Wireless Networking - Real Life Experiences?

It seems that we will be getting another computer here pretty soon.

At this point DSL comes to my 'puter in the closest room to the telephone box, using a Netopia 4 port wired modem.

The room where the new 'puter will be is some 65 feet away, through several walls. A wired run would be on the outside back of the house, and be very hard to make look good.

Is anyone using wireless in an even remotely similar way? Which of the protocals would stand the best chance here?

There is a WAY outside chance that our across the road neighbors are 'puter equipped. The next nearest ain't NO WAY! I wouldn't think interference will be a problem.

Help?

Joe,

I use wireless for fun. I doubt that I'd use one in a business enviroment without a proper firewall. I like the linksys brand.

Get something like the WRT54G and you should be good to go.

Make sure you enable the highest possible security mode. The access point can be used to attack your other computer too.


Daniel

I run a wireless network at my house, since we have a laptop with a built-in wireless card, and also a desktop on the other side of the house.

It works wonderfully...both computers seem to operate at the same speed as when they were wired. I highly recommend you enable WPA encryption on your network, so be sure to get WPA compatible components.

Good luck!

Business happens at the shop which is about 4.2 miles from here. This will be so Dad and Sis can have internet/email when they want it (and stay the he77 off my machine!).

Linksis WRT54G? I'll look into it. Around here I'd worry more about a stray bullet than a 'puter attack! Will enable best security anyhow when I set it up!

I use Mozilla exclusively for CPF and other Web browsing.

If you're worried about wireless security, you can go with a network via your phone lines (HPN)in the house. I have one and it works well. I use a Linksys Cable/DSL router, so it has a hardware firewall by nature.

wireless will work just fine. I wouldn't be particularly worried about security. Change the default password on your router! Many routers also support connection by MAC address. This takes a few moments to setup but will keep anyone from easily connecting to and using your network, or easily connecting with the intention of hacking your other machines. It can still be done, the point being that you want to discourage the guys looking for easy targets, and there are plenty of easy targets.

None of those things will keep someone from just sniffing your packets and ultimately hacking your WAP key. (this is not easy though, someone would really want to get in to YOUR system, it's not something you can do while driving around one block after another) but there are things you can do about that too.

Remember when you're logging into your bank via your browser you're already using a encrypted connection over https, this is far more secure than WAP. Email clients now mostly (and most email services, and if they dont you should switch) support using the same SSL level of encryption when sending and receiving email so that nobody sniffing your wireless packets can see them. If you use your banks encrypted website and use SSL for email then the only casual traffic that anyone would see was what news sites you visit and potentially your IM traffic.

I think using wireless in this way is easy and safe with those few things taken into account.

I'd just recommend that you get a wireless NIC with a connector for an external antenna - that way you can go with a directional antenna, or adjust the included omni-directional antenna for better signal strength. You might also look at a directional antenna for the router - just point the signal to where the other computer is located - that will help 802.11's mighty 100mW of radiated power make it through walls.

Second the comment on changing the router password. I used to support customers with wireless routers and saw more than a few isntances of someone "hijacking" the router, trying to lock out the owner or changing the config in novel ways to suit their purposes.

Unless your house is steel or something like that it will work fine. My old Cisco 340 I can take my laptop in the back yard, hop the fence and walk down the field and the signal drops from excellent to good and I didn't feel like walking in furthur to see just how far it would go.

James, how does the E-mail encryption you're talking about work? If I set it up on Outlook 2000, do the recipients all have to do something special as well to read it? Thanks

Steve

I've set up several home systems for friends and myself. If it's really 65 feet through several walls, you MAY have some signal strength problems. There's almost no way to predict this except by buying the gear and trying it. IMO, most wireless products perform very similarly, but have some different features, so just buying other basestations may not improve reception. You may need to buy a booster station or try other configurations such as the basestation in the attic. A remote desktop computer can have a PCI card with a hinged antenna on the back, or for more money (but more adjustable), a WiFi-ethernet or USB bridge unit that sits outside of the computer.

Echoing some tips:
-You only need regular Wireless G with WPA encryption, unless you need faster-than-your-DSL file sharing between your computers. I now use a D-Link, which was $20 after rebates. Linksys, Netgear, etc. are also generally fine.
-Put the wireless router after the DSL modem, for a firewall ("NAT"). Port 113 will have to be handled manually on a $20 D-Link....ask if you need it.
-Definitely change the wireless router admin password. I would change the SSID name and NOT broadcast it, and use WPA PSK encryption, and enable the MAC address filter to only accept the ethernet addresses of your computers. That's as much security as you can do, and I think it's plenty adequate for home use. Apparently, the typical WiFi user enables NONE of these settings!

