it should already come encrypted to prevent those without the key to access it. ATT should also be able to walk you through setting up security. that part of what you paid for when you got their equipment. Even their level one help desk has the steps necessary to do so....

[Rahb]

A) your routers probably were fine, you may have just needed to hard boot them with your router (unplug for one minute....plug modem in...once lights stop blinking and go solid, plug router in.....restart computer.......)

B) You can set up wireless security. You access the router using Internet explorer (manual should say how). With Linksys it's 192.168.1.1 as the address in I.E. For Netgear it is Routerlogin.com. once you access it you set up online security.....you copy the code down and enter it when you connect to the network.

It's not as hard as it sounds....and it can be done.

[Bartman01]

So I guess suggesting that you buy an older Linksys router and flash it with a third party firmware is out of the question

Seriously - call AT&T and have them help you secure your system. Your friends who just 'plugged it in and it worked' are probably sitting there with their wireless network (and any shared files/folders) open to anyone within radio range.

[roncd]

For FYI...

My brother got AT&T DSL for his daughter for Christmas. I took my laptop out and had to enter an encryption code before it would connect. He has the 2Wire modem that Nathan mentioned. From what it looked like, it was something that AT&T set up from their end.

Ronnie

[Sonny]

Hey Steve,

As Robert mentioned find you way into you router settings. Then immediately change the password. I do something a little than use WEP, WPA, WAP, or Radius.

I prefer to use MAC filtering for two reasons as opposed to the methods mentioned above..which I'll get to in a sec. One reason being on most Linksys routers (can't speak for Netgear and others) there are key generating tools easily found on the web which can be used to generate codes or keys giving access to the "hacker". MAC filtering is hard to hack, but it still can be done but you need very sophisticated packet sniffing software to accomplish this. The other reason would be laziness or convenience...you make the call . I know I did not like enter that crazy 9 or 15 digit number everytime I wanted access to the web. It might be different now cause it been a few years since setting up a new wireless network.

Some where inside of your router setting you can allow ONLY the MAC address listed to gain access. MAC addies are like finger prints each one is unique to that PC and no two should be alike. To find your MAC address or Physical Address, in Windows XP click START>RUN then type CMD and click OK. A DOS type screen will pop up. Type in this command ipconfig /all and press ENTER. If you have a laptop you might see two network adapters. In this case you are only concerned with the Wireless Adapter. Look for Physical Address and it will be in this type of format 00-0F-02-89-FB-9C. Your letter and number combo will be different as long as it is in a two by two format.

Hope this helps or gives you some options.

[lucian]

I have the Lynksys and it's been in place for about a month. Knock on wood it's working as it should.

A bud hooked it all up for me. There are settings to make it secure. So far all's well.

[Sonny]

Originally Posted by Bartman01

So I guess suggesting that you buy an older Linksys router and flash it with a third party firmware is out of the question

Seriously - call AT&T and have them help you secure your system. Your friends who just 'plugged it in and it worked' are probably sitting there with their wireless network (and any shared files/folders) open to anyone within radio range.

It doesn't necessarily have to be an older router. Even the newer Linksys GS routers with version 5 fw has a working 3rd party fw.

I'm using a Linksys WRT54GS v4.71.1 with Hyperwrt 2.1b1 + Thibor15c and LUV IT. Especially for my fellow torrent users.

[Tapper]

ahh, nope.

Mac filtering is among the easiest security methods to hack. Impersonating a mac is trivially easy, and so is using a wireless sniffer to see what mac you are using.

WPA is by far the best, and is pretty secure. Set it up to do WPA-PSK, and you're pretty safe.

WEP is easier, but requires someone to work at it a bit if you use a 128bit key. Most hackers won't bother for a home connection.

Setting up a wifi router is easy, but hard to explain in a forum post. Best to download a tutorial aimed at your router, follow the directions, and you should be good to go.

Originally Posted by Sonny

Hey Steve,

As Robert mentioned find you way into you router settings. Then immediately change the password. I do something a little than use WEP, WPA, WAP, or Radius.

