Tomato and client mode security needed?

SimonC · 9 Dec 2008 at 09:47

I got a Linksys WRT54GL and installed Tomato firmware on to it, I then set it to client mode and was simply amazed that it worked straight away lol.
I have it plugged into the Xbox 360 do I need to change anything to make it more secure, I'm guessing not as its basically the same as a laptop connecting to the first mode/router? but thought I would ask anyway as I'm not familiar with client mode.

I have the first router set up with access list enabled and have the laptop and now the second linksys router added and I have SSID turned off. So thats probably all I can do?

TIA.

tolien · 9 Dec 2008 at 10:42

As long as you're using encryption with the first router, there's nothing you need to do. There's certainly nothing needed on the WRT.

MAC address access lists and disabling SSID broadcast are pointless though.

SimonC · 9 Dec 2008 at 11:10

Yeah I'm using WPA-PSK. Thanks I wasn't sure if I had to do anything exta but now I know.

Why is it pointless enabling the access list and disabling the ssid? I thought that was a good thing.

VeNT · 9 Dec 2008 at 11:57

cos no-ones gonna get your WPA key?

SimonC · 9 Dec 2008 at 13:41

Oh right, I thought there were ways to get keys

FrenchTart · 9 Dec 2008 at 13:48

SimonC said:
Oh right, I thought there were ways to get keys

There are, but they are massively more effort than bypassing SSID broadcast and MAC filtering.

SimonC · 9 Dec 2008 at 14:27

Ok, I've had the SSID and access list turned on for ages so may aswell just leave it as is, won't bother in the future setting that up.

tolien · 9 Dec 2008 at 17:57

MAC address filtering isn't worth it because once the encryption's out of the picture (and it needs to be or you can't connect anyway), it's trivial to spoof a MAC addres (at least compared to breaking your passphrase) so it offers negligable security versus the hassle of adding your wireless cards to the list.

Use a strong passphrase and, if you can, think about using WPA2 (or at least use AES over TKIP).

SimonC · 9 Dec 2008 at 23:15

tolien said:
MAC address filtering isn't worth it because once the encryption's out of the picture (and it needs to be or you can't connect anyway), it's trivial to spoof a MAC addres (at least compared to breaking your passphrase) so it offers negligable security versus the hassle of adding your wireless cards to the list.

Use a strong passphrase and, if you can, think about using WPA2 (or at least use AES over TKIP).

Due to using another router with tomato and having it in client mode, I can't use WPA2 so stuck with WPA but I will change it to AES as its currently TKIP.

Hopefully tomato will support WPA2 at some point which would be good.

dbmzk1 · 10 Dec 2008 at 00:14

SimonC said:
Due to using another router with tomato and having it in client mode, I can't use WPA2 so stuck with WPA but I will change it to AES as its currently TKIP.

Hopefully tomato will support WPA2 at some point which would be good.

Tomato does support WPA2, in client mode or otherwise. WPA with AES should be more than secure enough though

SimonC · 10 Dec 2008 at 21:25

dbmzk1 said:
Tomato does support WPA2, in client mode or otherwise. WPA with AES should be more than secure enough though

This is what I get when I try and set it to WPA2?

SimonC · 13 Dec 2008 at 15:06

I did have tomato set to AES but the signal quality was pants and xbox live couldn't connect, so set if back to TKIP and the signal quality is about 30 which is around 2/3 bar of a possible 5.

I was thinking of changing the channel on both routers would that have any effect?