Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[dave1510]

Hi,

I have currently a D-Link 624T Router modem. I use WEP 28 digit key to protect it.

I saw a TV program which said "I might as well not bother... WEP was insecure... should use WPA..."

Obviously I found this quite disturbing 

I am sure that my D-Link will have WPA, and my new adsl router/modem - A Linksys WAG200 (warranty replacement for WAG54G) certasinly should.

1. Should I change
2. How do I change
3. Will I notice any difference after I have changed
4. Will everything still be able to access the router/internet etc

Replies in simple terms appreciated !

Thanx

[roseway]

1. Yes, WEP is considered to be insecure now.
2. I'm not familiar with the WAG200, but there will presumably be a 'Wireless settings' section (or something similarly named) in the web configuration. It's probably obvious what to do when you look there. You will of course have to make the same change to WPA in any computers which are connected wirelessly.
3. Maybe your download usage will go down, because your neighbour will no longer be able to share your connection Otherwise no.
4. Yes, but as mentioned, anything connected wirelessly will have to be changed over to WPA with the same key.

Good luck.

Eric

[dave1510]

The information on my d-link is as follows:

WPA:

802.1x:WPA RADIUS uses an external RADIUS server to perform user authentication. To use WPA RADIUS, enter the IP address of the RADIUS server, the RADIUS Port (default is 1812) and the shared secret from the RADIUS server.

PSK: Is a special mode of WPA for home users without an enterprise authentication server and provides the same strong encryption protection.To use WPA Pre-Shared Key, enter a password in the WPA Shared Key field between 8 and 63 characters long .



The page looks like this: http://tinyurl.com/35kux8



What do I enter where, and how and what do I have to enter in the wireless PC.



Thanx 

[soms]

I saw a TV program which said "I might as well not bother... WEP was insecure... should use WPA..."

Just remember to put this in perspective. WEP is simply a form of encryption which has been proven to be relatively easy to break in comparison with the later WPA and WPA2.

Unless someone actually has the software, time and will to attempt to crack your network key you are pretty secure. Most people out there are looking for networks with no security at all so they can get online for free for a little while.

We have a home hub with 64-bit WEP encryption as the default. I agree that against security standards this is not very desirable when WPA is available, however given local conditions I am not feeling all that insecure  (and if I did I would no doubt change it)

WPA:

802.1x:WPA RADIUS uses an external RADIUS server to perform user authentication. To use WPA RADIUS, enter the IP address of the RADIUS server, the RADIUS Port (default is 1812) and the shared secret from the RADIUS server.

PSK: Is a special mode of WPA for home users without an enterprise authentication server and provides the same strong encryption protection.To use WPA Pre-Shared Key, enter a password in the WPA Shared Key field between 8 and 63 characters long .

RADIUS is an authentication server. You need a dedicated server which can run RADIUS authenication software.
Basically, when someone tries to connect, the server is contacted to verify the credentials of the user and if they are authenticated then the WPA encrypted network connection is created. This is most secure as the RADIUS server tends to use encryption and also when the connection is made with WPA it is using a different key each time.

PSK is the norm for standalone routers/access points. In terms of user practice, it works just like WEP.
You set a key, and when a user tries to connect to your network they are prompted to enter the key, just like with WEP.

If you want to keep it simple, use "PSK string". This is a text phrase much like you would use with WEP. I guess a hex phrase would use hexidecimal characters? My experience of WPA has been using text strings.

[dave1510]

I suppose that these sort of programs do put the frightners on some people (me included  ) but it is probably a minority living in vast areas of unsecured networks who are more at risk.

However - as WPA using PSK is no more difficult to set up than WEP, it makes more sense to use it I suppose. I was just put off a bit by "Radius servers" etc.

Thanx 

[jazz]

@dave1510
I share your concern about encryption methods and find programmes talking about how easy it is to crack WEP a bit worrying.  However, when I scan for networks I can find (as well as my own) two neighbours who have wireless routers with no security as all - indeed on some occasions my computer has attempted to connected to one of them rather than my own even though their signals are much weaker that mine.  I rather suppose that anyone wanting to access someone else's network would latch on to one of those rather than spending even two minutes trying to crack my WEP encrytion.

My router (a Netgear DG834GT) will support WPA encryption but my wireless adapater (a Netgear WG111T USB adapter) won't, with its current firmware.  I could upgrade the firmware but feel a bit loathe to go through all that process and risk getting things wrong.  Perhaps I might feel more like it if I feel more of a threat in the future but in the meantime I've decided to stick with WEP and use WPA on my next system.

I'm also giving thought to the Netgear router system that uses the electrical wiring in the house to provide a wired system (my telephone point and router are downstairs and my computer is upstairs - the original wired connection was removed and replaced when we decorated the hall and staircase and a wire tacked along the skirting board didn't fit the new decor!).

Good luck with your set up!

Tony