Home Wireless Network Problems
Mar 16, 2007 | 8:48 am
#16
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: US CP, *wood Gold, Marriott gold, Hilton something
Posts: 1,458
The easiest way to stop the neighbor borrowing your signal is to use MAC filtering. I use this with my SMC ADSL modem / wireless router. In the setup of your router you should find 'MAC filtering' (or words to that effect) and you just enter the MAC address of your wireless device(s) and activate MAC filtering. It will then only accept the wireless divice(s) that are in its list and not your neighbor's one. The MAC address is a unique number, found by running 'ipconfig /all' (in a DOS window). It consiste of 6 (I think) groups of 2 hexadecimal combinations each (something like 00-2F-27-9A-C3-D2).
Remember that MAC filtering is not security but just a deterrent from keeping someone off the network. It doesnt really keep anyone with access to google and some initiative off and it doesnt do a thing to protect your traffic (encryption).
Mar 16, 2007 | 8:56 am
#17
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 169
Unfortunately, using only MAC filtering on your WiFi network won't keep out anyone but the most ham-fisted hacker. Even the basic "live" Linux CDs have the ability to sniff WiFi traffic...which will show the MAC addresses of clients accessing your AP. All that needs to be done at that point is to provide a "locally administered" MAC address (to the hacker's WiFi card) that matches an approved MAC on your AP...one they've seen exchanging traffic with your AP...and they're right back in business. Simple WPA encryption is a virtual necessity.
dougef, check to make sure that you've set up the WiFi security in the powerline bridge itself. Think of it as a completely separate AP...because that's basically what it is. Check your manual for how to get in and configure it...then try cloning the same WEP/WPA, SSID and channel settings from your main AP.
EDIT
Sorry SB, I was typing my response while you were submitting yours.
dougef, check to make sure that you've set up the WiFi security in the powerline bridge itself. Think of it as a completely separate AP...because that's basically what it is. Check your manual for how to get in and configure it...then try cloning the same WEP/WPA, SSID and channel settings from your main AP.
EDIT
Sorry SB, I was typing my response while you were submitting yours.
Mar 16, 2007 | 8:58 am
#18
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: US CP, *wood Gold, Marriott gold, Hilton something
Posts: 1,458
No worries! Its a point that deserves to be underscored...
here's a link to another thread with some info (my uber soap box rant) on security
[url]http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=633980
here's a link to another thread with some info (my uber soap box rant) on security
[url]http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=633980