Wireless Network Security follow up

[axel1]

Following the advice given here I am trying to enable the wireless security
on my router and need some help.

Option 1 is WEP
If I select WEP then I have the option of 64bit or 128bit, then key type of Hex or Ascii. I'm assuming hex is 8 of something. Is it just numbers? What is ascii then? A combination of letters and numbers? How many? Eight also? Sorry if these are basic and dumb questions, don't jump all over me. It's new to me and the Kyocera manual isn't very helpful.

[SecRecy]

*Do not use WEP*

WEP security has two standard encryption levels: 64-bit encryption relies on a 40-bit key. The slightly stronger 128-bit level uses a 26-bit key. Both levels are relatively easy to crack by passively intercepting network traffic on a Wi-Fi equipped laptop. Hacking software analyses the data packets, looking for repetitive patterns, which can reveal a key. WEP encryption can also be actively hacked, using ‘brute force’ and ‘dictionary attack’ methods, bombarding the system with log-on attempts whilst remaining undetected by simulating normal network activity.

[axel1]

My other option is WPA-PSK. If I check that one, it wants a "passphrase". Another name to picking a password?

[SecRecy]

WPA employs two types of security key: TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) creates a new key every time a PC or device logs onto the network, making it almost impossible for it to be guessed or cracked.

WPA also uses a variation of the shared key system (WPA-PSK), which can be used on older set-ups that do not fully support all WPA features.

Usually all you have to do is make sure the encryption mode is set to WPA ‘Personal’ or ‘PSK’ (Pre Shared Key) and TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol) then enter your pass phrase in the box. Note it down and keep it somewhere safe. Once again when you have finished click Save or OK and exit the router setup.

[axel1]

The wireless set-up is on a desktop running XP-Pro. Where do I setup the WPA, password etc.. on the desktop? It is currently working but there is no security on the router at the moment.

[axel1]

That part I understand and am ready to do. Where in the desktop machine, in xp-pro. do I input the WPA password that I am about to enter into the router?

[opaper]

You want WEP. Hex is a numbering scheme where each digit can be a value of 0-9, plus a-f. This gives each digit a range of 16 possible choices, which fits well in the 4-bit binary scheme.

The default password is probably the MAC address printed on the device. You can leave it at that, or make it a string that is meaningful to you. You will be constrained to "0123456789abcdef" for the character choices, and you have to use 10 digits.

You want to know where to find the default password because this is what it will revert to if you ever have to reset the router.

[SecRecy]

All you need to do is enable the encryption systems on the router and the client PCs. Go to the router’s configuration menu. However, before you do anything make sure that all of the PCs, other than the one used to configure the router, are switched off. After logging on to the router you select the Wireless Security menu and there should be a button, switch or drop-down menu for enabling encryption and selecting WPA mode. After entering your passphrase click Save or OK and exit the setup menu.

Reboot the router and PC and make sure that your Internet connection is still live. Switch on the first of your wireless ‘client’ PCs. Double-click the Wi-Fi configuration manager icon in the System Tray, this should show that you have a good signal but you may get an error message saying it is unable to connect or that you need to enter a key or passphrase.

On some setup utilities you may have to switch tabs to display an encryption mode drop-down menu and key or passphrase entry box. Either way the object of the exercise is to enter your key passphrase, click Save or OK and within a few seconds the connection should be made.