how do i know if my bb is being stolen?

Freddie59

stp wrote:

i'll try that when i get home.

there's no ip number on the non wireless router, it just has NTL on it.

how do i get into the router's admin page? i can't find an ip address anywhere on the NTL site, i guess i'll have to ring them, krap.

You might be a little confused. The NTL modem has NTL stamped on it, but the wirelesss router is a completely different looking box. Please see the attached file, which shows the router config screen. Just input into the address bar www.routerlogin.net and it will display this. Look at the left side of the screen and click on wireless settings.

This will bring you to the same screen as the attached file. Select WEP and 128 bit. This will enforce the encryption. While no wireless device can be 100% secure, you should at least have the security switched on.

When you enable the security and generate the key you will have to manually input that key into the receive PC. I've obviously had to erase my key settings from the attached file (!):rolleyes: .

Hope that helps.:)

wheresmybeaver

Hmmm we live in an apartment building in the city centre and I was almost sure that WPA-PSK and MAC filtering was more than enough to keep away even half-determined leechers... But I just googled "cracking WPA" like syklops said, it made interesting reading! gonna change the passphrase to something longer now!

By the way, every now and again (usually late at night), any of us connected to the wireless network suddenly get dropped, and the router has to be plugged out and back in again before any of us can connect again. Could this be a sign of somebody trying to break into the network? It seems similar to a symptom of one of the methods I read about Re cracking WPA...

Dave

bk

wheresmybeaver wrote:

By the way, every now and again (usually late at night), any of us connected to the wireless network suddenly get dropped, and the router has to be plugged out and back in again before any of us can connect again. Could this be a sign of somebody trying to break into the network? It seems similar to a symptom of one of the methods I read about Re cracking WPA...

Very unlikely, there are just too many open wireless lans or wep encrypted lans to bother tryig to crack a WPA one.

wheresmybeaver

bk wrote:

Very unlikely, there are just too many open wireless lans or wep encrypted lans to bother tryig to crack a WPA one.

Well thats just tickity boo!

Cheers

su_dios

bk wrote:

Very unlikely, there are just too many open wireless lans or wep encrypted lans to bother tryig to crack a WPA one.

Couldn't agree more! To be honest I have no sympathy for you if you don't use some kind of encryption on your network. You're broadcasting a signal to all your neighbours and expect them not to use it?

I was setting up my mates laptop during the week and as soon as I turned it on it asked me to select from one of the four wireless connections it had found. None had WPA or WEP protection. Most people I know have access to quite a few wireless networks but there are none within my reach apart from my own. :v:

syklops

bk wrote:

Very unlikely, there are just too many open wireless lans or wep encrypted lans to bother tryig to crack a WPA one.

unless its for fun.

Or you happen to live in an apartment building with no other wireless router in range, and you have no other way of getting internet. A friend of mine could not get IBB and did not want to get a phone line, and the only connection within a pringle cans range was an Eircom wireless AP with Mac filtering and 256-bit WEP. So instead of spending his nights downloading music he spent them trying to crack it.

He now enjoys limitless internet free of charge.

WPA is uncrackable other than brute force on a weak password

the correct phrase would be "WPA is uncrackable other than brute force on a password". If the password is weak it will only take a short time, if its strong it will take a long time but is still possible. And I know the long time could be centuries, but what if the next version of coWPAtty cracks passowrd twice as fast? Or several times faster? What if the person cracking your network also hacks a university and uses their mainframe to attack the hashes?

Nothing is impossible. Be vigilant.

shltter

syklops wrote:

the correct phrase would be "WPA is uncrackable other than brute force on a password". If the password is weak it will only take a short time, if its strong it will take a long time but is still possible. And I know the long time could be centuries, but what if the next version of coWPAtty cracks passowrd twice as fast? Or several times faster? What if the person cracking your network also hacks a university and uses their mainframe to attack the hashes?

Nothing is impossible. Be vigilant.

Yes but I will be long dead and so would the person trying to crack the strong password.
It is odd that you are advising me to be vigilant in regards to WPA based on a couple of what IFs but you advised the OP to use WEP which there are no what ifs about and is crackable in minutes.

bk

syklops wrote:

And I know the long time could be centuries, but what if the next version of coWPAtty cracks passowrd twice as fast?

It would reduce from X hundred of centuries to x / 2 hundred of centuries.

The problem with brute forcing modern encryption is not software or algorithms, rather it is the limits of CPU's and their flosting point processors. Unless you have a Quantum Computer hiden in your bedroom

BTW anyone interested in encryption should read "The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography" by Simon Singh, a fantastic book, that is really interesting without being heavy on maths etc.

