wireless network security windows sp2

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when i dispay available wireless networks within range i see my ssid as
security enabled wireless network and a lock but others have the same verbage
with a (wpa) after it. am i secure or do i need to do more to secure my
network.
 
It sounds like you are using WEP instead of WPA. If your wireless access
point/router and wireless network adapter support WPA you want to use that
instead as WEP can be creaked fairly easily. Even with WPA be sure to use a
complex PSK [hardware password]of at least a dozen characters. --- Steve
 
I've just spent two days setting up my wireless network at home. I have just
one computer -- my laptop -- have DSL via modem which is now bridged to a
netgear router. It took FOREVER and lots of calls to tech assistance at
netgear, my ISP AND HP to get it all runnning. Now, I want to make sure it
is REALLY secure by configuring it with WPA...But I haven't found a good
step-by-step process to do that, in order to avoid messing the whole thing up
and having to start from scratch! I know that first I need to re-configure
the router over wired connection, but after that, I'm not sure. Do I then
need to set up a new network with updated info (like passphrases)? Any
advice would be very appreciated.

Steven L Umbach said:
It sounds like you are using WEP instead of WPA. If your wireless access
point/router and wireless network adapter support WPA you want to use that
instead as WEP can be creaked fairly easily. Even with WPA be sure to use a
complex PSK [hardware password]of at least a dozen characters. --- Steve


rjjj said:
when i dispay available wireless networks within range i see my ssid as
security enabled wireless network and a lock but others have the same
verbage
with a (wpa) after it. am i secure or do i need to do more to secure my
network.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
kfm said:
I've just spent two days setting up my wireless network
at home. I have just one computer -- my laptop -- have
DSL via modem which is now bridged to a netgear router.
It took FOREVER and lots of calls to tech assistance at
netgear, my ISP AND HP to get it all runnning. Now, I
want to make sure it is REALLY secure by configuring it
with WPA...But I haven't found a good step-by-step
process to do that, in order to avoid messing the whole
thing up and having to start from scratch! I know that
first I need to re-configure the router over wired
connection, but after that, I'm not sure. Do I then need
to set up a new network with updated info (like
passphrases)? Any advice would be very appreciated.

Steven L Umbach said:
It sounds like you are using WEP instead of WPA. If
your wireless access point/router and wireless network
adapter support WPA you want to use that instead as WEP
can be creaked fairly easily. Even with WPA be sure to
use a complex PSK [hardware password]of at least a
dozen characters. --- Steve
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

A dozen..? WPA can have up to 63 (or is it 64..?) characters, use them
ALL..! I used the random password generator here:
https://www.grc.com/passwords

Ivor





 
You should have received some documentation from Netgear to show how to do
that. If you can not find it go to Netgear's website and look for the full
user manual for your model number. It should not be that difficult.
Generally there is a section to configure wireless security where you select
WEP or WPA and then enter the preshared key which is basically a password
and make sure your router and network adapter have the same pre shared key,
and that they are both using the same channel. You need to make sure that
both the wireless adapter and router both support WPA. For Windows XP I find
it easier to let XP operating system take care of configuring the wirless
connection rather than through the utility that comes with the network
adapter. The links below may help but the first is dated and does not
include changes in SP2. Also make sure you computer is current with critical
security updates from Windows Updates as some of them may address problems
with wireless. --- Steve

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableguy/cg1102.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/bowman_03july28.mspx
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=826942
http://compnetworking.about.com/cs/winxpnetworking/ht/wpainwindowsxp.htm

kfm said:
I've just spent two days setting up my wireless network at home. I have
just
one computer -- my laptop -- have DSL via modem which is now bridged to a
netgear router. It took FOREVER and lots of calls to tech assistance at
netgear, my ISP AND HP to get it all runnning. Now, I want to make sure
it
is REALLY secure by configuring it with WPA...But I haven't found a good
step-by-step process to do that, in order to avoid messing the whole thing
up
and having to start from scratch! I know that first I need to
re-configure
the router over wired connection, but after that, I'm not sure. Do I then
need to set up a new network with updated info (like passphrases)? Any
advice would be very appreciated.

Steven L Umbach said:
It sounds like you are using WEP instead of WPA. If your wireless access
point/router and wireless network adapter support WPA you want to use
that
instead as WEP can be creaked fairly easily. Even with WPA be sure to use
a
complex PSK [hardware password]of at least a dozen characters. ---
Steve


rjjj said:
when i dispay available wireless networks within range i see my ssid as
security enabled wireless network and a lock but others have the same
verbage
with a (wpa) after it. am i secure or do i need to do more to secure my
network.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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