Router set up help - Page 3

nffc · 02-08-2005, 21:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raistlin

TBH I don't see the need to hide the SSID provided that you've got the rest of the security set up correctly, but maybe that's just me

Hiding it has always caused me more grief than it's seemed to be worth

I agree with that

Changing SSID and P/W, Mac filtering and some form of encryption should be sufficient.

MadGamer · 02-08-2005, 22:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by nffc

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raistlin

TBH I don't see the need to hide the SSID provided that you've got the rest of the security set up correctly, but maybe that's just me

Hiding it has always caused me more grief than it's seemed to be worth

I agree with that

Changing SSID and P/W, Mac filtering and some form of encryption should be sufficient.

Let me see if i understand you (nffc) and Raistlin, what your saying is i should disable the SSID, but as long as i switch the equipment off, before i go to bed (Computer and router) i'll be ok with the setup i have?

Raistlin · 02-08-2005, 22:07

No.

Don't disable the SSID. Disable the option to HIDE the SSID. In other words, make your SSID visible.

You are at no more risk overnight than you are during the day, the fact that you turn it all off at night just means that no one can see your network at that time.

During the day (or while it is switched on) people will be able to see your SSID (and therefore know that your network is there) but, provided that your other security options are setup correctly, you shouldn't be at any significant risk.

MadGamer · 02-08-2005, 22:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raistlin

No.

Don't disable the SSID. Disable the option to HIDE the SSID. In other words, make your SSID visible.

You are at no more risk overnight than you are during the day, the fact that you turn it all off at night just means that no one can see your network at that time.

During the day (or while it is switched on) people will be able to see your SSID (and therefore know that your network is there) but, provided that your other security options are setup correctly, you shouldn't be at any significant risk.

Sorry i meant t say should i unhide the SSID, which im going to now. I have WPA set up and i have changed the deafult passowrd from the deafult which is admin.

Edit: I keep having a second connection appear called Net & Internet, I can get rid of it, but does it mean someones trying to hack in?

Tezcatlipoca · 02-08-2005, 23:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne A

I have another problem, when i boot up, i can access the Internet just fine, but when i enable the SSID to Hide, it drops and i cant display any pages, is there actually any need since my machine is up to date with all patches and ZA is set in stealth mod, and also since all the equipment is running off of a plug bank, as soon as i switch off the mains the PC and router gets turned off as well.

Erm, didn't Raistlin effectively already answer a similar question from you in this thread, on Sunday, in which he told you that there was no real reason to hide it, & hiding it could cause connection problems?

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...7&postcount=20

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...3&postcount=22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne A

Edit: I keep having a second connection appear called Net & Internet, I can get rid of it, but does it mean someones trying to hack in?

That is probably simply someone else's connection, which your PC is detecting. Doesn't mean anyone is trying to hack you, just means there's someone else's network in range.

I often see a neighbour's network appear in my list of available wireless networks.

Raistlin has already said...

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...2&postcount=30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raistlin

Ok, that second connection "Net and Internet" could be somebody else's wireless connection

Raistlin · 02-08-2005, 23:37

Can I make another suggestion Wayne?

Change the name of your router, at the moment it is set to the default "BTVOYAGER...etc".

If people know what router you are using it makes it easier for them to find vulnerabilities in your network.

Change the name of it (in other words, change the SSID) to something unexciting.

Be warned though, when you change the name your connection will drop and you will have to re-establish it. Make sure that you have made a note of any WEP/WPA keys that you need before you change the name!!

Tezcatlipoca · 02-08-2005, 23:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raistlin

Can I make another suggestion Wayne?

Change the name of your router, at the moment it is set to the default "BTVOYAGER...etc".

If people know what router you are using it makes it easier for them to find vulnerabilities in your network.

Change the name of it (in other words, change the SSID) to something unexciting.

Be warned though, when you change the name your connection will drop and you will have to re-establish it. Make sure that you have made a note of any WEP/WPA keys that you need before you change the name!!

Definitely

You should always change the default SSID etc.

MadGamer · 02-08-2005, 23:55

Done

MadGamer · 03-08-2005, 09:30

Ok this morning, when i went to boot up, it seems either my PC or the router cannot remember the automatic IP Address assignment, thus i kept on getting "Page Cannot Be Displayed" error, so i had to reset the router, any ideas?

Raistlin · 03-08-2005, 09:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne A

so i had to reset the router, any ideas?

Manufacturers reset or simply reboot?

If it happens again, and before you reset, check to see what IP address the PC has in the properties for the network card/wireless adaptor.

Then check to see if you can get to the control panel for the router from the PC.

You're going to need to try and do some investigating yourself, resetting the router (while it might have seemes like a great idea at the time) just causes more work for you. It may have been something really simple that you could have sorted in about 5 seconds flat, now you have to set the thing up again from scratch.

MadGamer · 03-08-2005, 09:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raistlin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne A

so i had to reset the router, any ideas?

Manufacturers reset or simply reboot?

If it happens again, and before you reset, check to see what IP address the PC has in the properties for the network card/wireless adaptor.

Then check to see if you can get to the control panel for the router from the PC.

You're going to need to try and do some investigating yourself, resetting the router (while it might have seemes like a great idea at the time) just causes more work for you. It may have been something really simple that you could have sorted in about 5 seconds flat, now you have to set the thing up again from scratch.

Manufacturers reset, do you think it was because i put the internal wireless cards MAC Address into the MAC Filter? The PC is also set to obtain an IP Address automatically.

Raistlin · 03-08-2005, 09:57

Ummmmm.....

Have you got DHCP turned on or off in the router.

If you have DHCP turned off on the router it won't supply an IP address to the PC, that means that the PC won't be able to get one "automatically" from the router.
You need to tell the PC what IP address it should use.

And NO, MAC filtering does what it says on the tin. It only allows access from the MAC addresses on the control list.

MadGamer · 03-08-2005, 10:01

Dhcp - On

Raistlin · 03-08-2005, 10:32

In that case it sounds like something is blocking the DHCP requests from your PC.

Your PC is trying to contact the router to get an IP address, your router is set up to supply one.

If the PC can't communicate with the router it won't be able to get an address.

The most likely culprit for this is your firewall.

I would suggest that you try turning DHCP off and then setting a manual IP address in your network card's properties.

Have a look now and see what address you've got (probably something like 192.168.1.***), make a note of that, the DNS addresses, and the default gateway address.

Now tell your network adaptor to use a specific address, put in all of the details that you just wrote down.

With a bit of luck that should work just fine.

MadGamer · 03-08-2005, 11:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raistlin

In that case it sounds like something is blocking the DHCP requests from your PC.

Your PC is trying to contact the router to get an IP address, your router is set up to supply one.

If the PC can't communicate with the router it won't be able to get an address.

The most likely culprit for this is your firewall.

I would suggest that you try turning DHCP off and then setting a manual IP address in your network card's properties.

Have a look now and see what address you've got (probably something like 192.168.1.***), make a note of that, the DNS addresses, and the default gateway address.

Now tell your network adaptor to use a specific address, put in all of the details that you just wrote down.

With a bit of luck that should work just fine.

Ok would the deafult fateway be the same as the IP Address? And what do i use for the DNS servers, as im on AOL by the way so they use dynamic addressing