Wireless Connections

[chishnfips]

Hi I was just wondering, I have a belkin wireless adapter and a netgear router, I noticed on my belkin dongle I picked up next doors wireless connection as well.
But I dont know if I have picked them up or they are using my connection. If they are is there any way i can lock them out?

cheers chish

 

[helterskelter]

log onto the router, usualy 192.168.1.1 find the security section and turn on WEP 64 or 128
Select a password, but these have to be specific but cant remember the format, think it's hex digit pairs but best checking in the manual or site or something.

That will stop anyone logging on unless you give them the code

 

[Darkstar]

Hi I was just wondering, I have a belkin wireless adapter and a netgear router, I noticed on my belkin dongle I picked up next doors wireless connection as well.
But I dont know if I have picked them up or they are using my connection. If they are is there any way i can lock them out?

cheers chish

You are picking them up but only in as much as your router is seeing their signal...that doesn't necesarily mean you can use their connection or they can use yours. As long as you have enabled encryption of some kind, WEP or WPA, then they can't use your connection.

 

[chishnfips]

cool cheers, I saw that WEP thing but wasn't too sure if thats what I should use.

 

[Arimus]

Also look for an option regarding broadcasting the ESSID (the wireless network name) - if you disable that then it adds another layer of security as you'll need to know the name prior to connecting.

 

[Darkstar]

cool cheers, I saw that WEP thing but wasn't too sure if thats what I should use.

Make sure you use WPA though instead of WEP though as WPA is far more secure.

 

[chishnfips]

we have two pc's hooked up to the router would I have to do thisd to both pc's pr just one? they aren't connected to each other by a network or anything

 

[Darkstar]

You would need to do it to both...(although if your talking about the ESSID option then that will be done on the router). And fyi, both pc's connected to a router constitutes a network.

 

[chishnfips]

ok cheers, I will now go and see if I can muddle through it lol

 

[chishnfips]

one of my work collegues reckons I have to be hard wired to the router inorder to encrypt it, is this true? I dont see what difference it makes

 

[Darkstar]

one of my work collegues reckons I have to be hard wired to the router inorder to encrypt it, is this true? I dont see what difference it makes

No, not in my experience.

 

[Arfie]

You don't have to but if something goes wrong with the wireless then you are buggered if you don't have a wired connection. You could just plug your laptop into it if needed though, but set it up now while all is working, just to make sure it works, soda law says the wireless goes tits-up and the wired doesn't work .

Arfie