Need Encryption Set-up Advice

Read the instructions you got with it as they give detiled information. If you have no intention of learning then you might aswel pay.

Reminds me of an old joke. Guy drives into a mechanic's shop in a car that's running like it's on its last legs. He asks the mechanic if he can do anything, and the mechanic picks up a screwdriver, lifts the hood, and gives a screw in the engine compartment a quarter-turn, whereupon the car starts purring like a kitten.

"Gee, thanks" says the astonished driver. "What do I owe you?"

"That'll be $20" replies the mechanic.

"What? $20 just for turning a screw?" the driver protests.

The mechanic answers "No, I only charged you a nickel for turning the screw. The other $19.95 was for knowing which one it was."

As for how this applies to your situation, well, it depends on how dirty you're willing to get your hands (figuratively, of course). If I were like you and I'd never done this before (by the way, does this mean you

*didn't* have encryption enabled on the router you bought this one to replace? Shame on you!) I think I'd invest maybe one quiet evening perusing the router's owner's manual and then perhaps taking a shot or two at actually enabling encryption on the router and your computer's wireless adapter to see if I could get it working before throwing in the towel and calling in the geeks. I believe the odds are pretty good that anyone smart enough to use a computer, and who can read at maybe an eighth-grade level, can do it.

If you decide you'd rather pick up the phone and pull out the credit card, well, it's your money, so it's your choice. Just remember that you'll be paying the geeks that $160 not for actually turning the screwdriver-or, more correctly, banging on the keyboard, but for knowing-and having taken the time to learn-what to bang out.

Incidentally, the Geek Squad guy is right that you need to do this, especially if you're going to use the router to access your broadband, since anyone within range of your router can use your connection if you don't. So if you decide you really don't want to slog through learning how to do it yourself, it's best that you bite the bullet and hire the job out. Either way, get it done *before* you fire up the router with the broadband modem plugged into it.

I'd add the caveat that if they're not prepared to configure WPA (& then tell you how to set your own keys), then you might as well not do it. WEP is simply too easy to break.

No, the booklet that was included by linksys with your new WAP has pretty good instructions on how to do this. In this case it isn't rocket science.

Actually linksys is very helpful, but the wait on the phone is long. You really can do this yourself. No need for a Geek nor do you need to become one.

First suggestion, just get everything wired up per linksys instructions (in booklet) and make sure with no encryption that you have everything working. Then once you have a good known point of reference, add in the encryption. Note you do need to do this or have it done. Also make sure you alter the pasphrase to log into the Wireless Router. At first it will be " admin ", the reason is EVERY one who would want ot 'break' into your network knows the factory default, so change it. Pick something easy for you to remember or even jot it down somewhere that you won't misplace it (i used a sticky note and have it taped to the bottom of my router).

The router can be contacted with your web browser, use an ethernet cable

- looks like the cord from the phone to the wall, but connectors on the end are bigger - to connect to the router to do this stuff, at http://192.168.1.1 leave the user name blank and put admin in for the password.

Try it this stuff can be fun to learn, and vastly cheaper then Geek Squad. Even if you mess this up, it is easy to undo and try again. Just follow the instructions step by step.

fundamentalism, fundamentally wrong.

"sacljr" hath wroth:

Actually, it's quite easy to setup. The problem is that you do have to read the instructions. As others have mentioned, select WPA-PSK encryption if possible.

Some Linksys models come with one-button setup (SecureEasySetup), which takes care of the wireless setup if you have a compatible wireless card. The instructions are in the setup guide that came with your unspecified model Linksys router.

If you do elect to have the Geek Squad guy do the installation, be sure to have him also upgrade the firmware on your unspecified router. The models on the shelf a the store are often somewhat old firmware and updates usually fix any firmware related bugs.

You will need to have your SBC DSL PPPoE login and password handy. I get rather irate when the customer can't remember or find it and I have to phone SBC support for a "password reset".

Light reading:

Linksys Secure Easy Setup |

What you're actually paying the Geek Squad to do for you: | Also, if you go to the Linksys home page at: dig through the "Learning Center" pull down near the top, there's quite a bit of basic stuff that might be useful. You might wanna save or print the acronym list at: | help decode the technobabble.

Why do I want to change the "admin" password for the wireless router? Because it can be broken into by someone physically at my keyboard or because it can be broken into by a hacker? Where does the threat come from?

Anyone who connects to your network.

Its scary that people ask this question. Its like saying "why do I want my own front door key?"

Because router default passwords are public knowledge, and therefore anyone who connects to your router can hack into it. If its wireless, physical access won't even be required.

Mark McIntyre

I have found Linksys phone support patient and helpful and generally, pretty knowledgeable. As another poster said, sometimes you wait, but almost never more than 30 minutes....and it would certainly take me 30 minutes+ to figure out whatever it is I'm asking them.

support is 24/7 and is one of the reasons I stay with all Linksys products.

Louise