Computer Home Network » Wireless Networks

Who’s been creeping in My Wireless Network

admin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:33:30 +0000

Wireless router networks are a wonderful thing for easy of access and the pleasure of sitting anywhere in my home with my laptop and surfing the internet. But the question is, who else is surfing the internet via your wireless!!! I have had multiple user’s,friends and family members go out to the area superstore, buy a wireless router, get home plug it in and wow it’s running and I’m done. At this point you are far from done!!! You need to change the “factory default” password that lets you modify that router. Right now your little wireless router is beaming out to anyone that will listen, that “My network” is open and ready for anyone to use…and I do mean anyone!!!

If your lucky (haha) it’s only the neighbors that are picking up your signal and allowing them to connect and surf through your broadband (you know, the DSLCable your paying all that money for..). From there it gets worse if you have some guy (or gal) driving by your neighborhood looking for open wireless routers. Lets pretend that we’re that bad guy (or gal) and see how they do harm. Lets see, got my laptop set looking for available wireless networks…yep, found one… ok now lets see if the owner didn’t change the factory default password. So he goes to Internet Explorer and types in the address bar 192.168.1.1 (which is usually the factory for wireless routers) and now he’s prompted to enter a username and password. He knows that if this is still factory still that all he has to do is type “admin” in the password area and …..yep…he’s in your router!! He now has access to your computer!!!! Don’t Let This happen to You….. read the instructions that come with the router (yes I know this is hard for us guys to do) and it will show you the basics for protecting your router,and computer. I’m also supplying a link to a video that will show you basics on how to protect from router. Don’t allow yourself to be a victim, play it smart and lock down your router!!!

By: Jay Morrison

How to Secure Your Wireless Network

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:47:58 +0000

There was a time when computers weren’t something ordinary people could afford. Back then, only the rich could buy them and the only networks in the world were those run by governments or large companies. Today, the picture is most certainly different. An average family’s home can have a network of computers owned by each family member and their Internet connections are fast and topnotch. Some families even use wireless computers and though cost is no longer an issue, information security definitely is.

What makes wireless networks sensitive sometimes is the fact that signals can go everywhere and are very hard to detect. This makes hackers very happy then, because now, they can hack any wirelessly connected computer and very easily at that. There’s no need to install Trojans or keyloggers. They just have to connect to that wireless network with their own laptop and start stealing information from those that are already connected. This is why wireless security should never be taken for granted. Imagine having a close neighbor connecting to your network without your permission. The risks are always there but it doesn’t mean wireless networking is bad altogether.

In fact, only unsecured wireless networks can be a headache which means as long as you secure yours, you shouldn’t have any problem. If you’re not exactly technically savvy, you might think it’s some complicated task that needs an expert to do. On the contrary, you can do it on your own and quite simply.

First off, because networks run on ID’s, you need to secure your own network’s ID so unauthorized access is prevented. Laptops will come with a default SSID (Service Set Identifier) or ESSID (Extended Service Set Identifier). If you don’t customize it, you can expect hackers to come prying in because it’s actually very easy for them to research on the default identifiers for each wireless computer manufacturer. This is why it’s extremely important that you change you SSID or ESSID into something unique to you.

Then you need to disable Identifier Broadcasting so you don’t get to announce to the whole world that you’ve got this wireless network that just about anyone out there could hack into. A manual that comes with your device will have instructions for this.

The third step in securing your wireless network is to enable Encryption so only authorized people able to access your information. There are actually two types of encryption you can use – WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access). For maximum security, it’s better to go for WPA which provides stronger protection than WEP which has many flaws and is quite easy to crack.

Firewalls are, of course, basic to every Internet security campaign, whether wired or wireless, so check your manual and set up your firewall to block unwanted traffic. Anti-virus software as well as anti-spyware and anti-adware should also be installed and updated regularly to ensure maximum protection.

As a final step, change your default password into some unique to you. Refrain from using birth dates and anniversaries which are pretty easy to crack. The most secure password could be a random combination of letters, characters and numbers.

As a general online security measure, an IP hiding software just might be very helpful. Because it allows you to surf with fake a IP address, you don’t leave a trail for hackers to follow back to you. This way, you keep these unwanted elements at bay and you simply enjoy the added freedom to your Internet activities.

By: Brad M Smith

A Step-By-Step Guide to Setting Up a Wireless Network

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:52:54 +0000

Wireless networks are getting more popular as more days go by. They are easy to install and practical to use when it comes to surfing the World Wide Web from anywhere inside the house. This is why wireless networks are attractive in the eyes of internet users. It is fairly easy to set up a wireless network; however, you have to know several simple things before trying to begin your setup. To get better understandings of wireless networks, you can read on protocols of wireless networking.

