Question about wireless

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BigNewbie

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Jan 25, 2004
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I just ordered a Gateway M505XL Laptop which comes with Centrino 802.11b wireless.
http://products.gateway.com/products/GConfig/proddetails.asp?system_id=m505xl&seg=hm
I have two main questions since I am new to computers and wireless networking.
Can I buy an 802.11b wireless router or AP with a built in print server so I can hook up my Epson Stylus Color 740 USB printer to it and print wirelessly?
Also, is there a newbie how-to on securing a wireless network? I don't want people war driving and getting into my network.

thanks for helping a newbie
 
If the AP has a USB port then you can use it as a print server, or else you will have to go with a parallel port printer.
make sure you at least use WEP keys to protect from war driving, or if it's available there is also WAP which is much more secure. also, make sure your AP does NOT broadcast its id and lock it with MAC address specific access.
 
Originally posted by Ultra Wide
If the AP has a USB port then you can use it as a print server, or else you will have to go with a parallel port printer.
make sure you at least use WEP keys to protect from war driving, or if it's available there is also WAP which is much more secure. also, make sure your AP does NOT broadcast its id and lock it with MAC address specific access.
Click to expand...
Do you know of any AP's with USB or even parallel ports?

Thanks for the info on security, but it's way over my head. Do you know of a newbie oriented guide on what to do?
 
Originally posted by BigNewbie
Also, is there a newbie how-to on securing a wireless network? I don't want people war driving and getting into my network.
Click to expand...
I'm looking at wireless, too. ;)

about.com has a pretty good section with newbie wireless networking info.

The one on MAC address filtering caught my eye.
Without MAC address filtering, any wireless client can join (authenticate with) a Wi-Fi network if they know the network name (also called the SSID) and perhaps a few other security parameters like encryption keys. When MAC address filtering is enabled, however, the access point or router performs an additional check on a different parameter. Obviously the more checks that are made, the greater the likelihood of preventing network break-ins.

To set up MAC address filtering, you as a WLAN administrator must configure a list of clients that will be allowed to join the network. First, obtain the MAC addresses of each client from its operating system or configuration utility. Then, they enter those addresses into a configuratin screen of the wireless access point or router. Finally, switch on the filtering option.

Once enabled, whenever the wireless access point or router receives a request to join with the WLAN, it compares the MAC address of that client against the administrator's list. Clients on the list authenticate as normal; clients not on the list are denied any access to the WLAN.
Click to expand...
Oh, and welcome to the [H]. :)
 
Originally posted by Ultra Wide
If the AP has a USB port then you can use it as a print server, or else you will have to go with a parallel port printer.
make sure you at least use WEP keys to protect from war driving, or if it's available there is also WAP which is much more secure. also, make sure your AP does NOT broadcast its id and lock it with MAC address specific access.
Click to expand...

You mean, WPA, not WAP. It's not much more secure; in fact, it's got a weakness similar to that in WEP, and it's more of a weakness because it doesn't require collection of huge amounts of traffic before the key can be brute-forced.
 
Microsoft has a small article on using WPA with Windows.

http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/expertzone/columns/bowman/03july28.asp

Originally posted by skritch
You mean, WPA, not WAP. It's not much more secure; in fact, it's got a weakness similar to that in WEP, and it's more of a weakness because it doesn't require collection of huge amounts of traffic before the key can be brute-forced.
Click to expand...

Can you elaborate a bit please? The only info I can find about WPA (insecure wise) is that short and/or dictionary type keys are brute forceable which is easily avoidable. I'm interested in hearing about any other problems with WPA.
 
Originally posted by Doug
Microsoft has a small article on using WPA with Windows.

http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/expertzone/columns/bowman/03july28.asp



Can you elaborate a bit please? The only info I can find about WPA (insecure wise) is that short and/or dictionary type keys are brute forceable which is easily avoidable. I'm interested in hearing about any other problems with WPA.
Click to expand...

"dictionary type" does not mean what you think it means in this context. It does not mean "simple English words".
 
you can do all of those things, but anyone with the right WiFi card, Knoppix- STD, net stumbler, and air snort with a few progs like cracker jack and serv could still get in. i heard that there is a prog called WiLess that will protect pretty darn good.
 
Originally posted by Sofakinguseless
you can do all of those things, but anyone with the right WiFi card, Knoppix- STD, net stumbler, and air snort with a few progs like cracker jack and serv could still get in.
Click to expand...

Knoppix is not necessary. Neither is cracker jack (as it doesn't crack WEP). And "serv" isn't any program with which I'm familiar. Link?


i heard that there is a prog called WiLess that will protect pretty darn good.
Click to expand...

Google's not heard of it. Besides, there are a very few programs that can protect you a priori from such attack. Those programs create false base stations by sending out false beacon frames.

All other such programs require that you know you're being attacked. They can then force dissociation. Few of them are targetted, however; you'd end up knocking yourself offline as well.
 
Originally posted by Ultra Wide

make sure you at least use WEP keys to protect from war driving,
Click to expand...

Before you make a comment like that, learn what wardriving is. Wardriving is not illegal and not a risk.
 
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