Networking XP question

[Bungleau]

Greetz, all...

Okay, I've been racking my brain, and I can't figure it out. I've put upgraded one of my computers to XP with the intent of moving it upstairs. I put in a wireless NIC because I don't feel like running a wire all the way across the house.

I have had the worst time configuring this sucker! It seems to be related to XP (Home, to be specific) not being all that smart, and I'm at the end of my ropes! I finally got it to work tonight, but I had to violate one of my security laws to do it -- I'm broadcasting the SSID.

Here's what's been happening:

Installed the WNIC. I had a Belkin, but swapped it for a Linksys after all the trouble. The WAP is a Linksys, so compatibility should be greater. The WAP is running 802.11B, and the new WNIC is 802.11G (see recent posts about not buying B any more).

I could not get it to work unless I broadcast the SSID. If I didn't, then XP couldn't see it (even though it was the only preferred network. Hmmm... as I type, I don't think I ever told XP to look at preferred networks only... that may have fixed something, but I don't want to muck with it right now.

I could get the WNIC to recognize that the WAP was there, but although I had signal strength, I couldn't even ping it. I eventually took down all security and was able to connect, but as I added layers, it ultimately came down to the broadcast of the SSID -- if I didn't broadcast, nothing else worked.

Anyone have any suggestions on what silly thing I must have missed? I know I don't have to broadcast my SSID, and I'd rather not, but at this point, I have to

In any case, I think this computer is moving upstairs tomorrow, and I can start making space for the new drum set

[Vaskez]

Isn't it annoying when you've learnt about how something works in theory in a detail much greater than is required to know how to use it, yet you don't actually use it, hence have never set it up, hence can't help people with their practical problems? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

I wouldn't worry too much about broadcasting the SSID - can't you tune the transmit power on your AP down so the signal only propagates just as far as you need it, then nobody else will receive it anyway?

[ 01-31-2005, 03:22 PM: Message edited by: Vaskez ]

[Bungleau]

Are you speaking about me, or about you, Vaskez? [img]smile.gif[/img]

I do worry about broadcasting the SSID, if for no other reason than doing so announces to the world that there's a network nearby, and if they spend enough time, they can crack into it.

In any case, the only APs where you can dial down the broadcasting power are the upper level ones... *not* the brands you find on the store shelves. So Linksys, Belkin, D-Link, Netgear... they all know just one signal strength, AFAIK.

And when you get up to the upper ranks, APs can also broadcast multiple SSIDs, thereby creating multiple networks. So you could put all your G clients on one WLAN and your B clients on another so the B clients don't slow down the G clients... at least in theory

[Dace De'Briago]

Tell me about it, wireless networks can be a pain in the arse to configure.

I had a hell of a time getting my network working with ICS enabled, I finally gave up in the end and bought a ADSL router with a built-in modem.

[philip]

I don't know how to fix it. Looks like a windows error to me though. Are you using the WinXp drivers or the linksys drivers itself? And how about the linksys program (if it works I like to delete that but without I had trouble getting things to work without at times :S)

BTW you're not safe on a wireless network anyway. Your card on the receiving end is also sending out signals and the SSID as well. There are lots of programs out there that find these easily and break all security as well But maybe you like the MAC restriction settings? Won't that keep anyone out of the network?

[Vaskez]

If you wanted complete and utter security, you'd have to encrypt all sent data with AES and configure the encyrption key manually at each node and the AP so it's never sent over the airways

Bung, I was talking about me. I can tell you have the 802.11 multiple access control algorithm works (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance) and roughly how different nets can coexist, with the DSSS and OFDM schemes, but I can't help with your current problem. It's great, isn't it?

And yes, I understand the implications of broadcasting the SSID, that's why I said that in theory, if the signal didn't propagate outside your house, then no one would be able to see it anyway.

[ 02-01-2005, 10:19 AM: Message edited by: Vaskez ]

[Bungleau]

No worries, Vaskez. You could also have been talking about me, 'cause I've done this a few times, but never before on XP. So to some extent, I have the theoretical knowledge there, but not the practical knowledge. It is apparent, though, that you have far more in-depth technical knowledge than I do

And Philip, I know it's not secure. Locks are only there to keep honest people honest, so by putting more hurdles in the way, I make it harder to get in, and any would-be hacker would simply go to my neighbor's house, since he doesn't know about changing any of the defaults. I'm also restricting based on MAC address, but that's not foolproof either; all I have to do is spoof that address, and if everything else is lined up, I can get in.

After I got my brother convinced that wireless was okay, he came across an article where a journalist had decided to see just what he had to do to break into a shielded wireless network (hidden, restricted MAC, 128-bit WEP). Took him about five hours, including downloading the necessary tools...

Seems to me that it might be something related to connecting to unpreferred networks, but since the critter is now working upstairs, I'm going to leave it alone for now. I broke enough other things last night...

[Vaskez]

Also, to be fair, most people don't store important stuff on their home comp anyway. I don't particularly worry about security since it's like "oh no, they might find my saved games and reports I did for uni!" Just back up everything remotely important on CDs and you're fine. But yes, maybe hacking onto your wireless net, they can access your internet connection, that's the only thing you need to worry about.

[Bungleau]

I'll beg to differ with you on that one, Vaskez. On my work computer, which is on the same WLAN as my home computer, I have proposals, quotes, and software that I develop and sell. On my home computer, I have, among other things, my Quicken files and tax returns from the last ten or so years and the electronic copy of the technical book I wrote.

Now, while the book is valuable to me and certain folks who work in this subset of the technical world, that financial data can be priceless. There was an article in the paper last week about identity theft... how a guy here with a common name (James Clark, I think) has had many problems because someone stole his identity years ago and committed a few crimes in his name. It's been cleared up, but if you pull up *his* record in the law enforcement files, you get hit with it being used as an alias, which often stops people. He's been mistakenly arrested, spent nights in jail, lost out on jobs... there's real danger there.

On the other hand, if I wanted to put up a web site that couldn't be traced back to me, what better place to do it than on someone else's computer without their knowledge?

A buddy of mine helped drive the wireless protection issue home to one of his neighbors. He asked him to bring up a file on his computer, but the whole My Documents directory was gone. My buddy had accessed his WLAN, copied the contents over, and then erased it... just to hammer the point home.

A lot of the value depends on where you are in life, but think of what would happen if you lost *everything* in your computer overnight. What would you do? What would you want to do?

Just some thoughts...

[Vaskez]

Bung, that's fair enough, I was merely talking about my own situation. I don't store any valuable or private information on my computer. I do have a lot of code and reports and stuff on there that I've worked on, but those are backed up on CD.

Also, my name is so uncommon that it's pretty much unique in the world as far as I know (except for my father, who has the same name )