WAP/PSK vs WEP/128 for WLAN?

[rayweil]

I have been using WEP with 128bit encryptions. I read somewhere that WAP with PSK is a better protection than WEP. Is this correct? The reason why I ask is that with my first wireless router (Draytek Vigor 2600G) the tech guy advised me to just use WEP. Is he right? He never gave me any reasons why (I admit I never asked). Now I have changed to a D-Link wireless ADSL router modem (all-in-one) and Belkin pc-card (the story behind the change is another story). Works perfectly so far. So, I'm using WEP.

Also, should I turn off SSID?

Many thanks.

[ener]

Security of WEP: click

Its a pdf doc

[rayweil]

Dear ener,

I hope your name doesn't reflect the kind of person you are. I'm not even laughing. If you cannot help, please refrain from posting. Grow up pleaseeeeeeee. I feel constipated.

[smalltalk80]

I think you mean WPA-PSK, not WAP-PSK, but anyway... Here are some basic security items for a standard wireless access point.

- enable 128bit WEP
- disable SSID broadcast (aka make a closed network)
- change the SSID from the default to something which is only known to you
- enable MAC address filtering on your access point.
- change the admin username and/or password of the access point.

None of this will deter a serious hacker, but it's better than none at all :-)

I'm afraid I don't use WPA-PSK at the moment, so I can't really comment on it's security benefits. However I found this webpage over at microsoft.com which does a good job of explaining WPA itself.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u..._03july28.mspx

Hope this is useful

[ener]

Dear ener,

I hope your name doesn't reflect the kind of person you are. I'm not even laughing.

What does my name (simply written in the wrong order because the right order was already taken as a user name in this forum) reflect then?

I am sorry that I did copy the wrong link into the post and will of course correct this and give you the right link: click

Its still a pdf doc.

If you cannot help...

Probably not.

[rayweil]

Thanks ener and smalltalk80.

[daveman]

So is the X30 able to use WPA? I hope so, because it's much more secure than WEP, and it is the way I have my wireless network configured. I guess I'll find out soon enough, as I just ordered my X30 two days ago.

[rayweil]

Yes it does. I just change my router to WPA-PSK (I hope, or at least it still says so in the router configuration page). However, MiniStumbler still says its WEP???

[Howard2k]

If you're going to use WEP, you may as well use 64 bit WEP. 128 bit WEP is equally weak but slower (though you may not notice the difference). 64 bit WEP also has a shorter key so is easier to configure.

WPA-PSK is more secure than WEP if implemented correctly. You should use a passphrase of >17 characters.

Either way - if someone is just trolling for a wifi network and you have WEP or WPA-PSK enabled it's likely to be a good deterrant.

If they REALLY want to get your data there are other ways besides breaking the WEP / WPA-PSK encryption.

Technically though, WPA-PSK with a long passphrase is better than WEP.

[Howard2k]

Also I would NOT disable the SSID Broadcast. When I configure a wireless network I always do a quick survey to avoid other networks. If someone is not broadcasting their SSID I won't see them and it increases the odds that we'll both be on the same channel.