What are the risks to connecting to somebody else's router? 2

[Taecca]

If I receive a signal from someone else's router in my house, can I connect to it?
What are the risks?

 

[MTandSAV]

you sure can. I know many people here that surf the net on their neighbours connection, who aren't aware of that.
however if you connect to someone elses router, he might see that and get on your pc.
Don't ask me about legal risks.

CCNA, CCNP..partly

 

[KenWright]

>>Can I connect

Yes / No / Maybe - Depends on whether they have have any kind of protection such as Mac filtering / WEP or WPA. First 2 can probably be bypassed if you know what you are doing, but the last will stop you.

>>What are the risks

Possibly legal ones, but at the very least an unhappy neighbour.

Regards
Ken..............

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[cdlvj]

>>>> I know many people here that surf the net on their >>>>> neighbours connection, who aren't aware of that.
>>>>>however if you connect to someone elses router, he >>>>>>might see that and get on your pc.

My question regarding this, is how would that person get on your pc? He would have to know a userid/password, or network info like workgroup.

 

[bcastner]

cdlvj,

It is trivial to do so in most cases if you are part of the same NAT subnet.

 

[cdlvj]

If I connect via wireless, with win xp, set all services off with "change Windows Firewall settings" - Network connections, have no public shares/printers, protected by userid and passwords. I do not see how it any other computers would be able to gain access.

 

[bcastner]

I am not saying you cannot lock down a computer. You can. What I am suggesting is that most people do not.

 

[KenWright]

Just for kicks I took my laptop out with me when I went down to visit friends the other day. I was using a normal cardbus adapter with no additional aerial. Using the Buffalo software that came with the card i was randomly hitting 'Search' whilst driving around, and the number of networks that appeared was phenomenal. What was really scary though, was that I would estimate that less than 1 in 10 was secured with either WEP or WPA protection (The software tells you).

That is a LOT of unsecured networks. When I got to my friends house I promptly pulled up outside, logged onto his network in seconds from outside his house and sent him an email saying that the email had just come from his network. Also did the same on his neighbours network. That kind of got him convinced that he needed to do something

The point is that once somebody camps onto your network, for all intents and purposes anything they download is coming down via YOUR connection. If it was porn or worse Kiddie porn, then it is YOUR address they will come looking at - worst case scenario I know, but why even risk it when protection is available. You wouldn't go out and leave your house unlocked with the doors open, and this is no different IMO.

Regards
Ken...............

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It's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission
---------------- Click here to help the tsunami victims ----------------

 

[cdlvj]

And the other issue, is to make sure your computer has the vital services shut off (change Windows Firewall settings" - Network connections). Which mostly prevents access to your system.

 

[bcastner]

cdlvj,

Most people do not want to shutdown file and printer sharing services (the Workstation and Server services), nor not enable Netbios over the local subnet of their LAN.

Many want to use IIs.

My point to you above was that a wireless connection brings you inside the firewall. For most users there is a small LAN. For most users there is some file sharing and printer sharing. Since I am now on the local NAT subnet, your firewall service entries are not going to help much if I am behind your firewall/router with my wireless connection.

 

[markso]

What concerns me, is that the instructions you get with wireless kit tends to either at best make the security issues seem irelevant, or, at worse ignore them completely. For the non IT savvy home user I think the hardware companies have to explain why they should change the default settings such as the SSID.

As for WEP and WPA, the problem is for the above user 'what do I choose?'. It is easy to set up, but these users need to be given recommendations.

For the 'cruisers' this should prevent them getting access. I know that if the hackers are determined they can find ways round it (all too easily IMHO), but would prevent the majority.

Luckily for me, unless the hacker is disguised as a sheep, I would spot them before they got anywhere near.

If sunflower oil comes from sunflowers, and vegetable oil comes from vegetables, where does baby oil come from?

 

[cdlvj]

>>>As for WEP and WPA, the problem is for the above user 'what do I choose?'

markso, you may know, but for the benefit of listers, WPA is the new stuff in security. WEP (the older) has been cracked.

 

[markso]

WPA is the new stuff in security. WEP (the older) has been cracked.

Which brings me back to my original point. The hardware aimed at the home user doesn't or won't acknowledge that WEP can be easily cracked, and in a lot of cases requires firmware updates etc to have WPA enabled. This is what ties the average home user up in knots. The impression given is that setting up a wireless network at home is like plugging in a kettle.

If sunflower oil comes from sunflowers, and vegetable oil comes from vegetables, where does baby oil come from?

 

[bcastner]

Actually, WPA has been cracked too.
Hence, you will soon see WPA Version 2 support by vendors.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/index.php?p=9

 

[bcastner]

If your router supports MAC filtering, use it.

 

[markso]

Agreed Bill, this is how mine is set up. My previous point was mostly because I'm constantly being rung up by my non IT savvy friends, who like the idea of having a wireless network at home, but get totally confused at the options thrown at them.

If sunflower oil comes from sunflowers, and vegetable oil comes from vegetables, where does baby oil come from?

 

[bcastner]

Markso,

You and I are on the same page.

Best wishes,
Bill

 

[fuhbar]

Here in good old europe it is the same. no or less instructions about security so far in most of the router handbooks.

Question:
I did the following settings:

1. set mac filter
2. changed ssid
3. do not send ssid
4. use WEP 128bit
5. every month a new key
6. reduced signal strength to 16%
7. DHCP deactivated

How secure/crackable are this individual settings?
What else is possible?

Thanks in advance
F.

 

[cdlvj]

make sure you reset the password of your router, and change the ip of the router itself.

 

[cdlvj]

make sure you reset the password of your router, and change the ip of the router itself.

also if the netmask is 255.255.255.252, then only 1 or 2 computers can connect. say the router is 111.0.1.1, and static ip 111.0.1.2, and 111.0.1.3 will work. Cannot remember but I think this is how it works.