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