Subj : Re: For Trouble re Home Network Security
To   : alt.tv.farscape
From : Trouble
Date : Fri Sep 09 2005 05:57:27

From Newsgroup: alt.tv.farscape

TNW7Z7Z7Z12345 wrote:

> Trouble wrote:
>> Nick wrote:
>> > TNW7Z7Z7Z12345 wrote:
 
>> >> Cut/altered a little from my original post --
 
>> >> My router is the Airport Extreme Base Station.  I have the
>> >> wireless network closed, encrypted (only WEP though, not WPA) plus
>> >> have the OSX software firewall on in my laptop.  So I assume my
>> >> laptop is relatively safe.
 
>> > As for the wireless settings, you should be fine with a wep key.
>> > Anyone trying to get in would have to be within 150 feet of your
>> > airport and then they would also need to know the wep key to gain
>> > access.
 
>> If they are within 150 feet they can sniff enough packets to brute
>> force the WEP key, and guess the SSID. They'd also be able to
>> determine the MAC address of the card allowed in, and could spoof the
>> MAC address of their card to be allowed in once they got the WEP and
>> the SSID. 
 
>> However that is usually a determined attacker, MAC, WEP, and
>> non-bcast SSID will keep joyriders, and wardrivers off the network.
 
>> > If you want additional security you can also turn off the
>> > broadcasting of your network id.
 
>> This is what I thought TNW meant by closing the wireless network.
 
> OK, this will demonstrate how clueless I am.  I keep reading articles
> about turning off SSID broadcasting, but couldn't find that setting in
> the Airport software.  I didn't realize that I had done so by
> "closing" the network.  

Apple didn't call it that... not your fault at all
 
> The Airport software makes it seem that one sets up a closed network
> only so that people need a password to enter.  I didn't realize it
> meant no one could see the network, but now that makes sense, since
> even *I* can't see the base station

Again, someone could see the traffic with a wifi sniffer, and then obtain 
the SSID/password from there, that doesn't immediately give them the WEP 
key, that they have to work for. The stronger the WEP key is both in Bit 
lenght, and how complicated it is; numbers, letters, etc all makes 
cracking more difficult.

> (i.e., the base station itself isn't listed),
> when I open the airport configuration software, unless I bring up an
> "other" screen and type in the base station password.  

This is exactly how my Thinkpad, my wife's PC, and my Tivo all see our 
wifi at home.

-- 
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise.
Seek what they sought."
--Basho

.