To set up your wireless network, you would require a broadband online connection with either a DSL modem or cable. Usually, the regular home setup involves a desktop computer that is directly plugged into a modem. If you are reading this, we can presume that you already own a laptop which you wish to wirelessly connect to a personal computer which has an internet connection. You will require some hardware to do this, such as a wireless router, a wireless USB network adapter for your desktop computer and a card-based personal computer network adapter for the laptop. Obviously, it would be recommended to opt for the same vendor as any extra hardware that you purchase. Refer to documentations that come with the hardware for any process of installation.

After installing all of the required hardware, you can start with the setup. First of all, you have to turn off or unplug your DSL modem before connecting your wireless router onto the modem. If you need help, simply check your hardware’s documentation. After this has been set up, your computer is going to connect to the router wirelessly. Next, you have to configure the wireless router. You can use Internet Explorer to go to the configuration page of your router.

The majority of default settings are safer to be left alone; however, there are several things that will need configuring. You have to choose a one-of-a-kind SSID or name for your wireless network, which will also be your network’s name. Ensure that nobody near you is making use of the exact same name. Next, if the router needs it, provide a one-of-a-kind passcode which it will put to use in order to generate several keys. The last thing to do before finishing your router configuration would be to set an administrative password. Pick a password which is long and hard to guess for security purposes. Ensure that you save each configured setting. Actual steps that are involved with setting configuration may vary, depending on your type of router.

Next, configure the network adapter of your laptop. It is quite easy to follow the on-screen instructions on Window’s XP when it comes to this. Right-click on the wireless network icon within your taskbar and go to “View Available Wireless Networks” after the menu appears. The window of Wireless Network Connections will show up. Here, you should see your chosen name listed for the wireless network. Click on “Refresh network list”, if the network does not appear. After that, you will be asked to enter a key as you have written down within the key boxes of Confirm network key. Choose Connect. Then, you will see the progress of your connection while it connects to the network. Once you are connected, feel free to close this window. Your wireless connection is now set up.

By: Alex D Smith

Securing Your Wireless Home Network Through MAC Filtering

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:08:37 +0000

One problem with wireless networks is that people who have wireless devices that are within the range of your network can access them. Even if you have set up a password for your wireless network, that password can also be hacked and access to your network can be gained. One way to further tighten up your network security is through MAC filtering.

MAC filtering is a network security procedure that only allows access to registered MAC addresses. A MAC address is the unique ID of a network device; no two computers or network device has the same. What this means is that only registered and authorized machines can access your wireless network. So even if they somehow managed to break or hack your password, they won’t still have access if their address is not registered. This is a very effective way to ensure the network security of your wireless home network.

What you need to do is enable the MAC filtering function of your wireless router or access points. Most routers at present have this function. Next, you need to input the MAC address of the computers in your home network. Getting the MAC address is different from one operating system to another, but this should be found in the properties of the network device. Check your computer’s manual or technical support for the procedure on getting the MAC address.

So, if you’re very particular about the network security of your wireless network, then one thing you can do is to enable MAC filtering in your network.

By: Tiraton Athiwat

Computer Network – Comprehensive View – Part 1

admin — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:19:01 +0000

Wireless networks enable people to communicate, access to applications and information without wires. That means access to the freedom of movement and the ability to expand the applications in different areas of the building, or near the city anywhere in the world. People, for example, while in the house search in the Internet, they can search in quiet places away from the noise of children or the rioters in front of the television presence of the entire family. Wireless networks allow people to interact with e-mail or surf the Internet from anywhere they like.

Wireless networks exist around us for many years, in fact, is the early forms of radio communications by the use of Native American Leather Ox for radio contact by putting it on the fire and remove it in waves for sending smoke signals to the other over great distances. Also the use of light pulses carrying information between the ships by Morse code which still form important contacts. kind of cellular telecommunications is common today for talks with some people across the world.

Introduction to concepts:

Wireless networks play a crucial role in people’s lives, whether at home or at work or in public areas. The objective is simple networks to provide wireless communication between users and information sources without the use of wires. It is necessary to address the basic concepts of wireless networks by understanding how to operate. This chapter provides a full definition of wireless networks and how users use them in a variety of applications.

wireless communications systems are for many but the characteristic feature of wireless networks, said it was investigating the communication between the computers, these devices include a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) Personal Digital Assistant and laptops and PCs

Personal Computers (PCs), servers and printers.

