| The following are the items most often at risk.* | | | | WEP is better than nothing -- it will, at least, deter |
| Thieves can steal your sensitive personal and | | | | the casual intruder, who won't try any more than |
| business data.* Harmful viruses and worms can | | | | double-clicking to get onto your network. WEP can |
| infiltrate your network, even evading your | | | | also make you less of a target for wardrivers, |
| anti-virus software.* Hackers can hijack your | | | | since there will be so many completely open |
| Wi-Fi to spam or attack others - and you could | | | | networks that they might as well use instead. |
| be liable.If you don't want your network to fall | | | | However, it's silly to use WE nowadays when |
| victim to snooping or people 'borrowing' your | | | | WPA is so easily available.Turning on |
| bandwidth, then you're going to need to lock | | | | EncryptionTurning on encryption in Windows isn't |
| down your network. Luckily for you, all wireless | | | | too difficult, but it does involve quite a lot of |
| technology has encryption built in -- it's just a | | | | clicking -- no wonder so few people bother.The |
| matter of turning it on.WEP Vs. WPA.Security on | | | | first step is to turn on encryption for your |
| wireless networks does have a flaw, though -- | | | | wireless router or access point. The exact |
| there are two completely incompatible standards, | | | | method for this will vary between devices, but |
| which makes it a pain to set up a whole network | | | | you can usually do it by visiting the router or |
| to use encryption.How did this happen? Well, WEP | | | | access point's configuration page in your web |
| (Wired Equivalent Privacy) was the original | | | | browser, finding the encryption settings, and then |
| standard for encryption over 802.11 wireless | | | | choosing WPA. If you have any trouble, refer to |
| networks. Back in 2001, though, a research paper | | | | your manual.Once you've done that, you need to |
| was published called 'Weaknesses in the Key | | | | change the encryption settings on your |
| Scheduling Algorithm of RC4'. This paper | | | | computers. Open the 'View Available Wireless |
| demonstrated critical flaws in the security of WEP | | | | Networks' screen by right-clicking on your wireless |
| that made it trivial for someone to break into, if | | | | connection in the bottom-right of the screen and |
| they wanted to.Essentially, it is too easy to | | | | choosing it from the menu that appears. Then |
| discover the secret 'key' used for WEP, and once | | | | click 'Change advanced settings'. Go to the |
| you have the key, you can get into the network | | | | Wireless Networks section of this box, click your |
| and stay in for as long as you want. People | | | | network's name, and then click Properties.Now, |
| quickly recognised that it was almost useless to | | | | where it says 'Network authentication', select |
| use WEP on their network -- but by the time its | | | | WPA. Click OK on everything you've opened. |
| weaknesses were discovered, the WEP method | | | | Once you've done that -- this is the really fun part |
| was built into almost every piece of wireless | | | | -- you're going to have to do it for every |
| equipment out there.The WEP standard had to be | | | | computer on your network!It's Easier for New |
| replaced, and in 2003 WPA (Wi-Fi Protected | | | | NetworksWhile the process is quite troublesome |
| Access) was introduced as its replacement, fixing | | | | for existing networks, it's much easier for ones |
| most of its flaws. WPA is much more secure | | | | that haven't been set up yet. You'll still need to |
| than WEP. Unfortunately, though, WPA took a | | | | turn on encryption at the wireless router or |
| long time to reach the market, and WPA devices | | | | access point, but once you've done that you can |
| were expensive when they were released. | | | | set up encryption as you set up the network |
| Combine this with the fact that WEP is still the | | | | using the Wireless Network Setup |
| default in a lot of software (because it's | | | | Wizard.Unfortunately (and stupidly) Windows now |
| supported by more devices), and you end up in | | | | turns on WEP by default when you set up your |
| the confused situation we're in today.Always Use | | | | wireless network. This means that each time you |
| WPAIf you're going to enable encryption, always | | | | go through the wizard, you need to remember to |
| use WPA. Devices bought after 2003 or so should | | | | tick the box on the third screen that says 'Use |
| be compatible with it, as the upgrade was made a | | | | WPA encryption instead of WEP'. Still, it's easier |
| mandatory part of the standard.It is true that | | | | than changing the settings manually later on. |