Broadband help please!

[Lynn]

OK - finally got broadband but have two questions.

I have downloaded the free (90 day) security with the broadband - fine in terms of viruses etc.

But how do I secure my wireless connection - its not encrypted and I would like to know how to do that please?

How do I get Outlook to check my emails? It still wants to dial up - how do I tell it to get emails via the broadband connection.

I think that's all I need to figure out, but if there is anything obvious I've overlooked, please advise.

[pmjd]

Hi Lynn here's a few things I can think of

securing your wireless
this depends on the make of modem but if you login to the router and look for the wireless/security options
setup a password on your wireless, use WPA or WPA2 security (don't use WEP it's mince). When enabling this it might ask for a "pre-share key" which just means a password. If you make the password a mix of number and letters it's better and more difficult to guess, it can be handy to take a normal one like Frostie and substitute a couple of letters for numbers i.e. Fr0st1e. Password are usually case sensitive too, so mixing those in can make the password even trickier to work out.

Another thing, a bit more tricky to find on some routers, is to setup an access list so that only your computer is allowed to access the router, regardless if the right password is given. To do this you need to find the MAC address of the wireless card in your computer. To do this in windows I think (i'm a bit rusty) pick Run from the start menu, type CMD and hit return, this should bring up a very old fashioned looking black window with a command prompt. type ipconfig /all and hit return. This should bring up the list of network connections on your computer, one of which should be your wireless card. If your wireless card is connected it should have a complete list of stuff like IP address, gateway etc. Your MAC address, or physical adapter address I think it calls it, should be listed as a mix of 12 numbers and letters in groups of two i.e. 00-5f-3e-98-a3-e1. Make a note of it and look in the router for an option to set up an access list. Make sure it's allow only, and add the MAC address you just got.

The last thing I could suggest is to hide your wireless connection. The option to look for is show/hide SSID. This will stop your router shouting HELLO I"M HERE, to all and sundry.

As for Outlook I thnk you need to change the connection it'll use to network rather than dial-up. I can't remember off the top of my head but I'll check in work tomorrow when I'm near a copy of Outlook

HTH
Paul

[Lynn]

Thanks!

Don't think the wireless is set up properly after all. It says its on wireless connection but when I unplugged the cable it stopped working...

Will have another look at it all tomorrow when I get home from work. At least I have broadband up and running!

I did have a look in Outlook but couldn't see a way of changing how it connects.

[Lynn]

I did have a look in Outlook but couldn't see a way of changing how it connects.Found it and added my new email address as well! :D

Now just have to work out why the wireless connection didn't set up properly, but I think I'll leave that one til tomorrow night.

[knightengale]

Hey from the forum noobie :nice:,.

One possible thing to check is your not trying to connect to a neighbors wireless. As XP / Vista will try to auto connect to any thats nearby.

If this is the case try disabling all wifi security and then selecting your connecting. making sure your getting internet (any page) .
then start enabling the security options said above.

(Any problems let me know)

[Lynn]

Hey from the forum noobie :nice:. Thank you and welcome.


One possible thing to check is your not trying to connect to a neighbors wireless. As XP / Vista will try to auto connect to any thats nearby. No, my neighbours don't seem to have wireless. There was one you could access from one part of the house upstairs (as discovered by a visiting forumite with a laptop). No, its definitely my connection - its the name of my broadband provider - I just need to follow the steps as suggested and sort it out tonight. Haven't visited any sensitive sites just in case. (Though presumably, to pick up on anything, someone with a wireless connection would need to be in range? Can they then see everything I am doing?)

My wireless connection seems to be fine now.

[knightengale]

Can see everything I am doing?).

Thanks :grin:

I wouldn't worry about that to much. As they would need to be within range. i.e sitting outside your house , on your driveway / street etc. With this they would only get internet access.

To be able to see any files on your laptop, they would need to connect AND you would have to have enabled "file sharing" (default of XP is off). AND share out any folders you 'want' them to see.

Anything more sophisticated would require a higher level of I.T knowledge or a virus to be running on your machine (to allow them to take it over)
To be safe from a virus like that, a virus program (i.e avast, which is free) would be fine.

If you enable the MAC security and the WPA / WPE (said above) you will be very secure and will be to hard for anyone to be able to even try.
A possible further option is to hide the wireless name once you have set all this security options. This would stop anyone from being able to even see that the wireless is even there.

Your router will also act as a hardware firewall which will increase the security.

Anything else let me know :nice:

[Lynn]

I wouldn't worry about that to much. As they would need to be within range. i.e sitting outside your house , on your driveway / street etc. With this they would only get internet access.

