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Wi-Fi security

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micker377

micker377

Technical User
Jan 15, 2003
3,864
US
I recently fixed a Netbook (thread779-1674661), and something odd. When I went to do all of the updates, I logged on to the Net as usual. Normally, the first time I connect with a new unit I have to insert my passcode before a connection can be made to my wireless. This time however, there was a 10 second wait, and it connected right up!
I've connected other portables to my wireless before, and each one needed my security code to get in. How can a unit tap into my wi-fi without my security code?
 
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Do you have a guest network set up on the router? Might want to double check as some of the models allow for it.

"You don't know what you got, till it's gone..
80's hair band Cinderella or ode to data backups???
 
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The unit had never been at your place before?

Usually the guest networks require a password though. It's just to separate the home/owner's network from the guest network.

You didn't connect to an open network (neighbor's) did you?
 
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I tend to agree with goomb (man its becoming a habit) and Ben.

Sounds like the unit picked up a neighboring LAN that had the same SSID name as one it had previously connected to that had no security and simply went ahead and connected to it.



----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
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.

Web & Tech
 
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Certain great minds think alike - can't name names though. We should try to get veto power over thread comments to weed out some of the useless comments (not naming names at all).

a neighboring LAN that had the same SSID name as one it had previously connected to that had no security and simply went ahead and connected to it.
Click to expand...

These would be very long odds unless it was something like "linksys" and no security (like an out-of-the-box router).
 
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I've seen several like that, not as unlikely as you would think. Linksys, as well as Motorola and arris54g seem to be the most common and regularly unprotected around here.





----------------------------------
Phil AKA Vacunita
----------------------------------
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.

Web & Tech
 
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DrB0b: No guest accounts of any kind on my system.

goombawaho: Previous link?
No, it was the first time I had even seen a Netbook (and hopefully my last!)

Unsecured neighborhood link?
No, it identified my network by name (DDWRT), it listed a few others but I clicked on mine expecting a field to type in the pass code as usual - but instead it connected right up!

I was just wondering if Netbooks, being designed for wi-fi only, were somehow different.

Would it help to hide my SSID? This has me concerned.

 
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You should test your wireless with a different computer to verify that your wireless "security" actually works. Perhaps the version of DD-WRT you have is defective. Look - it's a free product and I wouldn't trust it in a business environment. There's all different versions and in version X this or that might be broken and in version Y the other thing might not work.

Wouldn't it be funny if your security setting was just sort of a lark - not actually forcing authentication.
 
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goombawaho:
This is a setup that I have using for years. It has always required a passcode to connect (about ten different times in the past to work on different units). That's why this one instance has me questioning.
 
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Well - it doesn't make much sense. Workstations just don't connect to SSIDs that they've never been connected to by guessing the password or bypassing the password requirement as if there were no security.

Doesn't make any sense to me. Why don't you remove all networks from the list and reboot and then see if it can bypass your security again.
 
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If you dont have an elaborate config on the router, have tried a factory reset and reconfig to see if it was just a issue with the previous setup?

"You don't know what you got, till it's gone..
80's hair band Cinderella or ode to data backups???
 
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Well, we can close this one out. You'all were right! I took my laptop, removed the links, and tried to connect. Somehow my router was wide open! Trouble is, it's been so long since I was "in" there - I can't find my password to get in and reset it! Oh well, it was an old "G" only that I had installed DD-WRT on. I have a D-Link Dual band I finally hooked up. I checked on my laptop, and had to put in the security code to link up. All's well that ends well - I just wonder how long it has been that way???
 
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So are you saying that it was set to NO SECURITY or was the security on the router set but not functioning properly???

Big difference.
 
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Well - I was thinking that he could have looked at the wireless network name and whether it said open or encrypted on a client.

But, then again, if my idea was correct (DD-WRT not working properly) it might have been "lying".
 
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My Security setup has a choice of:
Open
WEP
WAP
It was set at "Open"!

The only thing I can think of was about six months ago, Comcast insisted that my intermittent problem was because of my router. I replaced the router (that's why I had a "spare" on the shelf). It wasn't the problem, so I put the old one back in. Apparently it got set back to "default" at that time!
All's well now, and the DD-WRT is on the bench. I'll just hook up enough so I can play with it on another computer (someday!).
 
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