Does having more then one WEP password and Static IPs make your WiFi network more secure?

[InlineFive]

Just what the title says, my Netgear MR814 and MA401 support up to four passwords and I was wondering if having four different passwords are more secure then having one.

I was also wondering if I turned off DHCP server and gave out static IP's different then the standard 192.168.x.x code used by manufacturers.

Thanks for the help!

EDIT: I have just done some testing and even though the computer can be recognized by the WAP with one password all four are needed to have functionality. Cool!

 

[bgroff]

Nope.

 

[cmetz]

PorBleemo, not using DHCP will raise the bar a little - it's also good for reliability in general, one less thing to go wrong. Having more than one WEP key might make you less secure, actually.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Explain how having multiple WEP keys makes you less secure, that one escapes me.

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: cmetz
PorBleemo, not using DHCP will raise the bar a little - it's also good for reliability in general, one less thing to go wrong. Having more than one WEP key might make you less secure, actually.

Can you explain how? On my network the router has four different passwords, and all my clients need to have the exact same four passwords in order to connect. Is there something I'm missing?

 

[Transition]

Interesting Paper about WEP Security

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Originally posted by: Transition
Interesting Paper about WEP Security

We know WEP isn't all that secure, the question was really why multiple keys make it less secure as was claimed above.

 

[GprophetB]

umm, its like having 2 keys made for one door... hence less secure

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Umm, you mean if I need both keys to open the door, it's less secure?

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: GprophetB
umm, its like having 2 keys made for one door... hence less secure

Then why does my router require all four passwords in Key order in order to log on and access all services?

 

[InlineFive]

Cool! With one WEP password it took the hacker about 8 hours to get on and now with four it's been almost 15 hours. But I'd better not count my eggs before they hatch...

EDIT: OK, about 25 hours now...no foreign activity. I also thought of something, could the router and laptop be shuffling passwords so they are not using the same one every time? That could make it harder for the hacker because he has to sort out four passwords.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

He might have just given up.

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: gunrunnerjohn
He might have just given up.

That would be cool. I have contacted Netgear to get clarification, which I will post their response. But now I have my wireless back, yay! :beer:

 

[cmetz]

gunrunnerjohn and PorBleemo: it is like having four ORed keys, not four ANDed keys - four independent keys just cut your 56 bit key space by a factor of four to an effective 54 bit key space. If memory serves, WEP tries to rotate through the keys, but the receiver will accept any of the four, the sender chooses the rotation. I believe that once you've figured out one of the keys, it's just a matter of some cleverness on the client's part to sidestep the rest.

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: cmetz
gunrunnerjohn and PorBleemo: it is like having four ORed keys, not four ANDed keys - four independent keys just cut your 56 bit key space by a factor of four to an effective 54 bit key space. If memory serves, WEP tries to rotate through the keys, but the receiver will accept any of the four, the sender chooses the rotation. I believe that once you've figured out one of the keys, it's just a matter of some cleverness on the client's part to sidestep the rest.

Thank you for clarifying that. Another question, wouldn't this theoretically make hacking a WEP harder because of having multiple WEP keys go back and forth from the router?

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Well, it would be nice to know how the keys are actually used, not just an opinion.

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: gunrunnerjohn
Well, it would be nice to know how the keys are actually used, not just an opinion.

Dang he just hacked in again. Well at least it took him about two days...

-Por

 

[jjyiz28]

nm. duh

 

[Confused]

I wish you'd stop doing this, it's been really hard to post here without a connection :disgust:






j/k


Seriously, though, I would like to get a definitive answer on this

Subscribing to thread...


Confused

 

[Confused]

Whoops DP...

 

[InlineFive]

No response from Netgear yet...