Network Security Help

[Raizinman]

I'm a bit of a newby, but hey, weren't we all one once?

Anyway, I just hooked up my home network. My friend gave me his old wireless router. I hooked up 3 computers (Hardwired) and I tried my laptop, and everything worked fine. A week later, my neighbor told me that he has been using my network. I have firewalls turned on for each computer, but it appears anybody within range of my wireless can access my network. What I would really like is a software program that will allow me to set a password and then if anyone tries to access my network, it will ask for the password. Nothing real difficult. Is this within Windows? Oh, I'm running XP on all machines. How do I lock out others from accessing my Network?

 

[corkyg]

You might get more cogent responses if you put this on the Networking Forum. Just a thought.

What you want is within the capability of XP Pro.

 

[bsobel]

Your router should have an option for WPA or WEP, turn that on (thats where you enter the password then the same one on your mobile devices).

Also, moving this to Networking...

 

[Diaonic]

I'm going to steal Jacks thunder on this one.

EZLAN

 

[JackMDS]

Welcome to AT network Forum.

Regular Consumers wireless does not work this way.

To make a Password Log n you need ether to buy special AccessPoint Applicance (like the ones used by Cyber Caffes, or set your system with a RADIUS Server.

Otherwise encrypted your Wireless Network and give the Passkey to who ever you want to.

From the weakest to the strongest, Wireless security capacity is.

No Security
MAC______(Band Aid if nothing else is available).
WEP64____(Easy, to "Brake" by knowledgeable people).
WEP128___(A little Harder, but "Hackable" too).
WPA-PSK__(Very Hard to Brake ).
WPA-AES__(Not functionally Breakable)
WPA2____ (Not functionally Breakable).

Note 1: WPA-AES the the current entry level rendition of WPA2.

Note 2: If you use WinXP and did not updated it you would have to download the WPA2 patch from Microsoft. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893357

The documentation of your Wireless devices (Wireless Router, and Wireless Computer's Card) should state the type of security that is available with your Wireless hardware.

All devices MUST be set to the same security level using the same pass phrase.

Therefore the security must be set according what ever is the best possible of one of the Wireless devices.

I.e. even if most of your system might be capable to be configured to the max. with WPA2, but one device is only capable to be configured to max . of WEP, to whole system must be configured to WEP.

If you need more good security and one device (like a Wireless card that can do WEP only) is holding better security for the whole Network, replace the device with a better one.

Setting Wireless Security - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html

The Core differences between WEP, WPA, and WPA2 - http://www.ezlan.net/wpa_wep.html