Wireless..................oh oh

[jyms]

Hooking up a wireless router and moving my computer to the downstairs office today, wish me luck.

[Alibi]

gl and hope it's not a dlink

[boost]

I dont understand why you would use wireless for a desktop.

[lolzzz_321]

No cables snaking around place. Kinda a necessity for me since modem is far away and I have two other roomates.

[Warpe]

I dont understand why you would use wireless for a desktop.

Um...so you don't have to run a cable?

[jyms]

I also have two people with laptops that want the service.

[Lukie]

gl and hope it's not a dlink

my dlink just magically stopped working many months ago, i finally replaced it the other day with a linksys when i got my laptop the other day, no problems since.

[Halv]

Make sure you use WPA encryption, not WEP. Don't announce the SSID, and enable mac filtering.

[jyms]

Make sure you use WPA encryption, not WEP. Don't announce the SSID, and enable mac filtering.

Yea, thanks Halv. I got it up and running but had a few problems. The adapter I bought would not connect (unplugged?), turns out it was faulty. When I got the new one I had no issues. They are just cheapy hub and adapter (Netgear) I actually got some good deals since they were refurbished. If I have any problems I will upgrade to better (Linksys) ones if needed. When I tried the easier WEP enc. I couldn't get the laptop to log on. Will try now that I have my USB mem stick. Enable mac encryption? What is it. If it matters I have one Mac ( IF it's the same Mac) laptop in the house, that will use Vista if need be. Right now it's an open system since I was trying to fix that first adapter. I know I need to encrypt it, just need to figure out how to hook them into it as well.

[Halv]

Every piece of network-enabled equipment (ie your network card, router, adapter dongles etc) has a specific number assigned to it, called the MAC address (no, it's not the same Mac ). What MAC filtering does is that the router looks up the mac address of anyone trying to connect to the network, compares it to a list of allowed addresses, and blocks access for anyone not on the list. It's a bit more of a hassle to set up, as you have to add all allowed network cards to the list. Not all routers can do it either, other again can be flashed with third-party firmware to enable it. Flashing your router to open for non-factory default features is somewhat advanced, a good place to start is the wiki/forum at dd-wrt.com.

On a scale from mandatory to paranoid, this is what I'd do to secure the network:
1. Enable WPA encryption (and use a strong password!)
2. Use a software firewall (zonealarm is decent and free)
3. Change default network name, router password etc
4. Turn off SSID broadcast (so your network name isn't announced)
5. Enable MAC filtering
6. Turn off DHCP
7. Change router/subnet IP's
8. Put on tin foil hat

[swiggidy]

I don't like #4. Anyone who is going to attempt to hack into your network can find it no problem, even with SSID off. If you know what channel people around you are using, you can pick another and get better reception.

With WAP on, few (no one) will even try since you have nothing interesting to find (unless you have a sweet porn stash, but how would they know that?).

[jyms]

1. Enable WPA encryption (and use a strong password!) Done
2. Use a software firewall (zonealarm is decent and free) Done
3. Change default network name, router password etc Done
4. Turn off SSID broadcast (so your network name isn't announced) Done, after getting the other laptops on the network
5. Enable MAC filtering Next, when I learn how to not fuck it up
6. Turn off DHCP
7. Change router/subnet IP's
8. Put on tin foil hat

I have one problem, the hub is on the second floor and my new office is down in the basement. How can I boost the signal. I get a low to Ok signal and that is it. I've tried moving the router around the room it's in (basically the middle of the house). I've tried the horizontal antenna's and even moved my adapter away from the computer a bit (it came with a USB extension wire). Can I just run a repeater? Is this easy? maybe get a longer Ethernet cable and move the hub a little closer. The internet cable comes in that room from outside and for the women with the laptops on the 3rd floor need access too, so bringing it down here is not really the option.

[TylerK]

If you've got 1-4 on that list done you're doing good. Stop when it gets inconvenient after that.

[jyms]

I have one problem, the hub is on the second floor and my new office is down in the basement. How can I boost the signal. I get a low to Ok signal and that is it. I've tried moving the router around the room it's in (basically the middle of the house). I've tried the horizontal antenna's and even moved my adapter away from the computer a bit (it came with a USB extension wire). Can I just run a repeater? Is this easy? maybe get a longer Ethernet cable and move the hub a little closer. The internet cable comes in that room from outside and for the women with the laptops on the 3rd floor need access too, so bringing it down here is not really the option.

Bump, for an answer?















Beuller


























Beuller

[Miffed22001]

mine new wireless works.
It was free, getting a wire costs money. wtf?