Wireless Broadband Hackers

[Su]

I was watching on the news today about hackers into wireless broadband.  The reporter said that the wireless should be password secured.

How do I find out if mine has a password please?
I'm a bit thick when it comes to that sort of thing.

Kind regards
Su

[GrahamH]

What is available to you depends on the hardware and software you have. The manual and/or help files which came with your router/hub should have details.

If the hardware was supplied by your broadband supplier their help line should be able to talk you through the process.

Graham

[Alan b]

Basically you need to log in to your router and create a password. The password could be up to 26 characters in length, you then need to add this password to your computer otherwise you will not be able to access the internet if you connect wirelessly. You need to find your paperwork that came with your router or post back on here with the model number you have and perhaps we can help you make it secure.

[falcybe]

Hi Sue, if you tell us the make of your router then someone with the same will be able to tell you what to do.

If it is a Belkin then type http://192.168.2.1 into your address bar at the top of IE or firefox or whatever browser you are using.
on the first page of your router type in the password if you have created one here, most people don't. Then click on submit.
somewhere you will see your SSID, just like a log-on to, say, Rootschat.com 
then if you click on the security button you will go to a page with key 1, key 2 & 3 & 4. If a key has NOT been set then the row is a series of 000000's. My first row has been set by me with my own code with the same length as the series of 0000's.
This number is like the password you use to log-on to rootschat, along with your log-on name.

So your router will be secure using (log-on) SSID and (password) Key 1 (or more if you can see the use).
Of course anyone wishing to connect to the internet using wireless and your router will need to know these two items in order to log on to your router.
cheers, falcybe
ps: if you have another make of router then the access to its codes could still be http://192.168.2.1 or http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1.1. Play around a bit or read your manual. The old adage, that: if all else fails, read the manual 

[Gaille]

Perfect timing!

I have to go try & set my sisters wireless up tomorrow and I couldnt remember how to do it (its 3 years since i did mine!)

Thanks for the refresher!

Gaille

[bikermickau]

ALso, your wireless capable Router can still be hjacked, as we discovered even  if you still still use cable to connect to it. (We found wireless was slower)

My SO uses a free version of  Network Magic. I'm unsure if it's still available.

Mick

[Nick29]

There are two types of encryption currently in use - WEP and WPA.  WPA is the newer one, which some older routers cannot handle.

WEP can be hacked by the average 14 year old geek in less than 10 minutes.

There's even videos to show them how to do it.

Don't use WEP encryption - you might as well have no security at all.

If your modem/router can't do WPA encryption, you may be able to get a firmware update for it.

If you have an unsecured wireless connection, and someone uses it for illegal purposes, then it's you that will be held responsible.

[falcybe]

Are you sure, Nick? (silly question?) Can you point us towards the videos?

I cannot remember the details now but I thought that 128bit WEP was the best security setting, or was it the best without becoming too complicated? That was last August, when I went over to wireless.

[Su]

Thanks everyone for your replies my wireless is Netgear if that helps.

Kind regards
Su