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wireless interent connection security via dish to tower

J

JCROCCO

Senior member
Is there any security risk for a wireless internet connection that goes from a dish mounted on roof to a local nearby relay tower? It would plug in directly to my router with firewall, before going to lan.

Unfortunately, this is our only choice at the moment, as dsl and cable arent available.
 
I really doubt you have much to worry about. I'm sure the ISP has considered this issue, the transmissions may already be encrypted. Have you asked them?
 
Too broad a question with not nearly enough information. What modulation are they using, what standard, what frequency, straight bridging or is it an Ap on the tower and workgroup bridges? Encryption type? VPN authentication? If you want a legitimate answer to your question you'll need to provide, well anything at this point. So far you've given that it is wireless. Are you under the assumption that there is only one kind of wireless? That tells us nothing.
 
Sorry, Actually thats about all I know about wireless. We are concerned with having to go to this wireless dish (line of site) internet connection that I checked this newsgroup for wireless internet, and ALL I read about was how unsecure they can be.

I dont think it really matters if anything is intercepted between the tower and our dish, as long as it cant get past our firewall. Its an always on connection, so no big deal on someone else using the bandwith, and as far as them sniffing what we send, theres no objective for anyone to do that.

So, I was really just asking a basic question that If I have this wireless line of site connection and it goes from the tower to my dish via air, then thru a cat cable to my router, is it or can it still be secure (from hackers getting in, viruses, trojans, etc)
 
Apparantly your not really understanding what I am saying. You could say, we are cabled to this or that and the other, is this secure? Can it be intercepted. Perhaps a bad analogy. But saying it's "wireless" doesn't mean anyone here knows what kind of connection you have other than your using electromagnetic waves instead of copper, fiber or whatever. Ever looked at a diagram of the spectrum. You may have 900 Mhz gear, 2.4 Ghz, 5 Ghz, or a licensed band. You might have 802.11, you might not. Might be bridged, might not. Might be encrypted, might not. Might have to authenticate to a radius server, might not. Get the idea. You have a wireless link to a tower. Ok, that is understood. (see my previous post) Answer those questions, then someone can tell you how safe you are. Until then, you haven't really told us anything except the medium. I get your not very knowledgeable. If your concerned about your personal networks security, I suggest you start gaining some.
 
Yes, but he has a whole different problem than the typical wireless 802.11b network, since it's his ISP that is providing the equipment. How secure do you think you are with DSL or cable modems? Answer: Not very. I'm still not seeing what the problem is here.

In addition to all of that, without knowing exactly what kind of equipment is being used, and the ISP in question, we really don't have much that we could possibly tell him about his connection.
 
Your first paragraph makes no sense.

Your second just repeats what I've said from the beginning. Hello? Baking powder? lol, few too many beers this early in the evening so I'm blunt but your response, if it is in fact addressed to me, is absurd. If not, then I guess it's me who is. Not out of the question.
 
I think you should lay off the beer.
rolleye.gif


Do you really think wireless ISP's are using 802.11 anything? I think not...
 
Straight as an arrow now. Same interpretation and yes, some misguided ISP's, ones with little capital and less sense are using 802.11 equipment. Or at least there were some. I imagine many or most have found out that it wasn't a banner idea. Nevertheless, if the poster wants an answer to his question, he'd have to provide some information to work with, which he did not.
 
Ok, got "some" info.

The provider is foresitewireless.com.

They use Motorola Canopy Technology.

They use Point to Point

2500kbps

Dont know much else, It is static IP addressing Always on, can handle VPN. GOt the basics.

Maybe visiting the website or knowing the company or their technology, someone can help me figure it out.

This may not answer your questions (but maybe the website will) But I appreciate the attention.
 
From the Canopy site:
"Security. The Canopy system enhances security with over-the-air DES (Data Encryption Standard) encryption that provides 56/64bit encryption to ensure secure data delivery and exceptional reliability. In some areas, the platform is also available with AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) capabilities that make it virtually impossible to crack a code (it?s estimated that it would take about 149 trillion years, a time period older than the earth itself)."

While I doubt that estimate for DES, it sounds like there is encryption...and a line of site microwave-style dish is probably less vulnerable (by far) compared to 802.11x
 
I believe most of the Canopy equipment is in the UNII band, 5 Ghz, but they do have 2.4 Ghz equipment as well. It's gonna be microwave, no matter what they use, even if they use some licensed bands, which I believe they may offer as well. Pretty good bet your stuff is 2.4 or 5 Ghz bridging. Several encryption methodoligies as mentioned. Proprietary stuff with encryption. It's EMR so it's airwaves, and by that very definition more vulnerable than running a wire but you can relax. Your in good shape.
 
Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Yes. People can eavesdrop on that (how likely this is, is up to you to determine). use a VPN to connect the two.
Click to expand...

Yup the added overhead to the transmissions is worth it to protect what you are transmitting through the open air.

 
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