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