[ QUOTE ]
Stingray said:
If you're worried about wireless security, you can go with a network via your phone lines (HPN)in the house. I have one and it works well. I use a Linksys Cable/DSL router, so it has a hardware firewall by nature.

[/ QUOTE ]
WOAH!
Is it possible to use a wireless system on a dial-up account?? Please tell me it can be done...

As far as unsecured wireless, I use a laptop for mapping software in my truck, it is constantly online as I drive due to the many many unsecured wireless homes and businesses.

Excellent advice, Louie. And you're right about the predictability. Microwave signals are tricky and multipath effects can make it nearly impossible to predict coverage in advance without a lot of exotic measnrements and calculations. Pick a good brand that supports WPA and go for it.

I've been using wireless at home for a couple years now. Three laptops share a wireless network with my Verizon DSL setup. I even have printing setup as well, so all laptops can print via wireless. There's nothing like relazing in the hammock in the backyard, while reading E-Mail.

Pydpiper...yep...you can do it.

I have a wireless network in my house, I'm using a Linksys Wireless - G portable USB adapter. Sometimes the signal is low, but I just adjust the angle of the antenae and it's good as new. It is a lot easier than a hard wire network.

I know for sure one friend who uses the Apple Airport Extreme basestation with built-in modem for a dialup ATT account with his wireless home network. Don't know much else about it, tho.

[ QUOTE ]
idleprocess said:
I'd just recommend that you get a wireless NIC with a connector for an external antenna - that way you can go with a directional antenna, or adjust the included omni-directional antenna for better signal strength. You might also look at a directional antenna for the router - just point the signal to where the other computer is located - that will help 802.11's mighty 100mW of radiated power make it through walls.

Second the comment on changing the router password. I used to support customers with wireless routers and saw more than a few isntances of someone "hijacking" the router, trying to lock out the owner or changing the config in novel ways to suit their purposes.

[/ QUOTE ]

A directional antenna will go a very long way towards preventing others from gaining access in the first place.

Something nice and simple homemade and suppress sidelobes, and really add considerable security:
http://www.trevormarshall.com/biquad.htm

There was some Aussie with a pair of these using nothing more than a standard wireless node hooked to them (no amps or anything) and was getting 31 kilometers with a nice strong signal.

A 4 degree beamwidth really helps security, and the 27-31 dB gain really helps. Remember for every three dB, you get double the power. If you used a very low loss cable, you end up with the equivalent of 51.2 Watts on an omnidirectional antenna. Now, if you have a dish on the other end, you also greatly increase the "gathering power".

Another bonus, you significantly reduce other sources of noise. They really help alot.

[ QUOTE ]

WOAH!
Is it possible to use a wireless system on a dial-up account?? Please tell me it can be done...

[/ QUOTE ]

You can do it with special routers that use a dialup for backup. Cisco makes several of them.

You can also do it with a PC running Linux and set up as a router.

You can also do it with a PC running XP and set up to share the network.

10 years ago I was using a PC using linux as a dialup based router to allow my other computer to access the net.

Daniel

I've set up several wireless networks for friends and family, I'm going to set myself up this week. One thing I found is that changing the channel can help if the connection seems to randomly drop. Some cordless phones operate on a similiar frequency. Also, the 802.11g for 54 Mbps is standard, but to go any faster, the speedups are propriatary and require the use of the same brand and speedup method for the cards to talk to each other. I plan on getting one of these desktop wireless cards, it's both Mac and PC compatible: Motorola WPCI810G
I'm leaning towards the Linksys WRT5 for the router.
Don't forget to change the admin PW and the SSID. You can also hide the SSID. I also changed the IP range and locked the wireless connections down to specific MAC addresses. Of course WEP is enabled, I'll use the stronger WPA encryption on mine, the other systems I set up are old enough that 128 bit WEP is the best option. The stronger encryption methods slow down the transmission a bit, but most ISP connections are 3 Mbps or slower. The 54 Mbps or faster rate is good if you transfer data between systems on your local network. All these help against the casual hacker, but a skilled war driver with a good program and promiscuous wireless card can snag enough packets to get whatever he wants.

I have had excellent experience with SMC brodband routers, and the SMC2804WBRP-G has a USB printer sharing port if that's important.

To easily manage and enhance the security of your home wireless network to enterprise-class standards (same as using a RADIUS Server), you might want to download Lucid Link. The 3 user Home Office edition is available for download here for FREE, with no time limit. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Note that you will require Windows 2000 or XP PCs to get this to work and click here for list of compatible wireless access points and NICs.

Here is a review of Lucid Link by PCMag.