Wireless question?

[Delfestra Ruinvorn]

Does anyone out there know anything about setting up a wireless router?

I'll be obtaining one tomorrow to use in a place where there's already a cablemodem, with the hope to make it online from my own laptop as I cat-sit for the week.

Is this idea doomed to failure, or would it work? In a non-destructive way, of course.

[fusa]

You can connect the cable modem to the router and should be able to connect wireless probably without changing many settings. As long as you have a wireless card on your computer

[Delfestra Ruinvorn]

Wireless card check. That at least is functional, as I used it all week to go to Hell and back from a coffee shop. Thanks, Fusa

[illandous]

Just as an FYI, you might want to setup some wireless security on the router or "others" will be able to use your link and be able to see what you are doing on your computer. Along with more... unsatifactory.. things to your computer.

I would suggest the WPA option. What kinda router is it?

[dodrudon]

Bah! The biggest thing you need to worry about with security on a wifi router is others stealing your bandwidth.... Just slap a password on it. If you do nothing more than surf the net and don't mind people using your wifi to say use BT then don't put a password on it. Seriously, share the wealth! What're the chances anyways of one of your immediate next-door neighbors (the router's not gonna reach further than that unless you got that industrial quarter-mile one) being a 1337 computer hacker with malintentions as well as no connection of their own? And how many people do you hear about that drive around and park at your curb just to see what you're doing?

Answer Key: Low. None.

[illandous]

Umm... then you have people like me with a laptop. It's not about sharing the wealth. It's about security. in a 15 mile trek home I pass 100 + unsecured access points. I can sniff them and take credit cards numbers and transaction numbers, emails, what your doing, when you did it, place tracking cookies on your PC. also I can put a virus on your wire and watch it attack. Know those patches that come out every tuesday from microsoft? An (decent) exploit can be writen in about 10 days from one of those for remote code execution.

I've done many of these things in a lab. Not to say that it's going to happen to you. But it could happen to you.

NwN's for one is pretty supceptable to attacks. Heck, I've changed things on a server side charater (Not here, nor will I) not much that can be done about it either. More techniques for this stuff come out daily.

Of course, I do IT security for a living, and that just makes you paranoid over time.

Oh and your coverage area for wireless is all about your attenna and how much power you put into it and the shape of it. Some are better than others.

[gruntgruntson]

dodrudon said:

And how many people do you hear about that drive around and park at your curb just to see what you're doing?

Answer Key: Low. None.

Real Answer: The albeit small group of people called WarDrivers.
One laptop.
One Car
One high-power antenna.
All the pr0n/pirated software/music/terrorist information/ they want, all downloaded on YOUR connection. Leaving you wondering why your 8mb connection is slow as mollasses and hitting your bandwidth cap within an afternoon.
And wondering why the police are asking why your connection was used to up-load pictures to kiddy-pr0n sites.
They then chalk-mark the area so that other WarDrivers know where to park.

In a similar manner to handing out your NWN-CD-Key : Whats the chance that someone will abuse the account, and have you take the fall for it?

If you wish to "share the wealth" it is important to do it right.

[dodrudon]

If you hand out your cd key online, there's a high HIGH chance someone will use it. It's not too hard to find cd keys using a search engine, and anything you post publically...

However, what's the chance WarDrivers will choose your router out of the millions across the country?

If you find your connection slow, you can easily pop a password on it, if you're using it when they are.

Also, doesn't it matter more the strength of the router rather than the antenna? You need to be able to receive, not just send.

[illandous]

Dod, yes, it does matter. but you can get directional antennas (like the big one on a house) for wireless trasmitters and receivers.

www.radiolabs.com/products/antennas/2.4gig/high-gain-wifi-antenna.php

[dodrudon]

Oh I meant the broadcasting strength of the router as opposed to the recieving power of the antenna of the user (hacker).

[Delfestra Ruinvorn]

Mmm over this past week, I feel I was rather safe - in the second floor of a suburban home with nothing but trees for 50 yards in any direction.

But yes, for when I bring it home and the installation people have time to get to me, it will have passwords and the like.