Need help setting up WEB security.

[logopro]

Hi all,

Today I bought a SMC wireless AP , and an Orinco gold card.

I am having trouble with setting up the encryption on the SMC base.

I did the setup, but have stopped when it gets to a dialogue box .... it asks me to click 64 or 128bit encryption, and when I chose 128 bit it then shows me a box with all kinds of starts " **** " in all kinds of boxes.

The manual is really bad and doesn't tell me what to do at this point......... do I just click on the "next" button to accept all these ****s ? or do I have to actually manually input some kind of sequence of numbers ?

I stopped the install there on this, as I have no clue what I am to do. I have checked on the forum but don't see anything really that explains my next step.

much appreciated if anyone can help me out.

thanks in advance,
Mark.

[Greenstead]

I'm sure we could help you configure the WEP but would have to look at the manuals for the PC card and router. They are usually available on the websites if you can provide links for your products. Generally what you do is enter a passphrase in the router and it generates the key (a hexadecimal string). Then you copy and paste the key into the PC card WEP properties.

Before you worry about all that I would suggest you consider if you really need WEP. Remember it cuts down througput, typically 802.11b gets ~4.5Mbps and 128 WEP takes that down to ~3Mbps. Remember 802.11b is quite short range and struggles to cover your house boundaries. Are you worried someone is parked outside your house with a wireless laptop sniffing your data - are you doing on-line banking (its encrypted anyway) - or do you work for the government - then you may need WEP?

You should certainly implement MAC authentication to restrict access to your cards only.

If you want help post back.

[logopro]

Good morning,

I didn't know that WEP can cut down on your connection speed that drastically.

With the setup I have it had the option of doing WEP or the MAC option also.

I was under the impression that WEP and MAC were the same thing, can you explain what the MAC does ?

are you saying I can have WEP .... **and** MAC running at the same time ?

I'm using the wireless connection just for at home, and I doubt seriously that somebody would be driving by and finding my network, but I am worried about having hackers from the Interent come in through my wireless system. I am a newbie when it comes to this and security, so I may be on the wrong path of thinking here.

any info is appreciated GreenStead.

[Greenstead]

MAC address authentication and WEP are entirely different security methods. You can have either or both operating together.

WEP aims to prevent others listening in to your data passing between the PC and Router.

MAC authentication aims to prevent other users with a wireless device from connecting to your Router and trying to use your internet connection or access your LAN PCs.

I believe MAC authentication is a good idea, and it costs you nothing to turn it on. WEP costs you LAN bandwidth and has limited security benefits (the loss of bandwidth will not affect your internet activity significantly).

The way MAC authentication works is you enter into the Router the MAC address of all wireless devices you will allow to connect to the router and no other wireless devices can then connect to it. Its a one off setup and forget it.

Of course, an attack on your home wireless network is very unlikely anyway, but I regard MAC authentication as normal and sensible as locking the front door of my house.

In the end the decision depends on your personal circumstances. Both of these methods are described in your router manual.

[logopro]

Hi Greenstead,

very good info there, I just printed it out. Thanks for that.

I have a good question.....

Is it possible to turn on WEP **and** MAC at the same time ?

I would be interested in trying that.

Second question is this:

When I got to the WEB encryption part of my setup with the wireless network stuff on the laptop, I was greeted with a screen where I get to choose my WEB encryption...... either 64 or 128 bit.

The part that is confusing me greatly is this, - there are all kinds of "****"s in the boxes already... do I just go ahead and click "ok" ? or do I have to delete the spaces, and fill in info that I have to remember ?

I'm guessing that if I click "ok" with all those default *** in there, I will be up a creek without a paddle...... as I don't know what the *** stand for.

I appreciate your help and your time Greenstead, thanks again for taking the time to help a stranger.

Mark.

[Greenstead]

Answer 1: Yes you can turn on WEP and MAC together.

Answer 2: The difference in 64bit and 128bit WEP is the length of the encryption key it uses. 128bit is stronger encryption- harder to crack.

Answer 3: To make an encryption key. You can make it in two ways. In the router.....1st select either 64 or 128 bit encryption. Then you eiither enter a key your self in the boxes (in hexadecimal characters 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,a,b,c,d,e,f) - 10 char for 64 bit, 26 chars for 128 bit. An easier way is enter a phrase in the passphrase box and click generate and it makes the key for you. Then go to your wireless card in the PC and enter exactly the same key in the wireless configuration. Its very fiddly to do.

Be careful - when you apply the key in the router you lose connection with it until you have configured the wireless settings in the PC. You will probably spend ages getting it correct.

This does not affect connection by a wired PC to the router.

Hours of fun.

[logopro]

Hi Greenstead,

oh geez........ well maybe I won't be setting up WEP :-(

The MAC thing, is this as hard to set up ?

also, if MAC is set up , does this mean it needs to be set up
on both the card and the base ?

I have only seen the WEP thing come up for the wireless base, and never for my card however, I would have to search for it.

But anyway yeah how about the MAC thing, appreciate any help :-)

Mark

[clutchd]

Logopro,

Logon to your routers internal software by entering 192.168. whatever your routers internal software access address is. 192.168 is usually the root of LAN IPs. Once logged in, you should goto the wireless section of your router and should see a tab named "MAC Filtering." Have the MAC addresses ready to enter in. Apply the setting to your router, and baddabam baddabang! Your set. Please make any corrections if necessary Greenstead..hope this helps

PS: Hey greenstead, hows it going? remember me from the old board? Now that i have my account setup, might be able to lighten some of your load...lol...

[Greenstead]

Logopro-
You find the MAC address of your PC card on the connection Support->details. Or it may be on the back of the card.
(sometimes called physical address).

Read your router manual it tells you how to input the MAC address of the card.

-


Hi clutchd

Appreciate some help - I'm wearing the keyboard out here.