Thread: More Wireless Questions

Originally Posted by Socrates

You should use WPA rather than WEP.

Concur with this post.

WEP is very easily cracked because the key never changes. WPA uses a single pass code - but the encryption key constantly changes so it is nearly impossible to "sniff."

Originally Posted by Rebar71

Concur with this post.

WEP is very easily cracked because the key never changes. WPA uses a single pass code - but the encryption key constantly changes so it is nearly impossible to "sniff."

It isn't so easy to crack on a home network. There isn't enough traffic to collect the initialization vectors needed to crack WEP. Yes it is possible, but it would take a very long time.

YEah, I don't do a lot of cracking - ok none- but last I heard, they had figured out a way to inject packets or some such thing to increase the traffic and they can bust even an underused AP using WEP in minutes.

Not that I'm an expert on how they do it, but the way I look at it, why even risk it. The number of devices out there that don't support WPA is pretty low these days.

Just curious....

I use my home computer just for email/info/net etc etc-I dont run a home business I dont do a lot of ordering stuff online so even if someone cracked my WEP whats the worse they could do and what would be their goal?

The worst case scenario is the fuzz showing up to seize your computers because someone has been using your network to relay spam, or spoof paypal pages, or download kiddie porn, or pickup 12 year old girls, etc etc. You could get your Internet services turned off if soemone goes around violating the TOS doing whatever. You could lose all your data to a virus. You could have someone watching your Internet usage in order to see when you do use your credit card.

I would think the average WEP cracker is your teenage neighbor. Now maybe all they want to do is get a faster connection for WoW, maybe they want to send threatening emails to kids in their class, but I don't think it's worth taking the chance.

I have a customer who insisted on giving out his administrator password to every $5 employee that walked through the door. Eventually he got a call from the police wanting to know why he was stealing credit card information form paypal customers. When I looked into the situation, it was such a tiny simple scam page injected into his web server that it occurred to me that it could be run from any computer anywhere.

Originally Posted by Creeping Death

Its always best to setup security. You can setup WEP using 64bit encryption. Use your telephone number including area code as your WEP key using Key 1 instead of a passcode. When you want to connect a workstation, it will ask for the WEP key, just put your telephone number in, and you should be all set. Call me if you have any questions. Sorry I never got back to you dude, but I was out of work on Monday and in bed all day.

Your phone number and address please?

Originally Posted by Socrates

YEah, I don't do a lot of cracking - ok none- but last I heard, they had figured out a way to inject packets or some such thing to increase the traffic and they can bust even an underused AP using WEP in minutes.

Not that I'm an expert on how they do it, but the way I look at it, why even risk it. The number of devices out there that don't support WPA is pretty low these days.

I agree that is better to be safe, and I personally use WPA.

Originally Posted by psychopuck

It isn't so easy to crack on a home network. There isn't enough traffic to collect the initialization vectors needed to crack WEP. Yes it is possible, but it would take a very long time.

A WEP key can be cracked in 30 minutes or less. And the tools to do it are freely available so any kid could do it.