The computer processor has memory and the appropriate means to achieve with a particular type of network. The traditional cell devices can be placed within the definition of a computer but the latest Mobile devices and even audio headset began in the integration of the network switches and power transformers account. The most of the electronic equipment was for wireless communications networks.

The networks rely on the wire or cable Fiber optic, wireless networks, the movement of information between computers. Information takes the form of an email, and web pages and database records, and a video or voice. The mobility of wireless networks, in most cases, data such as emails and files, we have shown progress in the performance of wireless networks through the addition of visual communications support to enable Video and Voice+.

The wireless network uses radio waves or light red medium of communication between users, and between servers and databases. This type of communication is no longer visible to the human eye, in addition to the real center of air visible to the user. Most manufacturers today make an integration between (NIC) Network Interface Card (NIC also reflects the HT) and the antenna in the computer. the NIC network card couldn’t seen by the user. It makes the computer the wireless mobile and easy to use.

By: Shrif S Kassem

Home Networking

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:31:28 +0000

Setting up Your Home Network

As society and technology change, it’s becoming common for homes to have more than one computer. When an existing computer is a few years old, parents will often take advantage of today’s lower prices, purchase a new computer, and pass the old one down to the kids.

Suddenly, there’s a need for a home network, so all computers in the house can share an files, printers and an Internet connection. Fortunately, setting up a basic home network is not rocket science. To start, you’ll need a router which becomes the central point of your network. Most office and electronics stores offer home networking kits with a router, ethernet (network) adapters and CAT-5 networking cable.

If your computer was assembled in the past five years, it probably already has an ethernet adapter. Check the back of the system unit for a port that looks like a telephone jack, but slightly bigger.

If you don’t have an ethernet adapter, you can purchase one (about $20) and install it yourself. You can also use a special ethernet adapter that plugs into a USB port, if you can’t stand the thought of opening your system unit to install an ethernet adapter.

Wired or Wireless Networking?

You’ll need to connect each of your computers to the router with a cable, or go wireless. If you want to use wireless connections, you’ll need a wireless router and a wireless adapter for each computer. Most laptops have a wireless adapter built in, most desktop models do not. If you need a wireless adapter, you can purchase one that installs inside the system unit, or get a USB-style adapter.

Having a wireless network eliminates the need to string unsightly cables all around the house, but it can also create a security risk. Wireless networks are often configured by default to allow access to any computer that attempts to connect. So an Evil Hacker driving by with a laptop (or even your neighbor) might be able to tap into your Internet connection or poke around your hard disk.

Fortunately, wireless security encryption is easy to set up. See my article Wireless Security for step-by-step instructions.

Network Configuration

Whether the network signals travel through wires or through the air, network resources must still be shared so that other computers can access them. If you are running Windows XP or MacOS X, all you have to do is connect your computers and high-speed modem to the router, and Internet connection sharing should just work like magic. If not, restart the cable modem, router, and the computers (in that order) and see if that does the trick. If you can’t access the Internet from one or more computers on the network, consult the manual that came with your router.

One nice side benefit of having a router is that they have firewalls built in to the hardware. Firewalls protect you by hiding your computers from network attacks, but still allow you to surf the web and handle email. So after installing a router, you can turn OFF the Windows firewall and any other software-based firewalls you may have running.

Sharing Files and Printers

Sharing files and printers on a Windows network is also pretty painless. To share a printer, go into the Printers section of the Control Panel, right-click the icon for the printer that needs to be shared, and choose Sharing from the resulting menu. By assigning a name to the shared printer, the owner allows other computers on the network to access the printer by browsing using their Network Neighborhood (or My Network Places) icons. Access can be restricted to only some computers or users through the use of the Security or Permissions options on the Sharing screen.

The same concept applies for shared file and folders on a network. For example, if you want to share a collection of MP3 files on a home network, just browse to the folder using the My Computer icon, right-click the folder name and choose Sharing. After assigning a name to the shared resource and setting Permissions other computers on the network can access that resource via Network Neighborhood or My Network Places.

By: Bob Rankin

How Do I Set Up My Wireless Network at Home?

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:27:24 +0000

Wireless home networks are becoming more and more popular these day. The ease of installation and the practicality of being able to surf the net anywhere in the house makes wireless home networks very attractive to internet users. Setting up a wireless home network is quite easy but you need to know some basic things about wireless networks before attempting to start the set up. You can read up more about the wireless networking protocols to help you get a better understanding of wireless networking.