Were possible I would always recommend using WPA with a strong password. It is very easy to setup, easier then WEP in fact, unfortunately not all devices (some PDA's, Nintendo DS) don't support WPA and it will slow down the connection.

Krusty_Clown

shltter wrote:

If anyone here is likely to be leeching from this guy it is the people telling him to use WEP and MAC address filtering which are both easy to get around

WPA is not anymore difficult to set up than WEP or MAC address Filtering if anything it is easier than MAC address filtering and it works so if you are going to go to the bother of setting up security set up something that actually works. ie WPA PSK

I'm not advocating WEP and MAC address filtering over WPA PSK (figured that was fairly obvious). What I am advocating is WEP and MAC address filtering over no protection, whatsoever.

WEP and MAC address filtering will not keep out anyone that wants to access the network end of story.

Of course it will keep out your average punter. Don't be scare-mongering. It won't keep out people like you and I, but not everyone is as talented as you and I, are they? :rolleyes:

shltter

Krusty_Clown wrote:

I'm not advocating WEP and MAC address filtering over WPA PSK (figured that was fairly obvious). What I am advocating is WEP and MAC address filtering over no protection, whatsoever.


Of course it will keep out your average punter. Don't be scare-mongering. It won't keep out people like you and I, but not everyone is as talented as you and I, are they? :rolleyes:

Yes I agree that WEP and MAC filtering is better than doing nothing but if WPA is available then it is no more difficult to set up than WEP probably easier and definitely easier than MAC address filtering so my advise was not to bother with them and use WPA.

The other thing is that the person trying to get into your network may not be sitting outside in a car it is just as likely if not more so to be some spotty teenager who lives within the range of your network and has all day to sit there sniffing.

thirdmantackle

just turn off your router when you are not using it??

Simplest solution

dub45

thirdmantackle wrote:

just turn off your router when you are not using it??

Simplest solution

No thats a simplistic solution and useless for people with voip for instance?

Freddie59

bk wrote:

It would reduce from X hundred of centuries to x / 2 hundred of centuries.

The problem with brute forcing modern encryption is not software or algorithms, rather it is the limits of CPU's and their flosting point processors. Unless you have a Quantum Computer hiden in your bedroom

BTW anyone interested in encryption should read "The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography" by Simon Singh, a fantastic book, that is really interesting without being heavy on maths etc.

Were possible I would always recommend using WPA with a strong password. It is very easy to setup, easier then WEP in fact, unfortunately not all devices (some PDA's, Nintendo DS) don't support WPA and it will slow down the connection.

So where are we then BK? I have the NTL Netgear router with WEP deployed on it. Would I be better off going to WPA?

Thanks in advance.:)

shltter

Freddie59 wrote:

So where are we then BK? I have the NTL Netgear router with WEP deployed on it. Would I be better off going to WPA?

Thanks in advance.:)

Yes you would be better off using WPA as people have already mentioned WEP will keep the vast majority of people out. HOwever if someone is really determined WEP can be easily cracked.
If you are changing to WPA use a strong password ( ie not words from a dictionary) use letters numbers and Symbols and at least 20 characters long

Freddie59

shltter wrote:

Yes you would be better off using WPA as people have already mentioned WEP will keep the vast majority of people out. HOwever if someone is really determined WEP can be easily cracked.
If you are changing to WPA use a strong password ( ie not words from a dictionary) use letters numbers and Symbols and at least 20 characters long

Sheeesh! Are things really that bad? Thanks for that.:)

bk

Freddie59 wrote:

So where are we then BK? I have the NTL Netgear router with WEP deployed on it. Would I be better off going to WPA?

Thanks in advance.:)

As long as all the devices (computers/PDA's/etc.) support WPA (some older wireless gear doesn't), then it is a really good idea to use WPA.

Use a good long password, that isn't in any dictionary and includes random number, letters and symbols.

It is actually ok to write your password done as long as you keep it somewhere safe in your house.

ZENER

Has anyone thought to ask HOW the user is measuring his speed ??

If he/she is basing the measurement on what the browser tells them when d/ling then 500K may be all the server is willing to alot. Not every server will allow you 1Mb bandwidth. Someone stealing bandwidth may cause a drop but not a constant one surely.

Try:

http://www.irishisptest.com/myspeed/

and post the results of this here.

Wireless security is obviously important and should be implemented but it may not be the answer to this particular query.

ZEN