exposed wireless lans

[rh71]

So I'm pretty new to wireless - just got the netgear bundle last month... but I know enough to enable WEP 128bit encryption, not publish my SSID, and use MAC address filtering. Wouldn't this be safe enough since anyone outside would have to somehow acquire my MAC address (how do they do this if there's no way in, in the first place?

Anyway, on the site survey tab... I saw 2 other connections available from my backyard. Security: No (mine says WEP next to it). Curiousity gets the best of me... I tried hitting Network Neighborhood but nothing. I'm just exploring - wouldn't do anything malicious.

What can an experienced network guy do to other people's open LANs anyway ?

 

[bsobel]

16k+ posts and you can't even post in the right forum...

> Curiousity gets the best of me... I tried hitting Network Neighborhood but nothing. I'm just exploring - wouldn't do anything malicious.

Be carefull, technically you could be charged with a crime (the legal system hasn't kept up, heck the people with open access points should probably be the ones comitting a crime)....

Bill

 

[Pepsi90919]

you didn't say anything about connecting to those wireless AP's

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: bsobel
16k+ posts and you can't even post in the right forum...

Actually I wanted more of an open discussion rather than a technical how-to one.

 

[jpeyton]

i thought this would be a discussion about hijacking somebody's open network.

now THAT is fun. nothing better than letting someone else pay for your internet access.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
you didn't say anything about connecting to those wireless AP's

of course I connected (showed a 47% signal too)... I use a static IP and got no Internet sites to come up though (as a test).

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: bsobel
16k+ posts and you can't even post in the right forum...

Actually I wanted more of an open discussion rather than a technical how-to one.

Sorry, you make a fair point. Thought this was just a numebr of the posts where people figured they'd 'get a beter response here'...

What can an experienced network guy do to other people's open LANs anyway?

Well, if you wanted to be anonymous (say to send spam, attack someone, ect) this would be the easiest current way to do it. People won't get what a mess this is until some more people wind up getting sued or arrested for what people did on their connections (think about the RIAA, the guy who owns the network is gonna be the one sued if you sit and download music and they go after the IP)...

Bill

 

[WannaFly]

spoofing MAC addresses is "easy" with the right tools. So there goes getting by MAC filtering. WEP has its flaws(especially in .11b, but b is better then g IMHO), SSID - bah who needs them?

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: WannaFly
spoofing MAC addresses is "easy" with the right tools. So there goes getting by MAC filtering. WEP has its flaws(especially in .11b, but b is better then g IMHO), SSID - bah who needs them?

How do they set their MAC address to mine if they don't know what it is in the first place ?

 

[Savij]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: WannaFly
spoofing MAC addresses is "easy" with the right tools. So there goes getting by MAC filtering. WEP has its flaws(especially in .11b, but b is better then g IMHO), SSID - bah who needs them?

How do they set their MAC address to mine if they don't know what it is in the first place ?

because the MAC address is sent back and forth to specifiy who is sending what information to whom. All you have to do is tell your computer to listen

 

[Bootprint]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: WannaFly
spoofing MAC addresses is "easy" with the right tools. So there goes getting by MAC filtering. WEP has its flaws(especially in .11b, but b is better then g IMHO), SSID - bah who needs them?

How do they set their MAC address to mine if they don't know what it is in the first place ?

Sniff for it. Pretty easy, lots of tools to let you sit and watch network traffic go by. But they would need to be able to hear the laptop(remote machine).

MAC filtering is useful to prevent people from having windows automatically attaching to your AP.

 

[Templeton]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: WannaFly
spoofing MAC addresses is "easy" with the right tools. So there goes getting by MAC filtering. WEP has its flaws(especially in .11b, but b is better then g IMHO), SSID - bah who needs them?

How do they set their MAC address to mine if they don't know what it is in the first place ?

Sniff enough packets to crack the wep key... your mac can be grabbed from the decrypted packets after that. Remember, they don't actually need to be logged into your network to read whats being transmitted across it.

 

[rh71]

Interesting. What about the SSID ? How would they pick that up if not announced ?

 

[0roo0roo]

there are sniffers. wep isn't hack proof at all. its got many problems. there are loads of books on wifi that explain it in detail. macs are easily sniffed and spoofed. the difference between 128 and 64 is mostly marketing since the part that allows hackin isn't really part of that. sniff about a gig and u can start crackin away. that being said, its not really plausible for most people to do.. let alone your neighbors. and it obviously depends on the amount of traffic on your network. wpa is better. unless someones parked out for a week or so in front of your house with a laptop.. no worries

 

[isekii]

I have no clue how to enable wep.
and if I do enable it, the modem seems to lock me out
I just use MAC filtering.

 

[imported_KirbsAw]

Seriously who is going to try and hack someones home network? There are plenty of open networks if you want to use someone else's internet.

 

[Deadtrees]

Originally posted by: KirbsAw
Seriously who is going to try and hack someones home network? There are plenty of open networks if you want to use someone else's internet.

I would and I'm not kidding.

 

[DeeKnow]

as far as i'm concerned, leaving your wireless net unprotected is the same as leaving your front door ajar or leaving the car unlocked in the parking lot. I may not steal anything, but if other ppl do, I won't be surprised... and I would blame the careless owner in all three cases...

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: isekii
I have no clue how to enable wep.
and if I do enable it, the modem seems to lock me out
I just use MAC filtering.

just read up on it, plenty of guides on the net, think one site is calle ezlan? i forget.

u gotta set wep on the card sometimes, atlesat what bitness, the ssid, and the wep code, and what number that code is... ussually theres 4 to choose from, listed 1-4 for each cycling. thats about it. course some old cards.. its a cr@p shoot.

 

[0roo0roo]

oh and if ur really paranoid.. u can just build sorta U shaped antenna reflectors outa wiremesh and slip em over the antennas, directing signal in only one gneral direction.. put access point in end of house mesh the rest of the exterior of the house while ur at it.. u don't want the baddies getting on the network and h@xoring u