Netgear Wireless Security Options...tell Me If This Is Adequate...

Hey, anyone….I hope this might be a decent forum, right now I am waiting for more instruction for my HJT log, and am taking a shot at getting another question handled… I have 2 netgear wireless connections (USB WG111v2) with my 2 desktops (2 wireless connections to 2 desktops) to a netgear router (54Mbps WGR614v6) [if the models really matter], anyways, i "disable security" from the router; other options are WEP and WPA-PSK. Instead, I enable "Access Control" where I list my 3 computers I "allow" to communicate by listing the MAC addresses, thus any other computers with a different MAC address cannot get on the network. This was recommended by my neighbor who does networking for small businesses (by the way, I can see his router on my network scanning, but I have never clicked it to try to access…I assume he has "access control" on to limit access to his router. He says WEP will slow down comm, and "access control" is safe enough. SO,…Is this safe enough, or am I extra vulnerable. Also, I enable SSID broadcasting so you can see the router if you have a wireless card. I did change my netgear router password, so at least that is password protected. If anyone has any opionion, I'd like to hear it… Thanks!

Hi, This is an interesting question and I'm sure that lots of folks here will be able to give you the benefit of their expertise and their experience. Setting out below some of my thoughts on the issues you raise, may stimulate further responses. 1 Using MAC address as a security method appears superficially to be attractive as only certain MAC addresses will be allowed access to your system, however on close examination this is fairly easy for the bad guys ( and even just the mildly curious) to defeat if they are so minded, and offers little real protection. 2 Suppressing the broadcast of the SSID also seems to be attractive on the basis that if your network can't be seen then it's an extra layer of protection, very much like keeping your valuables out of sight of potential thieves by locking them in the boot (trunk) of your car. However it's also fairly easy for anyone who can use a packet sniffer to identify it, if they are so minded, and the protection this tactic offers, is in my view, more illusory than real. 3 When it comes to encryption then you are entering a completely different calibre of protection. It's much, much greater and in a completely different league. 4 WEP is the older standard, (compared with WPA) and has recently seen fairly widespread hacking tools become available on the net, so it would be fair to say that it is not as secure as it used to be, but is still a quantum leap over the "security" mentioned in points 1 and 2 above. (that you will have gathered I don't consider to be security at all) WEP is available usually in 64 or 128 bit "flavours" and is usually compatible with most wireless network adapter cards, even older ones. 5 WPA encryption is very strong, there are different flavours but unless you have a system that is a target for the bad guys and they feel that you have earth shattering data that they would wish to intercept, then any form of WPA encryption offers what a lot of folks would consider to be more than adequate security levels for the ordinary home/office use. To attempt to crack WPA encryption (as at todays date!) would entail, the use of massive IT resources (The sort only usually available to the likes of CIA, FSB (KGB), Mossad, MI6 etc. and then the chances of success within a reasonable timeframe (of a few months or years!) are not great. So to sum up, WPA wins hands down apart from for older equipment that cannot take advantage of its more secure approach. Hoever some older equipment (not all) can sometimes be made compatible with WPA with a firmware upgrade. I hope that these thoughts will help, but please don't make any changes to your system until your malware removal expert has declared your machine clean of infection as I don't wish to make their jobs any more difficult than they are already by suggesting a course of action that could conflict with the analysis and removal of any undesirable elements that might be present on your machine. Regards paws

Paws,
Thanks for the input. I will use the WEP and am on the verge of getting a new router anyways and will be able to use WPA…because I continually lose connection on my wireless computers….How? You ask?, well…. When the computer goes idle and after the screensaver blacks out, 70% of the time, when I wake-up the computer, I cannot connect to the internet. So I have to go to the router to unplug, wait 10 sec, plug back in, and my wakened computer can get an address. The wired computer seems to not have that issue, so I assume it's getting an address with the wireless connection just doesn't happen unless the router is restarted (sometimes may work if I restart the computer, but since I don't want to save screens etc, I unplug the router). It never happens with my laptop, which doesn't use a netgear wireless USB adapter. Bottom line is my wireless configuration is crappy. Looking to wire everything to see what other kinds of computer trouble I can get into.
Any thoughts on my wireless situation? (at least I get exercise walking to the router 4 times a day)
Thanks,
Kin

Since you appear to be online right now, and Paws appears to be away, I'll make a suggestion. Your machine may not have a correctly assigned internal IP address. Open a Command prompt: Start - Run - (type)cmd - enter <– this opens a DOS box with blinking cursor At the blinking cursor Type: ipconfig /release <– notice the required space before the "/" ipconfig /renew <– notice the required space before the "/" Does the above resolve your problem? Best Regards

Doug, Thanks for the suggestion…I have used that on 2 different occasions while talking to mcafee tech support trying to debug my computer, (prior to coming to this site) and another time when talking to netgear support when I lost my router connection…they repaired my conn by assigning the router a new address 192.168.10.1, while my modem used the 192.168.1.1, and the router came back into communication, but my wireless connection continued to drop out after the computer falls asleep; or maybe the computer cannot get back online when my computer wakes up, it's one or the other. About trying your suggestion, I will try it on the other wireless computer that I am not trying to repair, so as to not goof up what Trevuren is trying to help me with (a HJT log). I'll repost to give an update. Thanks! Kin

Hi toomuchinfo

when I wake-up the computer, I cannot connect to the internet.

somewhere there is a option to change settings for your adapter, look in device manager>network adapters>properties>power managment.
my theory is its powering down in standby then has to have a reboot to start "talking" again. might try changing settings.

to the router list: i would make sure your taking advantage of its SPI (firewall). some may be disabled by default

hey shelf life, I looked in the device manager for my wireless settings, no power management option, but there were others, none of which I think apply…in the Properties of my wireless USB: channel, LED control, network type, rate adaptive, SSID, and WiFi11BSS. I clicked disable for led control, and the blue light went off, I clicked it back to enable, because I don't think that will solve my link problem. I cannot leave it off and wait for the computer to sleep, since I have to go soon, and don't feel like messing with what is working right now. You gave me the idea to check power management from my control panel, but nothing monitors the Wireless USB device. It was worth a try and I was excited there might be a possibility, but just grasping at straws Thanks for the suggestion…the more I goof around with the computer, the more I learn. (i guess you don't like the term "goof around", but when I'm on the keyboard, it's goofing around.) <_<

it was a thought anyway, wireless connections can be kind of flaky. netgear does have a user forum. shelf life

thanks, I was just thinking that, also, I was recommended to update the driver for the router. I'll leave it at that and use their forum to see if I can remedy.

ok good, you must mean the firmware. lets us know the outcome. good luck