Wireless connection users beware...

[Hermskii]

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/networking/wi ... usted/1808


I use a whole different version of security at my place so this doesn't have any effect on me whatsover but most people are screwed!

[Sir Mandrake]

Yeah, I never used that security method. Never liked anything that I didn't have control over setting up. WPS is for the less technically minded people that wanted a secure wireless setup. I use WPA2 with my own preset key. Thanks for the heads-up Herm!

[a nameless entity]

Well it seems that my instincts against wireless are correct.

Now if I buy a "wireless capable" router but use it only as a wired device, can it still be hacked? Or would the signal strength be so low without the little wireless "rabbit ears" hooked up that they wouldn't be able to read any leaking RF energy there might be from the device anyway?

You see why I don't like the idea of wireless? I have no clue either.

This is also why I do not buy things online except when there is no other way to get them. Damn hackers.

Thanks for the heads up Herm.

[Hermskii]

They aren't entirely unsafe as Sir Mandrake stated. It is just that out of the box and setting them up per the directions for Grandpa they are then not too safe. If you set it up manually and use a different wireless encryption algorithm you should be fine. I don't expect people care enough to try to hack messages I send using wireless network sniffers so I don't use any encryption. I use an entirely different form of wireless security. My main PC is only hooked up via a wire anyways. The servers are all wired too. everyone knows to never run a server over a wireless connection just because wireless is so damn intermittent. Wired is real time baby!

Read the article close and it tells you what you can do to fix the issue but at the same time understand that most people use the easiest method possible to connect wireless devices. It is that easy way of doing it that is hacked easily.

Somebody please jump in and correct or add to what I have stated.

[Terraniux]

When I install wireless devices for customers at home, I don't use WPS and never have.
The common and most save way is connecting via utp cable and login using the http://ipaddress method.

There is also another useless thing brought on the market:wireless digital HD television
Absolutely worthless.

Wireless is nice to have, but the technology is underdeveloped.

Better prepare for SUPERRR WIFI:

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/t ... -wifi/7398

[Terraniux]

Now if I buy a "wireless capable" router but use it only as a wired device, can it still be hacked?

Yes, off course , everything can be. (if you have enough time).
In the past I hacked a lot actually, even school computers, gained full admin control in the network .

[Nelsona]

I didn't read entire document from a Web site based on wireless exploits. I just noticed my router having this capability, since I'm not using wireless I deactivated the module and I set the power to 25% (just in case). So, my wireless is pemanently off-line .

[Hermskii]

I meant to mention that to Nameless as well. Yes, you can turn off the wireless feature to your router too.

[*POTS*]

Interesting thread, thanks for sharing.

I've always been using the good old Ethernet cable, but recently I got a device which requires a wireless connection to work properly, so I had to configure it from scratch.

Finally I have a wireless access point, using the WPA2-PSK authentication and AES encryption. Just to let you know, of all the other wireless networks I can catch from here, only one more is using this WPA2 like me. Most of the rest are still using plain WPA, a couple even the more outdated WEP and the last one is going without protection at all lol.

One thing I'd like to add though: by default Windows 7 selects the TKIP encryption method, which is good for the old WPA but doesn't work well with WPA2. In fact I experienced problems and was unable to connect the laptop. I managed to fix it by switching to AES both on the router and the Win7 network center.


Read here for more info:

Win7 and WPA/WPA2

P.S. The only drawback: I can't use the 802.11n standard since my router doesn't support it. The old 802.11g is still good enough anyway.