Wireless network internet sharing question

[vegetation]

Let's say I set up an 802.11b access point and have it coupled with a DSL/Cable router. My question is, am I able to restrict who can use my wireless network's internet connection? I realize I can easily restrict any local file server by mandating a username/pw setting, but I'm not so sure about this with the Internet sharing. I don't want anyone to potentially sponge off my Internet connection and potentially doing malicious things that I would be responsible for. Please help as I'm completely clueless about wireless networks in general.

 

[ktwebb]

Couple of ways you can protect your LAN. Buy a WEP (Wireless Encryption Protocol) enabled AP. 40 bit security. You can also buy AP's with 128 bit WEP. An easier way to keep out potential intruders is to set the SSID, a security ID. If you set the SSID to say, homerfLAN, and turn off broadcast SSID if you have an AP with that option, any client will have to have the same SSID to associate to the AP. These are steps, but if a talented cracker wants to kick in your door, then it is possible regardless. Seems there are some vulnerabilities that make it possible for a dickhead to buy off the shelf equipment and breach your 802.11b LAN. www.wireless.com had an article the other day. I only browsed it though. I install this stuff everyday, and frankly dont even want to know about it, although I will have to address it soon. Hard for me to imagine being able to snatch 128 bit encrypted data and do anything with it, but you might want to look at the website and sniff around for security articles.