I need to protect my wireless

[lazydaze]

I have a wireless internet modem at home (motorola sbg900 wireless surfboard gateway). I don't use the wireless on my desktop (direct connection), but I do use it for my laptop and Wii at times.

How would I go about setting up a password. I think my neighbor is stealing my bandwith.

[Airshark]

I have a wireless internet modem at home (motorola sbg900 wireless surfboard gateway). I don't use the wireless on my desktop (direct connection), but I do use it for my laptop and Wii at times.

How would I go about setting up a password. I think my neighbor is stealing my bandwith.

The first thing to do is figure out if your router supports WPA/WPA2, or only WEP. Let us know.

[lazydaze]

Encryption Algorithm

64-bit WEP, 128-bit WEP

is that maybe what you are talking about?

[Airshark]

Encryption Algorithm

64-bit WEP, 128-bit WEP

is that maybe what you are talking about?

No, that's it.

First piece of advice: consider finding a router that supports WPA/WPA2, because WEP has been proven to have serious security flaws.

Anyway, to set up WEP, go to the "wireless" tab on your router setup (I assume you have a router that can be connected to via a web browser - haven't seen one that couldn't in years). Choose "WEP-128 bit" for your "security mode", or whatever equivalent term it uses. Pick a passphrase of EXACTLY 13 letters or numbers, and enter it as the "passphrase" or "password" field. Save you changes, and voila, you're protected.

However, each of your devices that connects to this wirelessly will now need to go through its individual procedure to set up this password on your wireless node. When you do that, any neighbor that doesn't know the password will be excluded. Since your purpose is to punt leeches rather than data security, choose a password that's easy to remember, not necessarily ultra-secure. When I used WEP, I used the names of my dogs one after another.

[Parrothead Phan]

You can also set up for MAC filtering

[Blues Fan in TX]

You can also set up for MAC filtering

++

We use that, plus SSID, plus 128-bit WEP (really 104 bits) as well.

[Hepatitis Dispenser]

Slaughter your neighbor, take his wife and children. That's how the internet connectivity issues were solved in ye olde days

[marco]

++

We use that, plus SSID, plus 128-bit WEP (really 104 bits) as well.

When I was running wireless I did all that too, plus I turned off the broadcast... I dunno if that helped any but I figured by that point it was more of a pain in the ass to get through all the security features than my neighbor's system who didn't touch his security settings at all.

[Airshark]

You can also set up for MAC filtering

Some VPN stuff doesn't play nice with MAC address filtering. Not to say it shouldn't work, just that sometimes it doesn't.

[Airshark]

++

We use that, plus SSID, plus 128-bit WEP (really 104 bits) as well.

WEP? WEP you say? C'mon, lazydaze is a neo-luddite, but you live in San Jose - how can you have a router that still relies on WEP? I'll get out my WiFi PDA and warchalk your backwards ass!

Switch to WPA, at least. I've already seen software for WM6 cell phones that can break WEP on the fly.

[Blues Fan in TX]

WEP? WEP you say? C'mon, lazydaze is a neo-luddite, but you live in San Jose - how can you have a router that still relies on WEP? I'll get out my WiFi PDA and warchalk your backwards ass!

Switch to WPA, at least. I've already seen software for WM6 cell phones that can break WEP on the fly.

I think we have tried, but for some reason we can't use WPA or WPA2...probably a router firmware issue...

[chs266s]

Anyway, to set up WEP, go to the "wireless" tab on your router setup (I assume you have a router that can be connected to via a web browser - haven't seen one that couldn't in years). Choose "WEP-128 bit" for your "security mode", or whatever equivalent term it uses. Pick a passphrase of EXACTLY 13 letters or numbers, and enter it as the "passphrase" or "password" field. Save you changes, and voila, you're protected.

ok, I'm going to piggyback this. Stupid question, but how do I get to my router setup?

[BringBackZezel]

MAC address filtering and turning off your SSID broadcast are good practices, but ultimately useless, as both can be bypassed on very short notice.

As far as encryption goes, WEP sucks. It can be cracked in a matter of seconds...even the 128-bit stuffs. WPA is better, but if you have the right tools it too can be cracked without too much effort.

WPA2 is the ONLY way to go right now if you're really concerned about security.