Should I Upgrade my Parents' 802.11b to G?

WEP is really that insecure. No one is going to connect to a WEP secured network by accident, but it is fairly easy and quick, with the proper tools, to extract the encryption key.

WPA-PSK is not known to be vulnerable except to a dictionary attack (short, easily guessed key).

I think that answers my question. There is another secured via WEP) network operating in rance with the name "n3tw0rk." He can't use my network for spamming though since I have mac addy filtering. The thing is, if I can see him, he can see me. Time to upgrade.

Now for the next question... Does Linksys have a five port version of the WRT54G? I set up two printers for them, one color and one a Samsung laserjet. Dad's PC is wired. That makes three. Plus the Wireless access point... actually the WAP won't be there anymore so that might work. and I can use a hub. I just negated my own question. Right now I have the WAP11 hooked into a BEFSR8 router.

WEP can be cracked in 10 minutes, given half an hour to an hour to set up, fart around, fail to get lucky and have to try a few times to catch the right packet and do whatever and it should be a sure crack.

You have to weigh up what's at risk, is it the data in the air, the intruder threat to your parents computer or the risk of a spammer using the connection or indeed all of the above.

I'd suggest that the odd spammer is more likely to find one of the many open AP's and not bother. The more likely crack would be from the local script kiddie trying out his "powers".

David.

Sure he can. It takes less time to set the MAC on your computer than it does to crack WEP.

Yes.

LOL. You could probably even have turned the WAP11 into a hub ;-)

I already had the router and desktops already wired, when certain members of the household wanted me to wire each room for cat5. She wanted ro roam around the house with her laptop.

Sure he can use your network. Changing a wireless MAC address is trivial, just requires an entry to be made, nothing to crack and the allowed MAC addresses are in the clear and have to be.

If you're concerned about WEP cracking then MAC filtering is doing nothing for you.

David.

I dunno about that... I spent $65 for a blowjob in Mexico.

Absolutely. Best $60 you'll ever spend.