To set up a wireless home network you need to have broadband internet connection with a cable or DSL modem. The common set up at home is usually that of the desk top computer being plugged directly into the modem. In this tutorial we will assume that you have a laptop that you want to connect wirelessly to the PC that is connected to the internet. You need some hardware to make this possible. First you need to have a wireless router. You also need to add a USB wireless network adapter to your desk top PC and a PC card-based network adapter for your laptop computer. For obvious reasons, it is advisable to choose the same vendor for all the additional hardware you buy. Refer to the documentation that comes with your hardware for the installation process.

When you already have all the necessary hardware installed, you can begin the set up. First you need to unplug or turn off the DSL modem then connect the wireless router to the modem. You can check the documentation that came with your hardware for assistance. When you’ve set it up your computer will wirelessly connect to your router. The next step is to configure your wireless router. With Internet Explorer you can go to your router’s configuration page.

Most of the default settings there are rather safe left alone but there are some things that you need to configure. You need to choose a unique wireless network name or SSID, this will be the name of your network. Be sure that no one around that is near you is using the same name. The next step is, if your router requires it, to provide a unique passphrase that it will use to generate some keys. Then the last step to do before you are done with configuring the router is setting your administrative password. Choose a password that is not easy to guess and not too short for security reasons. Be sure to save every setting you’ve configured. The actual steps involved in configuring these settings vary according to the kind of router you have.

The next step is to configure your laptop’s network adapter. It is easy to follow Window’s XP’s on-screen instructions for this one. Right-click the icon for wireless network in your task bar and select “View Available Wireless Networks” in the pop up menu that appears. The Wireless Network Connection window will show and there you will see the name you chose for your wireless network listed. Click Refresh network list in the upper-left corner if you don’t see your network. You will then be prompted to enter a key, this is the key that you wrote down in both the Network key and Confirm network key boxes. Click Connect. You will then see connection progress as it connects to your network. When you’re already connected you can close the Wireless Network Connection window. You’re done, you’ve set up wireless connection.

By: Pinky Mcbanon

Wireless Network Trouble Shooting: Battle of the Wireless Neighbor

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:56:59 +0000

Is your neighborhood have too many wireless networks which interfere with yours????

One of the most common complaints is that every time a neighbor puts up a wireless network your wireless network is slower or you get booted off.

The easiest thing you can due is change your channel on your wireless router. Almost all wireless networks have default channel of 6. Change your wireless network channel to something try channel 11 first.

If you have the money purchases a MIMO wireless router. This will overpower one radio access points.

The most common complaint about wireless interference is dropped packets. MIMO wireless routers let you transfer and receive at twice the rate because they have two transmitters and two receivers…or two radios!! This gives you a better quality signal and better coverage.

Next tip – Placement of your wireless router is the key. If you have a wireless router in one of your edge bedrooms half you signal is being sent out of your house with the default dipole antennas.

If you are going to keep your default Di-pole antennas then you need place your router in the middle of your house away from large metal objects.

Next, you can get rid of those cheap rubber duck antennas and make your purchase directional antennas. Directional antennas will focus your wireless signal in one direction.

If you purchase a directional antenna you need to change your transmit and receive antenna to the same. Or purchase a wireless antenna with diversity meaning two TNC connectors.

You might want to think about purchasing another wireless adapter. PCMICA wireless cards often are subject to damage.

Changing your wireless transmit power – You can change your wireless transmit power but it comes with a price. First this will cause your wireless router to work harder and heat up more thus reducing your wireless routers life span. Their is no need to have transmit power over 70mw for a home or small office. You can crank up your transmit power but remember more of you signal will bleed out into the street giving war drivers another target.

You will know if you are having interference if you are constantly connecting and reconnecting to your wireless network. The first thing to try is to try and change the channel to 2 or 11 or what ever works. Next you can make or purchase a wireless directional antenna to focus your signal where you need it. Third Move your wireless router to another place in your home. Fourth boosting your wireless signals transmit power has it’s benefits and it’s consequences, you could fry your wireless router and it could give you hacker issues. Finally if all else fails go out and purchase a new wireless MIMO router.

By: Eric Meyer

Setting Up a Wireless Satellite Internet Network

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:12:43 +0000

There are several advantages of going wireless with your internet service. You can network your home or office computers easier, you aren’t tethered to the wall and you can access the internet on multiple computers at the same time. If you are interested in going wireless and you are also interested in satellite internet service, then you may want to set up a wireless satellite internet network.

The first step is to subscribe to a satellite internet service. These services are broadband so they are generally going to work with wireless networking equipment that has traditionally been used to create wireless networks for land based broadband internet services. The three top choices for satellite internet service are StarBand, HughesNet and WildBlue.

