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Appendix B: Wireless Security
Security Precautions
Wireless-G Ethernet Bridge
Appendix B: Wireless Security
Linksys wants to make wireless networking as safe and easy for you as possible. The current generation of
Linksys products provide several network security features, but they require specific action on your part for
implementation. So, keep the following in mind whenever you are setting up or using your wireless network.
Security Precautions
The following is a complete list of security precautions to take (at least steps 1 through 5 should be followed):
1. Change the default SSID.
2. Disable SSID Broadcast.
3. Change the default password for the Administrator account.
4. Enable MAC Address Filtering.
5. Change the SSID periodically.
6. Enable WEP 128-bit Encryption. Please note that this may reduce your network performance.
7. Change the WEP encryption keys periodically.
For information on implementing these security features, refer to “Chapter 5: Setting Up the Wireless-G Ethernet
Bridge” or “Chapter 7: Using the Wireless-G Ethernet Bridge Web-based Utility.”
Security Threats Facing Wireless Networks
Wireless networks are easy to find. Hackers know that in order to join a wireless network, wireless networking
products first listen for “beacon messages”. These messages can be easily decrypted and contain much of the
network’s information, such as the network’s SSID (Service Set Identifier). Here are the steps you can take:
Change the administrator’s password regularly.
With every wireless networking device you use, keep in
mind that network settings (SSID, WEP keys, etc.) are stored in its firmware. Your network administrator is the
only person who can change network settings. If a hacker gets a hold of the administrator’s password, he, too,
can change those settings. So, make it harder for a hacker to get that information. Change the administrator’s
password regularly.
Note:
Some of these security features are
available only through the network router or
access point. Refer to the router or access
point’s documentation for more information.
