File and Printer Sharing on Wireless Network

  • Thread starter Thread starter bien
  • Start date Start date
B

bien

I guess I just don't get this.

I have a D-Link DI 614+ Router and a wireless card in my laptop. Everything
seems to be working fine, can share files in the shared doc folder and can
print from the laptop to the printer connected to the main desktop computer.

But what about security against outside forces? I read in anther post the
file and printer sharing should be disabled for security reasons. If I do
that then No More Network.

The router is supposed to have a firewall. But is this on all the time?
And does it keep the "nasties" out. Or am I supposed to come up with a
bunch of "firewall rules" which I know nothing about to make it work?

I do know I have the WEP 128 bit encryption enabled and also the WAN ping
disabled so that [according to what I've read] other outside computers can't
ping it. There's also an option to only allow computers with a certain MAC
address to access the network. I haven't done that yet.

Does anyone here know if this is enough or do I need to do more?

I e-mailed D-Link yesterday but they haven't responded. I'd just like to
get this settled as I'm getting real long on work and real short on time to
play with this.

Thanks,

bill n
 
"bien" said:
I guess I just don't get this.

I have a D-Link DI 614+ Router and a wireless card in my laptop. Everything
seems to be working fine, can share files in the shared doc folder and can
print from the laptop to the printer connected to the main desktop computer.

But what about security against outside forces? I read in anther post the
file and printer sharing should be disabled for security reasons. If I do
that then No More Network.

The router is supposed to have a firewall. But is this on all the time?
And does it keep the "nasties" out. Or am I supposed to come up with a
bunch of "firewall rules" which I know nothing about to make it work?

I do know I have the WEP 128 bit encryption enabled and also the WAN ping
disabled so that [according to what I've read] other outside computers can't
ping it. There's also an option to only allow computers with a certain MAC
address to access the network. I haven't done that yet.

Does anyone here know if this is enough or do I need to do more?

I e-mailed D-Link yesterday but they haven't responded. I'd just like to
get this settled as I'm getting real long on work and real short on time to
play with this.

Thanks,

bill n
Click to expand...

I think that your setup is fine, Bill. The one thing that I'd suggest
is to go ahead and enable MAC address filtering, which would add
another layer of protection.

Your router acts as a full-time firewall, protecting your computers
against incoming attacks from the Internet. The router assigns your
computers private IP addresses that are invisible from the Internet.
With WAN ping disabled, your router is also invisible from the
Internet.

WEP encryption prevents casual hackers from breaking into your
wireless network. Dedicated hackers aren't likely to park within 50
feet of your house and spend the hours necessary to break your
encryption and MAC address filtering. If you're concerned about that,
change your encryption key regularly.

There's no reason to disable File and Printer Sharing on your network.
I don't know where you saw that suggestion, but it doesn't apply to
your setup.

Be sure to have an up-to-date antivirus program running!
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
 
Cari, thanks for the article. Saving it. It was informative.

bill n

"Cari (MS-MVP)" --->
See a great article by Ron Pacchiano about troubleshooting wireless:

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/qa/qa20030619.shtml

Cari
ww.coribright.com

"bien" -->
I guess I just don't get this.

I have a D-Link DI 614+ Router and a wireless card in my laptop. Everything
seems to be working fine, can share files in the shared doc folder and can
print from the laptop to the printer connected to the main desktop computer.

But what about security against outside forces? I read in anther post the
file and printer sharing should be disabled for security reasons. If I do
that then No More Network.

The router is supposed to have a firewall. But is this on all the time?
And does it keep the "nasties" out. Or am I supposed to come up with a
bunch of "firewall rules" which I know nothing about to make it work?

I do know I have the WEP 128 bit encryption enabled and also the WAN ping
disabled so that [according to what I've read] other outside computers can't
ping it. There's also an option to only allow computers with a certain MAC
address to access the network. I haven't done that yet.

Does anyone here know if this is enough or do I need to do more?

I e-mailed D-Link yesterday but they haven't responded. I'd just like to
get this settled as I'm getting real long on work and real short on time to
play with this.

Thanks,

bill n
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Steve, thanks so much for your reply. Pretty much what I was hoping to hear
and you helped a lot. Appreciate it.

bill n

"Steve Winograd [MVP]"--->
I guess I just don't get this.

I have a D-Link DI 614+ Router and a wireless card in my laptop. Everything
seems to be working fine, can share files in the shared doc folder and can
print from the laptop to the printer connected to the main desktop computer.

But what about security against outside forces? I read in anther post the
file and printer sharing should be disabled for security reasons. If I do
that then No More Network.

The router is supposed to have a firewall. But is this on all the time?
And does it keep the "nasties" out. Or am I supposed to come up with a
bunch of "firewall rules" which I know nothing about to make it work?

I do know I have the WEP 128 bit encryption enabled and also the WAN ping
disabled so that [according to what I've read] other outside computers can't
ping it. There's also an option to only allow computers with a certain MAC
address to access the network. I haven't done that yet.

Does anyone here know if this is enough or do I need to do more?

I e-mailed D-Link yesterday but they haven't responded. I'd just like to
get this settled as I'm getting real long on work and real short on time to
play with this.

Thanks,

bill n
Click to expand...

I think that your setup is fine, Bill. The one thing that I'd suggest
is to go ahead and enable MAC address filtering, which would add
another layer of protection.

Your router acts as a full-time firewall, protecting your computers
against incoming attacks from the Internet. The router assigns your
computers private IP addresses that are invisible from the Internet.
With WAN ping disabled, your router is also invisible from the
Internet.

WEP encryption prevents casual hackers from breaking into your
wireless network. Dedicated hackers aren't likely to park within 50
feet of your house and spend the hours necessary to break your
encryption and MAC address filtering. If you're concerned about that,
change your encryption key regularly.

There's no reason to disable File and Printer Sharing on your network.
I don't know where you saw that suggestion, but it doesn't apply to
your setup.

Be sure to have an up-to-date antivirus program running!
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
Click to expand...
 
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