Manual Linksys WRT54 (page 63 of 81) (English)

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Appendix B: Wireless Security

Maximizing Wireless Security

Wireless-G Broadband Router

PCs unprotected by a firewall router should at least run firewall software, and all PCs should run up-to-date

antiviral software.

B. WEP

Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is often looked upon as a panacea for wireless security concerns. This is

overstating WEP's ability. Again, this can only provide enough security to make a hacker's job more difficult.

WEP encryption implementation was not put in place with the 802.11 standard. This means that there are about

as many methods of WEP encryption as there are providers of wireless networking products. In addition, WEP is

not completely secure. One piece of information still not encrypted is the MAC address, which hackers can use to

break into a network by spoofing (or faking) the MAC address.

Programs exist on the Internet that are designed to defeat WEP. The best known of these is AirSnort. In about a

day, AirSnort can analyze enough of the wireless transmissions to crack the WEP key. Just like a dictionary-

building attack, the best prevention for these types of programs is by not using static settings, periodically

changing WEP keys, SSID, etc.

There are several ways that WEP can be maximized:

a) Use the highest level of encryption possible

b) Use multiple WEP keys

c) Change your WEP key regularly

Current encryption technology offers 64-bit and 128-bit WEP encryption. If you are using 64-bit WEP, swap out

your old wireless units for 128-bit encryption right away. Where encryption is concerned, the bigger and more

complex, the better. A WEP key is a string of hexadecimal characters that your wireless network uses in two

ways. First, nodes in your wireless network are identified with a common WEP key. Second, these WEP keys

encrypt and decrypt data sent over your wireless network. So, a higher level of security ensures that hackers will

have a harder time breaking into your network.

Setting one, static WEP key on your wireless network leaves your network open the threats even as you think it is

protecting you. While it is true that using a WEP key increases wireless security, you can increase it further by

using multiple WEP keys.

Keep in mind that WEP keys are stored in the firmware of wireless cards and access points and can be used to

hack into the network if a card or access point falls into the wrong hands. Also, should someone hack into your

network, there would be nothing preventing someone access to the entire network, using just one static key.

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Linksys WRT54 Manual

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