Router and privacy 2

[idontknowiforgot]

I am setting up a simple wireless Linksys router to give internet service to 2 computers through one cable modem. But, only one computer is set up as wireless, the other one is wired directly to the router. I want to make sure that what is accessed by one computer is not known by the other.

For instance, if the one user checks their bank account information on the wireless computer, this should not be known by the user of the other computer and vice versa. I am brand new at this. Is there anything special that needs to be done so the 2 computers are completely private to each other? Or is it this way automatically just by the way the router works?

 

[vacunita]

Unless one of the Pc's has a packet sniffer that can pull out the relevant informaton from the sent and recevied packets at the router, I think its safe to say that whatever one machine browses to the other is in complete darkness about.

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Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

 

[wahnula]

I think its safe to say that whatever one machine browses to the other is in complete darkness about.

Agreed. To prevent reading files across the network go to Start->Settings->Network Connections, right-click Properties, and un-check File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks. Of course this will also disable network printing. If your data drive is not shared (most are not by default) then it is probably invisible anyway.

What you DO have to worry about, especially in dense locations, is wireless security. You do not want to offer up your connection to anyone in range.

You should enable WEP or WPA (encryption) on the router (read the manual) and WRITE DOWN the key. You will then enter that value in your wireless adapter configuration utility. It is not that difficult, and you will prevent your neighbors from "borrowing" your bandwidth.

Best of luck!

Tony

 

[idontknowiforgot]

Thanks for the replies. I am trying to help set this up for my brother who doesn't completely trust his roommate. The only thing that these 2 computers have in common is the internet router (one wired, other connected wireless). The data between the computers cannnot be exchanged (the data drives are not shared that I can tell) the way our computers at my office exchange data in our "network" of many drives.

So the only thing that could be a problem is if some special software were installed "what you called a sniffer?" that could track information going through the router. As far as others breaking into the his wireless connection in the neighborhood, we do at have it secured with a "WEP key".

 

[wahnula]

we do at have it secured with a "WEP key".

Great! If they are not sharing devices definitely disable file sharing in Network Properties. One more hurdle for evildoers to climb. And, of course, you will require your brother to get an external drive to BACKUP his data on a regular schedule so, when he calls you after he's trashed his HDD, you can smugly recover his precious data.

Tony