Security for Linksys WRT54GX - MAC filtering?

Just replaced my old wired router with the Linksys WRT54GX and have tried to set it up for maximum security. Here's what I have done:

SSID - has a name WEP encryption at 128 bit

I've read something on these groups about MAC filtering for additional security - what is it and what might it be called in the Linksys router setup?

Louise

Reply to
louise
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You want to be using WPA-PSK/TKIP with a long encryption key.

You can do many things, but WEP is not going to do it for you.

Reply to
Leythos

It has WPA PreShared Key and WPA radius as options other than WEP. Which one?

And, why did tech support at Linksys insist upon using WEP even when I said I wanted high security? Is there something more complicated in setting up with WPA and they didn't want to bother?

BTW, my desktop is connected to the router with wire. My laptop and my daughter's laptop are connected wirelessly. My laptop is old (Thinkpad) and I have a PMCIA Intel card to create wireless access. Woule this be problematic using WPA?

Thanks.

Louise

TIA

Reply to
louise

You know you're really in the wrong NG asking these questions. However, this link may help you, along with you posting to alt.Internet.wireless.

formatting link
And about the MAC filtering, each device such as a modem, router, wire NIC, wireless NIC has an unique MAC code and you can set rules on the wireless router as to what wireless NIC(s) by their MAC code can access your router on the wireless. That would be the MAC of each wireless NIC your machines would have blocking anyone else from accessing your wireless network wirelessly. That would stop the casual wireless hacker in your area at best.

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

For about 0.3 seconds, because this is how much it takes from stripping the MAC from a pcap dump and doing the iwconfig with a shell script.

Reply to
Sebastian Gottschalk

WEP128 has a theoretical security of 104 bit and a practical security of about 12 bit.

Adding 0 doesn't increase the value.

Reply to
Sebastian Gottschalk

That would stop the casual wireless hacker in your area at best. That would be the next door neighbor that had wireless and didn't know what he or she was doing.

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

Even your neighbor knows how to Google.

Reply to
Sebastian Gottschalk

Use Pre-Shared Key.

It's not really complicated to set up, you just type in a key for the router and the wireless card. The card, however, has to support WPA. If it doesn't, you may be able to find updated drivers from intel.

Reply to
Shadowman

One of the first two. If you have a single box, then use PSK. If you have a huge infrastructure, consider using RADIUS.

Could be the supporter there had no clue of what she/he was talking about.

No.

And it looks like a small setup, so WPA-PSK will do.

Yours, VB.

Reply to
Volker Birk

Does not matter.

Is unsecure.

It will not help with security at all.

The only things I can see, which will help for your setup, are WPA or an encrypted VPN.

Yours, VB.

Reply to
Volker Birk

WPA PreShared Key (should be something like WPA-PSK / TKIP.

WEP is older and easier to setup, and you can't really expect free support to know much about anything.

WPA-PSK/TKIP is a great personal method and works with most all wireless devices.

Before you make the change, just check that your devices work with WPA- PSK.

Reply to
Leythos

Most can barely turn on a computer let alone Google something.

Duane :)

Reply to
Duane Arnold

WPA-PSK is probably what you want.

Because you're dealing with help desk personnel in 3rd world countries who couldn't care less.

Reply to
optikl

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