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Re: [LUG] New router security

 

On 27/05/2010 17:53, Neil Winchurst wrote:
Just replaced a dying router with a new one (Netgear DG834G) and set it
up quite easily with a minor  problem. My ISP was a great help.

Previously I have never bothered about security on the wifi part of the
router. I suppose I ought to make the effort, even in the area where I
live in with mostly non computer users around.

The choices include WAP-PSK2 which has been suggested as a good one. Can
anyone give me any advice please? My laptop is connected by cable to the
router but there are two laptops too. The one running Mint is set up,
but the wife has Windows XP so I hope that will be easy too!!

So, is it worth setting up some security?

Regards

Neil

Put it this way. With the Digital Economy Bill currently in force you could be prosecuted if someone hijacks your unsecured connection to download illegal content because you would be unable to prove it wasn't you, or that you hadn't taken sufficient precautions to prevent it.

In other words, as Gordon said YES!

Steps I take:

1.  Change default username and password on router.
2.  Change default ESSID and hide it.
3. Choose a password - pass PHRASE is better since a dictionary/directory search will stumble over multiple words. 4. Use an online translator to convert your phrase into a language you don't speak but still uses the same character set, e.g. Portuguese. I do this because my logic suggests that dictonary/directory searches tend to be on the main language of the country, i.e. English.
5.  Set THAT as your passphrase.
6. Setup MAC filtering on both the WiFi section and the Firewall section of the router (if supported).

It's not bulletproof - anyone who says their security is perfect is either a liar or delusional - but the aim is to make it hard enough not to be worth the effort of trying. You could even use a VPN, but I've never done that and it may be a step too far.

Kind regards,

Julian

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