Tips to secure home wireless connection

[sunils]

Wire-free networking offers a lot of flexibility to access internet from wherever you want. But if precautionary measures are not taken, there's a very real chance that your open wireless network is exposed to vulnerabilities out of the nearest window.
Home wireless networks require some critical considerations. If your Wireless LAN is strong enough to cover your neighbors' homes, you could find piggy backers slowing down your network - even though they're not helping with the bill!
You may also wake up one morning to discover that some miscreant has hacked into your Internet account and sent out a chilling e-mail claiming responsibility for a terror attack on the nation. If your Wi-fi/Wireless LAN is unprotected it's virtually impossible to trace the miscreant who sent the e-mail. This could also lead to Law enforcement agencies knocking on your door!
Internet access using Wireless hotspots could be exploited by miscreants if no security measures are undertaken. Your wireless access connections could be misused by somebody and use them as launching pad for initiating attacks/misuse and the liability falls on you since the Internet protocol address used will be traced to yours.

Do's :-

• Monitor the use of the internet link and be aware of your outgoing traffic periodically.

Don't :-

• Don’t keep any of your personal email sessions open after use, with out logging off.

[xmakina]

What about MAC Filtering?

Running encrpypted wireless can mean a 30% slowdown, so if you're not transmitting secure data (i.e. you're at home and not work) is it worth mac filtering rather than encryption to make the most of this extra 30%?

[Fearghal]

Just to add on your great tut sunils,

Even if you encrypt your network a savvy hacker gain breech the encryption keys in minutes. You should hide the SSID so that the hacker can't even detect the network never mind hack into it.

Obviously there are methods to find SSIDs, however it is better to keep a hacker trying, than to hand him/her and easy target.

Edit--- Just because this is possible does not mean everyone's wireless network is under attack. Please don't start shouting at neighbours if your connection is slowing down

You Should also install some network intrusion detection ;)
--- End of edit

Good Tut Sunils, Thanks

[kkenny]

Somewhat simple, but very useful!

[jensen]

Thanks for the tips.

what software would you recommend for network intrusion detection?
How do I even know if someone is using my network to access the internet?

[zen-r]

Thanks sunils. If you are able to, it would be worth elaborating with more tips & advice.

I don't tend to use wifi at home, even though it would give my laptop mobility, because my understanding is that there is no such thing as a totally secure wifi connection. I occasionally risk it when working away from home.

Obviously, taking the right security measures would reduce the risk to being small enough to not need worrying about. But it is hard to tell what the best measures are. I am always reading of new ways hackers are finding of breaking in (man-in-the-middle attacks/ evil twins, faking SSL, data sniffing, software backdoors & bugs etc).

[diego.miquel]

Gracias por el dato. (Thanks for the tips.)

[Bigbucks2528]

Nice, I will certainly follow these. Thanks!

[xav0989]

What about MAC Filtering?

Running encrpypted wireless can mean a 30% slowdown, so if you're not transmitting secure data (i.e. you're at home and not work) is it worth mac filtering rather than encryption to make the most of this extra 30%?

MAC addresses can easily be spoofed. for regular leechers, filtering will prevent them from accessing your network, but hackers could easily watch your traffic, find a good MAC address, and spoof his.
Wifi protection only serves as a method to make your wifi a less attractive target.

[gmybft]

Great tips, thanks!

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