Wireless Security Question: WEP, MAC Lockdown or both??

Cryomorph · 20 Jan 2006 at 19:30

Hi folks,

I have just bought a laptop which I would like to connect wirelessly to my Netgear WGR614 router/firewall.

I have detected the network fine and added the laptop's wireless MAC address to the access list on my router config.

Is this enough to stop opportunistic individuals "piggy-backing" off my connection or should I also enable WEP?

I'm not overly paranoid but on the other hand do not want just anyone sharing my bandwidth.

Can anyone advise me on this please?

tolien · 20 Jan 2006 at 20:07

Neither. Assuming your kit does it, WPA-PSK.
WEP is horribly weak and trivially broken, and once it's gone, MAC address access lists are a waste of time.

Cryomorph · 20 Jan 2006 at 20:32

Ok, thanks for the advice.

Yes, I do have WPA. I'll use that instead.

benjo plz. · 20 Jan 2006 at 21:00

tolien said:
Neither. Assuming your kit does it, WPA-PSK.
WEP is horribly weak and trivially broken, and once it's gone, MAC address access lists are a waste of time.

That said, WPA isn't much stronger, but still alright for residential.

tolien · 20 Jan 2006 at 21:44

Phnom_Penh said:
That said, WPA isn't much stronger, but still alright for residential.

Provided you use a strong PSK, it's (plenty) stronger than WEP. There is WPA2 though...

benjo plz. · 20 Jan 2006 at 21:58

tolien said:
There is WPA2 though...

Yep, true, but bugger all devices support it. Only thing I have at the moment that does is my printer...

tolien · 20 Jan 2006 at 22:01

This WRT54GS does it, but the 3Com wireless card I've got doesn't (the new model does). Ho hum.

oddjob62 · 21 Jan 2006 at 13:15

Was bored the other day so set up EAP-TLS on my home wireless network... a bit overkill i admit, but it was interesting