To be able to see any files on your laptop, they would need to connect AND you would have to have enabled "file sharing" (default of XP is off). AND share out any folders you 'want' them to see.Nope, nothing like that.

I maybe just got worried when it say 'unsecured wireless'. I have firewall and AV software installed and up to date.

The only people within range would be my neighbours I guess (and I trust them!) or someone lurking outside - unlikely! (I know it has happened to people though.) Anyone sitting in a car with a laptop would be soon spotted - folk round my way notice anything unusual pretty quickly!

[martingold]

Thanks :grin:

I wouldn't worry about that to much. As they would need to be within range. i.e sitting outside your house , on your driveway / street etc. With this they would only get internet access.

To be able to see any files on your laptop, they would need to connect AND you would have to have enabled "file sharing" (default of XP is off). AND share out any folders you 'want' them to see.

Anything more sophisticated would require a higher level of I.T knowledge or a virus to be running on your machine (to allow them to take it over)
To be safe from a virus like that, a virus program (i.e avast, which is free) would be fine.


Your router will also act as a hardware firewall which will increase the security.

By securing your wireless it will stop someone ie a neighbour using your internet connection without your permision and doing something ilegal, using up your bandwidth or using up your download quota

[Lynn]

By securing your wireless it will stop someone ie a neighbour using your internet connection without your permision and doing something ilegal, using up your bandwidth or using up your download quotaI have lovely neighbours, they wouldn't do that. :flower: But I will secure it anyway.

Thanks for advice and help.

[tsh]

I think it's safe to assume that it is impossible to secure your wireless against anyone who really wants to hack into it. All you can do is discourage people, and make sure that everything connected to the wireless is also secure.

[RedFox]

By securing your wireless it will stop someone ie a neighbour using your internet connection without your permision and doing something ilegal, using up your bandwidth or using up your download quota

54% of British PC users say they use a neighbour's wi-fi network to connect to the internet - which is illegal in the UK (New Scientist 24th November).

Perhaps I should cancel my ISP contract? :innocent:

[martingold]

54% of British PC users say they use a neighbour's wi-fi network to connect to the internet - which is illegal in the UK (New Scientist 24th November).

Perhaps I should cancel my ISP contract? :innocent:

i would but all the local ones are secured :devil:

I am the one who went round to all the houses and set up the security for them :blush:

[ducasi]

securing your wireless
this depends on the make of modem but if you login to the router and look for the wireless/security options
setup a password on your wireless, use WPA or WPA2 security (don't use WEP it's mince). When enabling this it might ask for a "pre-share key" which just means a password. If you make the password a mix of number and letters it's better and more difficult to guess, it can be handy to take a normal one like Frostie and substitute a couple of letters for numbers i.e. Fr0st1e. Password are usually case sensitive too, so mixing those in can make the password even trickier to work out.

Best practice with WPA/WPA2 is to use a pass-phrase that is at least 20 characters long. A good way to make one up to to take the first line of a favourite book. If you go this route, it's easier to remember the password is you don't obscure it in the manner pmjd suggests - though that is a good idea for shorter passwords.


Though presumably, to pick up on anything, someone with a wireless connection would need to be in range? Can they then see everything I am doing?

With no security it is trivially easy for nefarious people in the vicinity to "snoop" all your network traffic and see what web pages you are visiting. WEP-based security doesn't make it much harder than trivial. WPA-based security makes it pretty near impossible.

[Lynn]

Best practice with WPA/WPA2 is to use a pass-phrase that is at least 20 characters long. A good way to make one up to to take the first line of a favourite book. If you go this route, it's easier to remember the password is you don't obscure it in the manner pmjd suggests - though that is a good idea for shorter passwords.I tried that, but not sure I was doing it in the right place. I set it to WPA and something else, put in a password - apply etc. But when I look at it again it has defaulted back to 'open'.

Where might I go to set this security up? (I was looking at 'Properties' for the connection I think.)

[David Franklin]

I tried that, but not sure I was doing it in the right place. I set it to WPA and something else, put in a password - apply etc. But when I look at it again it has defaulted back to 'open'.

Where might I go to set this security up? (I was looking at 'Properties' for the connection I think.)Have you logged into the router? I always set the router up to use WPA-PSK first and sort out the PC side of things afterwards.

[Of course, I don't actually know what I'm doing with this kind of thing, so YMMV]

[Lynn]

Have you logged into the router? I always set the router up to use WPA-PSK first and sort out the PC side of things afterwards.
How do I log into the router?

I just put the CD in that I was sent and went through a page by page set up with that - so not sure how it was all set up.

[martingold]

How do I log into the router?

