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Should I Upgrade my Parents' 802.11b to G?

About a year and a half ago, I gave myparents a Linksys WAP11 wireless access point. I have Mac address filtering and WEB encryption enabled. I do have the SSID broadcasting since under Windows 2000 I Mom kept getting an error saying her network was nor visible. But she still have internet access. So Ibought her a new laptop for Christmas. Not a big deal, just a Gateway machine. The laptop has 802.11G capabilties, but I haven't upgraded the router. Somebody in #windows95 on Dalnet said that 128 bit WEP is basically useless! Should I upgrade them to a Linksys WRT54G and ditch WEP, and use WPA-PKS? Is WEP really that crackable? Mom and Dad generally don't rome around the neighborhood with her laptop, so distance and range is not an issue.

Reply to
Justin
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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).

Reply to
Jerry Park

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.

Reply to
Justin

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.

Reply to
David Taylor

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 ;-)

Reply to
Derek Broughton

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.

Reply to
Justin

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.

Reply to
David Taylor

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

Reply to
Justin

Absolutely. Best $60 you'll ever spend.

Reply to
William P. N. Smith

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