While you are waiting for your satellite internet service to be installed, you will want to buy all of the wireless networking equipment that you will need. First of all if you don’t have a computer that has an internal wireless networking card already built in then you will want to either buy one that does, or you will want to buy a wireless network adapter. Next you will need a wireless router.

After your satellite internet system has been set up you will be ready to connect your wireless network. To start with, connect your satellite internet modem to the router. The router will then send signals to your computer via infrared signals. Configure your router following the instructions that came with your router.

If you are using a wireless network adapter you will want to plug this into a USB port in your computer. Otherwise your computer should receive the signal using its internal wireless card. Turn your computer on and follow the instructions that came with your satellite internet system to set up your account if your technician didn’t already do this for you. That’s all there is to it.

By: Sarah Freeland

Wireless Network Installation In Larger Up Scale Homes

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:34:52 +0000

A regular two story single family homes wireless installation usually only will require one wireless router placed centrally in the home. The newer trend that Schaumuburg Computer Repair faces is the new mega tear down homes that are all brick and have three floors with over 4,000 square feet. The question is how do I give the customer the best wireless coverage for the least price.

Standards Tutorial: 802.11b is old don’t use it. 802.11g runs at a reported 54mbps but actual throughput is 22 mbps, it has greater range than 802.11a. 802.11a is mostly used in areas where there are many wireless access points already such as business offices. Also 802.11a network can have more co-located wireless access points because 802.11a has 8 non-overlapping channels while 802.11g has only 3. 802.11n is only a draft version at this point so do not purchase draft n products. I do recommend purchasing 802.11g wireless access point with MIMO (Multi-in Multi out) technology. These access points are configured with two radios, which allow them to send and receive at the same time.

Phase one: Coverage Area – Defining coverage area for the home is very important because defining areas to blanket can effect the customers cost. We have many customers that do a lot of work in detached garages and basements but many people use wireless in only one room. So the rule of thumb is the more areas the need wireless coverage the higher the price for the customer.

Phase two: Site Survey – Perform a site survey to find out what other wireless networks are in the area. This is very important because in might impact whether you install a 802.11g wireless network or a 802.11a wireless network. If we perform a site survey and find many 802.11g wireless networks on varies channels it might be better to install a 802.11a wireless network which runs on a different frequency. Knowing what channels other networks are running on is very important because each one of your wireless access points will need to run on a different channel. 802.11g standards have only three non-overlapping channels, which are 1,6 and 11 while 802.11a has eight non-overlapping channels. The rule of thumb to follow is that 802.11g is subject to more interference but has greater range than 802.11a.

Phase threee: Distibution system – Now you need to decide how you’re going to distribute your wireless network throughout the home. A wireless access point acts a wireless wire so you will still find a method to get a network connection to that wireless access point. You have three options: running network cables throughout the house (The worst option), setting up power line Ethernet, or setting wireless repeaters or bridges. Running network cables is your last option because it requires drilling and time, which equals more cost. Power line Ethernet is great because it turns your power outlets into network cables. All you have two do is plug in one power line adapter by your internet connected wireless router and then plug in adapters throughout the house where you need wireless access points plugged in. Then your final option is to set up wireless repeaters to which will extend your original signal through out your house.

Phase four: Access point Placement – Your first access points should be in the most central parts of the home with supplemental wireless access points placed in hard to reach areas. Keep the wireless access points away from large metal objects and if the wireless access point can’t be placed in a central location use directional antennas to point the wireless signal internally instead of outside.

Phase five: Wireless access point Configuration – Your site survey will have revealed that 99% of the population purchases a wireless access point from best buy plugs it in and leaves all the defaults. So that means that their SSID is linksys and the wireless router / access point are on channel 6. Our larger home wireless network will need two to three wireless access points so we will configure our first two wireless access points on channels 1 and 11. If a third one is needed then you can use channel 6; just make sure user connections aren’t dropped after the wireless clients are configured. Next you will want to name your wireless network (SSID). Choose a obscure name like house, a color or some thing that can’t link the network with the family. The reason for that many people have their SSID as there last name and the there network key the same or a pet or child’s name. The more hacker knows about the family the easier it will be to hack the network

Phase 6: Security – You will want to use AES encryption with WPA2 handling for the majority of wireless networks. If your clients are going to be gaming over the wireless network you could consider using WEP 128 because on older wireless access points AES encryption is processor intensive. The myth is that wireless encryption can be hacked in five minutes which is true if you have enough network packets to crack. The whole process is collecting the packets then cracking those packets, the collection of those packets could take weeks if not months. Then after the packets are collected the encryption has to be cracked.

By: Eric Meyer