Wireless Security, Prt1 With pictures!

[the_sidewinder]

This has been a long time coming, and is essentially a copy paste from my blog. In this tutorial, I will hopefully show you how to successfuly set up a WPA encryption on your wireless router, and on your computer. This guide is only for windows, though the router side setup will work is all OSes. Be sure to have Service pack 2

NOTE: I use a skinning application that changes the appearance of windows, chances are, your windows will look different, but all the buttons are in the same place. Also, Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) MUST be installed, you can get it through Windows/Microsoft Update (http://g.msn.com/mh_mshp/98765?http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/&&HL=Microsoft+Update&CM=Navigation&CE=productResources) using Internet Explorer (link will not work in Firefox or Opera). Make sure to get all the important updates.

Securing your wireless

First thing I reccomend that you do while setting up is to connect to the router using an ethernet cable (looks like a large phone line).

Second thing you need to do is determine the IP address of your router. If you know it, skip ahead, if not here is where you can find it: Go *start -> Run* Type in "cmd" and hit "Ok." A window with white text and a black background (looks like a DOS prompt, but isn't) in that window, type "ipconfig" and hit enter. some information will come up, One entery will read "Default Gateway" a number (generally 192.168.2.1 or 192.168.0.1) that is your router's IP address

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/the_sidewinder/routerIP.png

Take that number (IP address) and copy/paste it into your browser's URL bar (the bar that you type webpage addresses in) you will be prompted to enter a password, if you have never been here before, you might not know your default password, "admin" is generally used (SMC routers use smcadmin by default) if you know your password type it in. you may also be prompted for a username, by default, these tend to be "administrator" or "admin," if these do not work, please read the guide that came with your router.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/the_sidewinder/DlinkPW.png

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/the_sidewinder/smcexample.png


once logged on, locate the wireless network settings, example:

BIG PICTURE (http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/the_sidewinder/wirelessloc.png)

if given a menu after clicking on the link, click on the WPA settings (or encryption settings, if you cannot find any WPA settings anywhere, you need to buy a newer router, WPA is more secure than WEP and is easier to set up)

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/the_sidewinder/wirelessOP.png

In this new screen, you will be asked to enter various data, the only one you should need to concern yourself with is the passphrase, enter one. If, however, you are also given the option to enter the encryption method (WEP, WPA, WPA/WEP, None) select WPA. If you are confused, use the following screenshot as a guide. Save your settings!

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/the_sidewinder/WPAOP.png

If the option for what kind of encryption to use was not there, it will be in another location, for myself, it is under "Security." Remember to only select WPA, and Save your settings!

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/the_sidewinder/securityOP.png

Congrats! You finished the hard part!

Setting up the computer to connect
We will use Windows' built in manager here, if you have SP2, like I told you, this will be a breeze, if you didn't get it, what are you waiting for?
To get to the manager, find the wireless icon on the system tray (the system tray is on that bar at the bottom with all the little icons on it)

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/the_sidewinder/systray.png

Here is the Wireless networks window, you will see your network here, it will have the same name as before, double click on it.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/the_sidewinder/networks.png

You will be asked for a password, enter it twice, once in each box, and hit enter

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/the_sidewinder/password.png

That's it, your done! Easy, huh? you are now secure, no passers by can get in!


There will be more on wireless security

[Merturk_NB]

Most older wireless cards and operating systems don't support WPA. WEP is plenty strong, and is more accepted on older utilities and systems.

:ds:

[the_sidewinder]

Don't think so mert


Because RC4 is a stream cipher, the same traffic key must never be used twice. The purpose of an IV, which is transmitted as plaintext, is to prevent any repetition, but a 24-bit IV is not long enough to ensure this on a busy network. The way the IV was used also opened WEP to a related key attack.

Many WEP systems require a key in hexadecimal format. Some users choose keys that spell words in the limited 0-9, A-F hex character set, for example C0DE C0DE C0DE C0DE. Such keys are often easily guessed.

In August 2001, Fluhrer et al. published a cryptanalysis of WEP that exploits the way the RC4 cipher and IV is used in WEP, resulting in a passive attack that can recover the RC4 key after eavesdropping on the network for a few hours. The attack was soon implemented, and automated tools have since been released. It is possible to perform the attack with a personal computer, off-the-shelf hardware and freely-available software.

Cam-Winget et al. (2003) surveyed a variety of shortcomings in WEP. They write "Experiments in the field indicate that, with proper equipment, it is practical to eavesdrop on WEP-protected networks from distances of a mile or more from the target." They also reported two generic weaknesses:

* the use of WEP was optional, resulting in many installations never even activating it, and
* WEP did not include a key management protocol, relying instead on a single shared key amongst users.

In 2005, a group from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation gave a demonstration where they cracked a WEP-protected network in 3 minutes using publicly available tools.

[Merturk_NB]

Yes, the FBI can crack it in 3 minutes, but your casual user doesn't even know what a WEP key is. If you are setting a key for your average home network, you are fine using WEP if you have issues with WPA.

[HunterX]

Mert has a point. When setting up security on any kind of network your goal is to prevent the casual hacker from gaining access. A pro will always find a way, and there is little you can do about them, but 64 bit WEP (which alot of new routers have) is more than enough to keep out script kiddies/war drivers, and even with freely available software, after about five minutes, especially on a not so active home network, most of them would get fed up and quit. But that's not to say you shouldn't use WPA. If you can set it up definetly use WPA over WEP.

[the_sidewinder]

Older routers have 64 bit wep as well, the point is taken and is valid, and as hunter said, if you can do better, do it

[=DǼM♦N=]

Hey can you tell me if I'm on a home network and I have lost the key how I can get it back?(WEP)