I just put the CD in that I was sent and went through a page by page set up with that - so not sure how it was all set up.
To answer that we need to know the make and model of the router and the broadband provider that you are using
If is orange or sky with a free router you cant get into it and the security is already set up

[knightengale]

I tried that, but not sure I was doing it in the right place. I set it to WPA and something else, put in a password - apply etc. But when I look at it again it has defaulted back to 'open'.

Where might I go to set this security up? (I was looking at 'Properties' for the connection I think.)

Not completely sure what you mean but guessing your on the wireless network settings on Windows.

Before going there you will need to add the WPA code to the router itself, this is done through internet explorer (web address 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 etc). Onces done restart the router (sometimes they need a restart to enable WPA.
Disconnect from the wireless then do a search for new wireless connections. When it finds your connected click connect you should be asked for the WPA key.:nice:


Another thing you might want to do is set up the "allowed" list on the wireless options though the router. Its a minor thing compared to the WPA though so don't worry if you can't find it.


Also if anything goes wrong and you can't connect wirelessly with the WPA key just use the hardwire to try again :sad:

if your not sure let me know. :grin:

[Lynn]

Not completely sure what you mean but guessing your on the wireless network settings on Windows.
Yep, seemed like the logical place to look.



Before going there you will need to add the WPA code to the router itself, this is done through internet explorer (web address 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 etc). Not sure how to do this but will give it a try tonight. Thanks!

[martingold]

Yep, seemed like the logical place to look.

Not sure how to do this but will give it a try tonight. Thanks!
again this is router and provider dependant
I have friends on both orange and sky the security on both is already set up as is BT homehub and the network key is written on the bottom of the router

[ducasi]

Here's the basic steps to configuring your wireless router for security...


Turn off wireless on your laptop - some have a button or you can "disable" it in network connections.
Connect your computer to the router using an ethernet cable.
Check you can get onto the internet.
Login to the wireless router - usually at http://192.168.0.1/
You'll need a username and password here - probably "admin" & "admin" or "admin" and "password".
Find the wireless security settings on the web site you should be seeing.
Set it to WPA2 Personal (or WPA2-PSK or WPA-PSK or WPA2/WPA, etc...)
Type in your chosen pass-phrase.
Hit the "Save" or "Apply" button.
The router should be set up now, you can close the web browser.
Unplug the ethernet cable, and turn back on the wireless.
Configure wireless on your laptop to match how you configured the router.
Check for internet connection.
Done!

If anything goes wrong, come back here and let us know what happened.

Good luck!

[Lynn]

Here's the basic steps to configuring your wireless router for security...Thank you! Will try that tonight and report back.

[knightengale]

Yep, seemed like the logical place to look.

Not sure how to do this but will give it a try tonight. Thanks!

Whats the name of your router i.e Netgear DG834 etc. As i might be able to find a online walk through for you :nice:

[Lynn]

Whats the name of your router i.e Netgear DG834 etc. Pass?

Presumably its written on it somewhere.

My only previous experience with routers was a small office network in my last job and that was only along the lines of if it stops working, turn it off, leave it for a minute and turn it back on again!

[martingold]

Pass?

Presumably its written on it somewhere.

should be written on it somewhere
who is your isp?
broadband provider

[pmjd]

there should be a wee card in the box that came with the router telling you how to access it.

It's usually a case of starting firefox or internet explorer and typing in http://192.168.2.1 or some similar bunch of numbers and then ask you for a username and password, also supplied on the card. This will log you into the router and you can make all the changes you need to:nice:

[ducasi]

Lynn, you'll have seen so-far three different IP addresses on this thread on how to configure your router - 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1, 192.168.2.1.

To find out which one - and it could be different again - do this once you are connected to the router with your ethernet cable...

Go the the Start menu and click on "Run..."
Type "cmd" and hit return.
In the window that comes up type "ipconfig"
Look for a line that says "Default Gateway".
The IP address given there is your router's address.
Point your web browser at that address.

[Lynn]

Lynn, you'll have seen so-far three different IP addresses on this thread on how to configure your router - 192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1, 192.168.2.1.

To find out which one - and it could be different again - do this once you are connected to the router with your ethernet cable... Thanks - yes that worked and I went through your step by step guide and got it sorted!

Sorry for being so dense - I really didn't know to look for the router via IE etc.

Really appreciate all the help guys. I now have a 'security enabled wireless network'. :D

[martingold]

Thanks - yes that worked and I went through your step by step guide and got it sorted!

Sorry for being so dense - I really didn't know to look for the router via IE etc.

Really appreciate all the help guys. I now have a 'security enabled wireless network'. :D
Well done lynn i see we have another computer geek in the making :D