Security settings on a NetGear WiFi connection

[venik]

I am running Windows 2000 on a Thinkpad 570 with a NetGear WiFi PC card (WG511). It works fine, but I am not sure how to set the encryption features of the card. I have to choose the key length (40/64 or 128)
and put someting in the Passphrase or Manual entry

Thanks for your help

[rraehal]

You need to set up your wireless router first. You will not be able to connect unles both the Wireless card and router have security settings. You attach to the IP address of the wireless router and use the web interface to configure it.

The SSID you can set here. When you set up your router you can pick an encryption level. My linksys at work lets me pick 40 or 128 bit. After selecting the level of encryption you generate a WEP Key. I use 128 bit. The WEP key should be written down or you will need to use a wired LAN connection to reconfigure the router or you must perform a hard reset on the router if you lose the WEP key.

You then set your passpharase and WEP key on the laptop (You are already in the right area of the software). You should be able to connect. Just make sure your settings are correct.

[cat5e]

May be this can Help:Wireless Security. (http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html)

:t

[venik]

Thanks. This was helpful, but I discovered that there is a way to limit the number of users on the network to ONE, which-- I think-- can remove the need for security measures. How do I do that? I could not find a place in the Netgear utility or in the Network Connection properties to limit the numebr of users.

[Midknyte]

you can also set MAC address filtering to only allow your nic's MAC.

[venik]

How do I accomplish this MAC address filtering? I think I have to be talking to the router, for which I have no software on hand (someone gave me the router as is).

[Midknyte]

it's a setting in the router. you didn't say what kind of router you have. read the user's manual for the how-to.

alternately you could set your dhcp clients to 1, but that's not as secure as MAC filtering.

[venik]

Thanks. I shall have to wait until I find the software for this Netgear router (I think it is 114).

[Midknyte]

don't you just access the control panel from IE? just type in the IP of the router and you should get the config panel.

[cdroman]

You should use MAC filtering and WEP unless your hardware supports WPA then that's the way to go. Your MAC address can be sniffed and copied, WEP takes a long time to crack but someone with the right software can do so if enough packets are sent. WPA-PSK they won't even try.

[venik]

Well, I typed in the IP address of the router, but "The operation timed out". I actually got two different IP addresses: one that I got from IPCONFIG (that one was refused) and the other from TZO, which is supposed to give you the IP address of the ROUTER, not the Cable modem, which is apprently what you get from IPCONFIG in my situation.
Now what? I am unable to get to the control panel of the router...

[Midknyte]

so you run ipconfig and it tells you what your default gateway address is, right? you typed the default gateway address into IE and you couldn't connect? maybe you need to do a full reboot of the router.

[venik]

OK--I finally got the router to respond, but now it wants the password, which I do not have (as I said, someone gave me this router).
Any further ideas?

[Midknyte]

did you figure out which model it is yet? download the manual from netgear. there is a standard password they use. if that doesn't work, then you need to do a full reset of the router.

[venik]

The router is a WGR614V4.
I unplugged it for a while and replugged it. Is there another way to do a full router reset?

[Midknyte]

did you download the manual yet? there should be a reset button to totally clear out the router settings.

[Midknyte]

http://kbserver.netgear.com/products_automatic/WGR614v4.asp

[Midknyte]

from the manual (paraphrased):

Connect to the router by typing http://192.168.0.1 in IE....

enter admin for the router user name and password for the router password

------------
1. press and hold the default reset button until the test LED turns on (about 10 seconds)

2. Release the default reset button and wait for the router to reboot

[venik]

thanks. it all works now.

[Midknyte]

next time, just read the manual. it will save us both some time. :t

[venik]

It took some time to realize that I could get the manual on line. I got the router without a manual.
Thanks for your help.