I prefer to use MAC filtering for two reasons as opposed to the methods mentioned above..which I'll get to in a sec. One reason being on most Linksys routers (can't speak for Netgear and others) there are key generating tools easily found on the web which can be used to generate codes or keys giving access to the "hacker". MAC filtering is hard to hack, but it still can be done but you need very sophisticated packet sniffing software to accomplish this. The other reason would be laziness or convenience...you make the call . I know I did not like enter that crazy 9 or 15 digit number everytime I wanted access to the web. It might be different now cause it been a few years since setting up a new wireless network.

Some where inside of your router setting you can allow ONLY the MAC address listed to gain access. MAC addies are like finger prints each one is unique to that PC and no two should be alike. To find your MAC address or Physical Address, in Windows XP click START>RUN then type CMD and click OK. A DOS type screen will pop up. Type in this command ipconfig /all and press ENTER. If you have a laptop you might see two network adapters. In this case you are only concerned with the Wireless Adapter. Look for Physical Address and it will be in this type of format 00-0F-02-89-FB-9C. Your letter and number combo will be different as long as it is in a two by two format.

Hope this helps or gives you some options.

[Sonny]

Originally Posted by Tapper

ahh, nope.

Mac filtering is among the easiest security methods to hack. Impersonating a mac is trivially easy, and so is using a wireless sniffer to see what mac you are using.

WPA is by far the best, and is pretty secure. Set it up to do WPA-PSK, and you're pretty safe.

WEP is easier, but requires someone to work at it a bit if you use a 128bit key. Most hackers won't bother for a home connection.

Setting up a wifi router is easy, but hard to explain in a forum post. Best to download a tutorial aimed at your router, follow the directions, and you should be good to go.

Whatever floats your boat there buddy. All I know is what works for me! Just giving these guys options.

And I disagree MAC is not the easiest, but that's another argument. Anyways...Steve weight out your options, do your home work and do what's best for you!

[Dobick]

I personally use mac filtering + 40 bit WEP encryption. I also do not broadcast my ssid. While I personally know how this security can be hacked, it would be a bit difficult to do. First, because I rarely use the wireless, so the hacker's timing would have to be perfect, and secondly, because of the limited amount that I use it, the amount of traffic that is generated, would be hard to generate enough for a good crack. Also, everytime that I connect to the wireless has been for my day job, and I use end to end VPN tunnelling, so even if they cracked the wep, and cloned the mac address, they would only intercept encrypted traffic. So it is a bit insecure, but better than nothing, and I am within range of five wide open access points, so there would be very few reasons at all to hack mine.

But to echo the answers of others on here, the 2wire come out of the box with security enabled, and from what I have seen work fine that way.

[Sonny]

Originally Posted by Dobick

I personally use mac filtering + 40 bit WEP encryption. I also do not broadcast my ssid. While I personally know how this security can be hacked, it would be a bit difficult to do. First, because I rarely use the wireless, so the hacker's timing would have to be perfect, and secondly, because of the limited amount that I use it, the amount of traffic that is generated, would be hard to generate enough for a good crack. Also, everytime that I connect to the wireless has been for my day job, and I use end to end VPN tunnelling, so even if they cracked the wep, and cloned the mac address, they would only intercept encrypted traffic. So it is a bit insecure, but better than nothing, and I am within range of five wide open access points, so there would be very few reasons at all to hack mine.

But to echo the answers of others on here, the 2wire come out of the box with security enabled, and from what I have seen work fine that way.

Another great option! Thanks Kent.

[Joe N]

I have had 3 of the 2Wire wireless routers and they have been reasonably easy to set up. The first one was zapped by lightning and replaced and the third one is in my RV that I live in when I work away from home. The techs at AT&T helped me set up the routers over the phone and I just followed their instructions. The techs told me where to find the encryption code and where and when to install it.

The encryption will probably keep your neighbors from logging on to your network but a good hacker will be able to log on regardless of the kind of encryption you use. So if you see a strange vehicle sitting in the street with someone working on a computer you might want to disconnect the router for a while.

[gardener]

You guys are great! We didn't get to the router installation this evening but I did notice that the unit is a "2WIRE" brand (?) with the AT&T logo on the front.
I appreciate you all...
Steve W