Wireless Security

What can be done to maximize Wireless Security without additional expense and sophisticated hardware?

1. Put a Unique SSID (I.e. the name of your Wireless Network should not be WLAN or any other default setting).).

2. Set the system to channel 11 – This no big addition to security but usually will yield better cleaner Wireless. Since the default channel 6 is very busy.

3. Switch On the MAC Filter and enter the MACs of your system. – This will only allow your hardware to connect to the system.

Take into consideration that MAC information is not encrypted. As a result MAC filtering is a good deterrent against casual intruders. However it is very easy to Hack it.

4. Set Encryption to the most recent secure type that is available on your Wireless hardware (The available method would depend on how old is your hardware).

Most secure is WPA2 (WPA AES), followed by WPA-TKIP, WEP 128 bit and the least secure WEP 64bit.

5. If you are extra worried, and you have WEP only change the WEP key every 3-4 days. Breaking 128bits WEP takes time, frequent changing will make casual hacker affords futile.

6. Set the DHCP to the same number of computers that you have on your Network. (Example, you have 4 computers set it to 101-104).

7. Install NetBEUI, and do the local sharing through NetBEUI. (Most people do not have this arrangement. Their TCP/IP sharing will not get into your files).

Link to: Set NetBEUI as the Default Sharing Protocol in WinXP.

8. Disable Auto Broadcast. - Most Wireless Access Points Broadcast their existence by default, your can try to disable this feature.

You should take into consideration that Disabling SSID Broadcasting might cause some Wireless Hardware to be Inoperable, or very "Quirky". Using this security measure Does Not provide real protection since many device and applications would detect your Wireless anyway. So if your hardware provides this feature use it with caution.