Wireless security..

willhub

willhub

willhub

Caporegime
Joined
3 Jan 2006
Posts
25,263
Location
Chadderton, Oldham
Hi.

I am connected to my router via wireless and the security I am using is WEP.

Is this secure enough? We're on ADSL and some times of the day the internet literally grinds to a halt, Google maps just does not work and videos on web pages are just constantly buffering and it's driving me mad.

Is it possible someone could be connecting without us knowing and sucking our bandwidth?

I'm using a 54mbps Netgear wireless adaptor and the route is Netgear DG834V3G.


Thanks
 
Last edited:
WEP should be fine for what you need if you feel that it isnt secure enough use WPA
 
What isp are you with? is it a certian time it does this? Have you updated your firmware on the router & adapter?
 
WEP is as good as a chocolate fire guard. Change to WPA or preferable WPA2 if the router supports it.

The problems you are having could be a host of things:

Congested ISP or Exchange
Router playing up (is it running the latest firmware?)
Other people connecting to your router via wireless (on your router control panel, go to 'attached devices' to see all computers connected)
Spyware/virus on your PC
Going past download limits and being throttled
Wireless just playing up (got latest drivers for the USB dongle? change wireless channel as well)
 
WEP is no good for anyone in any situation.

Things you should do:
Enable WPA
If you are still getting random slow downs try updating your routers firmware, update your network adaptor drivers and try changing the frequency channel for your wireless.

I know this post is fairly similar to Dukes post but I just wanted to hammer the point home!
 
Try changing the channel then, it could be someone else is using your routers wireless.

Even if someone isnt using your wireless it is good practice to not use WEP.
 
My gf's dad uses AOL he had a DG834G router before he bought a new one.

What he had to do is make 2 user login (screen names?) one for the router and then another as normal to check email etc.

I don't know if they have changed there ways of loging in now but might be something to do with getting cut off. As when he setup first time he used his main screen name for the router and then for aol software which caused aol to disconnect as the same username was in use twice etc.
 
So do you use the same login/password for the AOL software as you do for the router?
 
Eliminate the wireless altogether for starters (switch it off and use a cable to make sure it isn't any sort of issue with the wireless), get the ADSL statistics out of the router and run the BT Speedtest (instructions in sticky).
 
"For Telephone Number 017******** on Exchange ******
Your exchange is ADSL enabled, and our initial test on your line indicates that your line should be able to have an ADSL broadband service that provides a fixed line speed up to 2Mbps.Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 2Mbps." It used to be 3.5mbps, they're lowering it O_O

http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/MYCAW


<table border="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>System Up Time 01:01:11</td> </tr> <tr> <td> <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="99%"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> Port</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> Status</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> TxPkts</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> RxPkts</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> Collisions</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> Tx B/s</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> Rx B/s</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="20%"> Up Time</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> WAN</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> PPPoE</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> 60244</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> 98265</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> 0</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> 1862</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> 33865</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="20%"> 01:00:41</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> LAN</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> 10M/100M</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> 99319</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> 62148</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> 0</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> 34134</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%"> 2330</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="20%"> 01:01:07</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%">WLAN</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%">11M/54M</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%">1478</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%">0</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%">0</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%">96</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="10%">0</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap" width="20%">01:00:56</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="99%"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">ADSL Link</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">Downstream</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">Upstream</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">Connection Speed</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">2976 kbps</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">448 kbps</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">Line Attenuation</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">52 db</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">15 db</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">Noise Margin</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">15 db</td> <td align="center" nowrap="nowrap">21 db</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>
 
Last edited:
That isn't the BT Speedtest. That's what BT guess you'll be able to get.

From the sticky I suggested looking at for instructions:

tolien said:
You can find instructions for using it at Plusnet's website and there's also a guide on Zen's support pages.
The most useful part of this test is that it'll give your IP profile, which limits the maximum speed you'l be able to download at.
Click to expand...

Right now you should be on the 2.5Mbps/2500kbps IP profile with that sync rate.
 
WEP can be cracked in less than one minute - if you know how too...

WPA is the way to go if you have to use wifi, OR, unsecured aslong as you set up MAC Filtering.
As for grinding to a halt, it could be one of many reasons, i would first ask your ISP, do a speedtest when you notice the slow speeds.
 
MAC Filtering can easily be spoofed. As has been said, WPA as a minimum with a long network key with letters and numbers, ideally 10 characters or higher to foil brute force attacks.
 
Just did a random search for WiFi in my area there are 2x people near me with NO security
get 40% connection .. though i have no idea who/where the connection is id love to let them know about this security breach
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom