First post using Windows Vista

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Posted: Thu Mar 15, 2007 6:58 pm

Problem with using MAC auth on the homehub is it can seriously screw with the hub phone if you have one.

Well done on getting in with Vista SP.
No matter what these 'linux rools ok' clowns say, its still cool as hell.

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 1:39 am

Quote:

There is a 12 digit MAC number on the back of the hub, would that be it? Or does it have to be the MAC address inside the laptop?

The MAC address of the computer wifi card not the access point.

I don't know about vista but in XP you open the control panel and click the network connection icon. Right click the wifi card label and click on 'properties' then 'configure'. I think the MAC address will be shown in that window. Copy it and the enter the router admin screen. Find the wifi access setup (I can't say how without knowing the manufacture) and there should be an access set up tab. Set the access to allow list only and enter the MAC address. Save and exit. Vista should be tha same because M$ always tries to make everything user friendly and consistent from version to version.

I just had to set up my wife's company computer to access my home wifi router and spent 30 minutes trying to figure out why it kept telling me to turn on the radio. I turned on 'Jack Radio' but it didn't seem to do any good. I finally found the switch in the side on the computer. Rolling Eyes

They did the same thing to her; just hand her the computer with no manual and no help.

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 1:52 am

My mama always told me: "use a cable, Kleindoofy." Wink

** SUSPENDED ** Joined: 26 Mar 2005 Posts: 1267

*resists urge to mock DrWho*

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 2:29 am

@SP: As I may have mentioned before, I work a compy shoppie.

You are not alone in the "turn the wi-fi on" button department. It is a regular occurence. Someone complains for a few minutes about how their laptop doesn't work, and this and that and blah blah blah, and then you just lean over, press the "turn on" button, and voila, it works!

Almost as good as the time a guy came in to return a 20-24 pin power supply, because it wouldn't connect to his 20-pin motherboard. I took it out of the box, looked at the cord, and he asked me "what, are you just going to pull 4 pins off?"
...to which i responded "um, well, yeah" and then I yanked the (easily removable) extra pins off, turning it into a 20-pin connector. Then he went home. Laughing

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 9:54 am

Scam Patroller wrote:

@ Dionysius, I don't think anyone can jump on my wireless connection, because you have to input the WEP security key when making the connection, and if I am getting it right, nobody else can connect to my network unless they have that WEP key number that is on the back of my hub?

The problem is that nothing is as secure as you are lead to believe. The only securish thing would be a cable connecting your lap top to the broadband box. There's a BBC Three documentary called 'The Real Hustle', which did a feature on hacking wireless connections. They picked a street and found a number of wireless signals. Ignoring the ones who didn't bother to protect the signal they chose the one who had set up security. They hacked it without any problems.

Cables might be annoying, but they are secure.

Baiting Guru Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 11857 Location: UK

^^^^^ Yeah, I saw that real hustle program, it was something like, there were 100 houses in the street they went to, and about 25-30 had unsecure wireless connections.

@ DrWHo, I will try what you suggested if it's the same on Vista.

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 5:10 pm

So how would I go about in securing my wireless internet connection?

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:05 pm

^^^^
Turn it off.

Very Happy

*** BANNED *** Joined: 10 Jan 2004 Posts: 3779

Use something like WPA-PSK instead of WEP.

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 12:21 am

Only if your access point and card support WPA.

If not:
Make sure the router name is *not* the default and use a non-guessable name. In fact don't use any of the default settings.
Turn off the broadcasting of the router name
Set the allowed access for either specific MACs only or specific IP addresses only (this requires you to use manual IP addressing. much safer anyway)
Use WEP at least if you can't use WPA. Change the key once in a while. Check the logs if your router has them for odd access.
Look around and see if any cars are parking outside your house.
Look for war-chalking marks on the street outside your house.

Only use gmail so your IP address is hidden. Smile

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