WEP settings?

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thewolfe
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WEP settings?

Post by thewolfe »

Can I get some specific info (w/o giving it) on changing WEP settings on a router and laptop?

Do I have to change settings on the laptop?

What about other computers "hardwired" to the router or is WEP only a wireless function?

It's for a friend so I only know she has Adelphia cable and a Dell laptop.

I have a Westell 327W and have gone into my router WEP setting but really don't know what I'm looking at.
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Ned
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Post by Ned »

Hey bud,

WEP is essentially a password that the wireless router and any PCs need to both "know." It can be cracked, but takes time and patience. Well worth using WEP.

You want to use the biggest bit-size password you can, ie 64, 128-bit, etc.

Since the password, or KEY, is usually obnoxiously long, some companies let you put in a "phrase" like "I eat cats" which will then generate your key, like JKSAGDF76SADYFS76FDSF67S58. Linksys does this, but if you are using anything from SOME companies, you will need to put in the whole damn long key. Writing it down with a space every four charcters or so will keep you from going cross eyed. Dell laptops need the whole long key.

At a minimum, you want to do WEP and MAC filtering. All ethernet stuff is made with a MAC number, you can find it in a hardware properties menu. MAC filtering means that you are telling the router only to talk with hardware, like a notebook wireless card, with certain MAC numbers. Not related to Macintosh.

Dont play with MAC until you get WEP working well, you need to tackle one thing at a time.

Enable WEP in router and notebook
make a "key"
enter it into router and notebook

later
enable MAC filtering in router and list "allowed MAC numbers" (no changes to laptop for this)

Computers wired into your router do not use or care about WEP, Wireless Encryption Protocol

turn off SSID broadcast
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CDN_Merlin
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Post by CDN_Merlin »

^ what he said. But, if your router can do WPA encryption, then use that as it is more secure.
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Ned
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Post by Ned »

Sounds good, but if he is new to WEP and MAC, it may be good to stick with learning that before firmware.

I fried a CD burner doing a firmware
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Mobius
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Post by Mobius »

Why are you people so paranoid???

What on earth would you want to set up WEP when it is very very crackable? Sheeeit, THG has a two-part article showing you EXACTLY how to crack WEP!

Look, ALL you need is MAC filtering. It is WAY harder to find a MAC than to crack WEP.

Who gives a toss if your packets can be listened to? If you care, then you're doing something illegal, or highly immoral!

I have 5 devices which connect to my WLAN, and all are filtered by MAC only. (Media server, MP101 media player, and 3 laptops)

Each month I see between 100 and 200 other devices which have tried (and failed!) to connect to my network.
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Post by Top Wop »

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Ned
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Post by Ned »

Privacy and illegality are not always the same issue

Why did Pinochet's gang push people out of helicopters in Operation Condor? Because he didn't like their poitical leanings.

IF someone posted in your neighborhood a notice that listed every single minute you are away from your house, is that a good thing? So you want privacy, but not necessarily to break the law.

Look at history, privacy has value in it's own right.
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