Being sure my power line network is secure?

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I just purchased Netgears power line wireless network extender and set it up according to the instructions. I linked the two adapters so that the connection would use the encryption key. However, when you see the Netgear network in the list of available wireless networks, there is no lock next to it. Certainly I’ve never been asked for a key to sign on.

I assumed that was because it was using my router and my IOS devices were already set up for that. However, I was helping a neighbor with her laptop and that was also able to simply connect.

Is there anything I can do to increase the security! I live in a small village and don’t want tourists driving by and using my network!

Thanks for any suggestions.

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PossumGirl in France! Seems a bit muddled to me. ;-))

The key could refer to the wireless or the connection between the units – I suspect the latter.
Once you have the units running you need to connect to the IP address of the units and set the wireless encryption key – use a different key to the one linking the units.
GRChave a nice password generator and you should use a password manager to store them.

cheers, Paul

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It’s a wellkept secret that we possums are migratory animals. Shh! Don’t tell anyone!

I’ll try this, thanks!

PG

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I was finally able to secure the powerlines by using their software on my PC instead of my Mac (just got a Mac after over 30 years of PCs). For some reason, I couldn’t manage to find what I needed to do on the Mac as easily. The only thing I couldn’t manage, was to make the powerline part of my existing wireless network, so I now have two separate networks in different parts of my house. It’s a bit inconvenient, but I can live with it, as both are now secure.

Thanks for the help, Paul.

PG

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You won’t be able to merge the wireless networks because the units are both master devices. What you could do is use the same passkey and set up your machines to connect to both wireless units. They will then choose the best one for you.

It may be possible to turn off the DHCP server in the powerline unit and use the one in your original router. Then if you move a laptop it may change wireless connections but not IP addresses and therefore retain connectivity.

cheers, Paul

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Thanks, Paul. I may give it a whirl this weekend. Although with the amount of time I’ve spent on it this past week, I could have probably finished correcting the entire book I’m supposed to finish by now!

PG

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Why do you wish to secure your connection ? I’m always glad to find an open signal as I travel around s.europe to download my emails etc ! Plus there are several aircrack/sniffer programmes out there to get past WEP codes etc for the determined !
If your village is as small as the s.french one whose bar I’m connected in tonight I can’t exactly see hordes of tourists squatting outside your door with open laptops ! as long as there’s enough signal power left for your own use where’s the problem ?? …
Dave the Traveller

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Why do you wish to secure your connection ? I’m always glad to find an open signal as I travel around s.europe to download my emails etc ! Plus there are several aircrack/sniffer programmes out there to get past WEP codes etc for the determined !
If your village is as small as the s.french one whose bar I’m connected in tonight I can’t exactly see hordes of tourists squatting outside your door with open laptops ! as long as there’s enough signal power left for your own use where’s the problem ?? …
Dave the Traveller

This attitude is just plain wrong. It is not YOUR wireless network, nor is it you paying for it. If some sets up an open hotspot and intends it to be that way, then okay. But for others to prey on wireless hotspots for their advantage and to the disadvantage of the owner (not paying is to the owner’s disadvantage), should not be done.

One item to consider is to set the router to NOT broadcast, therefore nobody will know it is there.

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Disabling the “broadcast” of the SSID is not security. What really happens is the beacon (broadcast) is transmitting a nul SSID. This is a myth started when APs first came out and has been thoroughly debunked.

Hiding the SSID does cause issues with roaming and in this multi-AP scenario would adversely impact what she is trying to accomplish.

Just remember if the Wireless AP / Router is enabled, then the beacon (broadcast) is on and any wireless devices in range will know the AP is there.

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There are plenty of public hotspots around France; I don’t see that I need to provide one too.

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The problem here is that your personal data is available to view / attack if you allow public access. Until routers have an automatic VLAN set up to prevent public access to your data the only choice is tight security.

cheers, Paul

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As a traveler, I appreciate finding open wireless networks and am careful to never abuse them. But I understand why one would want to secure them. Here’s my reason:

I own a business in a tourist town. For years we have used a secured wireless (WPA2 and mac address secured) because we need full wireless access to our LAN and do not want to grant access to anyone else. That would expose our entire business, records, everything. Our store is connected to our home by a VPN and the router at home has the same wireless security for the same reason. We recently upgraded to a newer router (ZyXEL USG 20w) which allows us to have multiple virtual wireless networks with different routing rules. We could conceivably have our private wireless LAN very well secured and a public LAN in a DMZ. I thought really hard about that, but decided against it. It would be a nice service to provide, but we rely heavily on the VPN and our connection is slow enough already. I can’t allow it to be slowed down even further. Instead, I setup a second, WPA2 protected wireless virtual network and put that in a DMZ. This one will be used by our vendors and by anyone who is desperate enough to ask for the password.

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