WEP questions

[{Sygen}]

I currently dont have wep enabled and I was wondering if I enable it will it slow down the connection? In some games my bro gets alot of loss, or lag, would enabling it help that at all or is that my router (Intel gateway). Hope someone can help. Thanks.

[YeOldeStonecat]

Originally posted by {Sygen}
I currently dont have wep enabled and I was wondering if I enable it will it slow down the connection?

Yes it will impact performance a bit in a negative way...depending on the router you have. Different routers have different processors in them...so enabling WEP will make the processor work harder as it does the encryption. 64 bit will impact performance a little bit...128 will impact even more.

[{Sygen}]

Is 64 bit good enough?

[cyberskye]

The best way to approach WiFi security is to imagine your machines connected directly to the internet - no router or the like. So use strong passwords for all your accounts, password protect all shares, disable services you don't need and put personal firewalls on every machine on your LAN with tough rules even for other LAN hosts.

On the WRouter/WAP make sure that you filter on MAC address and disable SSID broadcast. This means you can't use the built-in MS wireless networking auto-wizard-thingy, so you'll have to manually configure your connection. Most Adapter manufacturers provide info on ho to do this.

Is 64 bit good enough?

Good enough for what? It's easier to crack than 128bit - which can itself be cracked as well.

http://airsnort.shmoo.com/

This is a linux prog that captures and analyzes 802.11x packets. It can be used to crack your WEP key. It's a wireless version of snort.

Cheers,

Skye

[twwabw]

Originally posted by cyberskye
On the WRouter/WAP make sure that you filter on MAC address and disable SSID broadcast. This means you can't use the built-in MS wireless networking auto-wizard-thingy, so you'll have to manually configure your connection. Most Adapter manufacturers provide info on ho to do this.

Good enough for what? It's easier to crack than 128bit - which can itself be cracked as well.

Cheers,

Skye

Yep- and disable "open" and "both" configurations on the WAP as well. WEP is a sorry excuse for "security" for WiFi, but at least it will stop casual access. If they want in though, they'll get in.

Unless, you use one of these :D
http://www.sonicwall.com/gfx/products/pic_sohotzw.jpg

SonicWall TZW wireless (http://www.sonicwall.com/products/sohotzw.html)

The SonicWall TZW provides wireless security by forcing wireless users to use a VPN client for wireless connections. 3DES IPsec VPN tunnel for all wireless communications. Really an incredible product. More secure than traditional implementations of concentrators at the perimeter

[fredra]

Have you given any consideration to setting up a RADIUS Server to handle the authentication of all users?
WEP is a sorry excuse for "security" for WiFi,
You are so correct on that twwabw.....I agree 100%...so is MAC address, that can be spoofed.
Some software that can be used with most cards, to have it authenticated, before being allowed on the LAN. The AP or router must have IEEE 802.1x authentication AND Radius Server to be able to take advantage of the software.
AEGIS from Meetinghouse
SSH Sentinel (this is one complex software to setup, but works like a charm once it is setup properly)

[{Sygen}]

I had no idea that wep was that poor. The only reason I didnt want to goto 128 is because im on mvldsl (80kb dl) and didnt want to lag everywere I went.

[YeOldeStonecat]

Also ponder where you use it. Because you mention your bro using your connection, I'm picturing you house. If so, do you live in a wide open area, or a dense apartment complex?

The answer to the above might help you see how much sleep you'll lose worrying about having fort knox security or not. Follow the basics anyways, Linksys even has a quick guide on making your wireless network more secure. Myself...only one out of three houses within wireless range has an owner that uses a computer (he runs a college campus IT dept, and is about to retire)...so I don't worry too much. I'm out in the country, not in an area where war drivers go around looking for unsecured wireless networks to grind into.

Now if you're setting up a business network..that's another matter.

[cyberskye]

I had no idea that wep was that poor. The only reason I didnt want to goto 128 is because im on mvldsl (80kb dl) and didnt want to lag everywere I went.

It's better than nothing, but assuming wireless to be as secure as wired isn't realistic - encryption or no. I can stand outside your apartment and capture the transmissions between you and your AP to my disk. I can then brute-force your key. Taking some of the other third party security measures may prevent access to your internet connection, but can still allow interception of data, (passwords, credit card posts to amazon.com, etc) sent back and forth. Tunneling through WEP would make this all much harder - maybe nearly impossible.

For browsing, you wouldn't even feel the impact from WEP. Your internet connection is less than 1mb downstream.


Have you given any consideration to setting up a RADIUS Server to handle the authentication of all users?

This seems to be the most secure approach available.

[{Sygen}]

Originally posted by YeOldeStonecat
Also ponder where you use it. Because you mention your bro using your connection, I'm picturing you house. If so, do you live in a wide open area, or a dense apartment complex?.


Yeah sorry should of posted that earlier. Its for home network, in a fairly wide open area. My bro took my laptop in his car, went arround a few local neighoods w/ network stumbler and only found 2 other people w/a wirless network. Neither of which were secure.