freedom to surf my internet that is :D . I have now wireless connected and my pc upstairs have dsl whopee :D . anyway i need now some security issues here. I need someone to help me what programs are good for wireless?

my previous thread on wireless newbie
http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/cg...;f=10;t=019437

Congrats on getting some wireless action going! I know I really enjoy having wireless capability... I'm not stuck in the basement all the time (just most of it [img]smile.gif[/img] ).

Now, for your question... okay, what is your question? I mean, wireless programs... they're just programs you run to interact with another computer. Email, internet, multi-player gaming, accessing a printer or hard drive on another machine... they're all ways you use wireless.

If you're talking about security, start with the first three things I mentioned in the other post -- don't broadcast your SSID, use WEP (wireless encryption, and lock access down to your MAC address. Firewalls and other things belong here as well, but those first three steps go a long way [img]smile.gif[/img]

Ask a more detailed question, and you'll get a more detailed answer. Promise... :D

In case you don't already have them both, a hardware and software firewall. If you have a router like Linksys or something similar it acts as a hardware firewall. Mine does at least.

hmm, as i recall, the net gear lan router has a built in firewall but i dont know the details and such. Im not sure on how to configure my wireless since all i did was just plugged in an access point on the lan wired router and a usb wireless adaptor.. and voila..i have wireless.

im currently installing the usual spyware, zone alarm and adaware..

i am looking around for the webencyption thingie you guys just siad.

hmm, i found it , the webencyption thingie, the only problem with it is that my connection is dead when i enable the webencrytion. help!

edit: and im not also sure on how to configure my access point to search my computer ONLY. hmm.. checking manual.. nope.. bummer

[ 04-02-2004, 12:53 AM: Message edited by: Harkoliar ]

another problem found: i dont know if you guys have this as well. The thing is that after and hour or two, i get disconncted from my lan conection via wirless. I dont know why but I get a complete disconnection and after numerious retries of reconnection to my main network (using my usb adaptor) it is still doesnt work. I did a network scanning and i was able to find the network access point but no connection. It only works once again when i restart my entire computer (and then after awhile the same thing happens again). bummer... what do you think is the problem?

i have yahoo msg, pcclin antivirus with firewall running. it was working fine for an hour or so. help once again?

Hmmm... okay... let's see what I can add.

I have a Linksys, not Netgear, but the process is going to be similar.

You need to configure the wireless router. You'll do that via a browser, probably going to 192.168.0.1. I think that's the NetGear default, but I could be wrong.

You'll want to do that via a wired connection, BTW, instead of wireless. Since you're changing the wireless connection parameters, it's kind of like sawing off the limb of the tree that you're standing on...

You'll need three things to connect wirelessly: the SSID, the WEP password, and permission for your MAC address. The first is usually generic, so you'll want to change it. The second and third are usually disabled by default, so you'll want to enable them.

When you enable WEP, you need to pick a password or encryption string. It needs to be the same on the router as it is on your computer, so set it up in both places. On your computer, it will be in the wireless card setup area.

There are two ways to set up the password: as a key phrase, or as a string of characters. Some wireless devices can handle both, some can't. Use what yours can handle.

You'll then want to restrict access to just your MAC address. To do that, you'll need to find it [img]smile.gif[/img] You can look for it on the packaging or the card itself, or (once it's installed) you can look it up. I went to the command line (win 2k) and typed "ipconfig /all". It gives me all the information, including the MAC, which it calls "physical address". It's a six-piece number, looking something like AA-01-BB-2E-00-1C. Write that down.

Then look through your router setup where you'll find something that lets you specify MAC security. I'm not sure what it's called, so you may have to poke around a bit. Once you've found it, put that number in the "permitted" list, and you're ready to go.

Now, as for the disconnect issues you're facing... I don't get those unless I'm out of range of the wireless router. You might not when it happens, how long until it happens, what you were doing, and so on. My first thought would be some kind of power management issue, where something is being turned off after a while. But that's a guess...

Good luck [img]smile.gif[/img]

thanks bengleou, after a couple of hours of searching my problem, i have come to a conclucion that it is either my service pack's for win2000 which i just recently installed and upgraded or my firewall in my antivirus (strange since it was working earlier with the firewall on).

now for the WEP and MAC address, I would have to ask first that would I have to change the entire existing wired network just to accomodate wireless network. you see i have 3 wired network and 1 wireless via access point connected all through a dsl with router. so i have to adjust each and eveyone of them for the security? i hate to make a screw up if that happens :(

Make changes one at the time to see how they work. ;)

My network was up and running with WEP when I got a wireless card for my daughter's PC. I set it up and put in the WEP, but it just wouldn't work. I know the WEP was correct because I put it in a dozen times, and I was looking at it side by side using my laptop.

I finally had to reset my router and start over.

You NEED some security issues? Damn, most people are happy to solve their issues! :D