Comments for How do I secure my router?

Comment from Steven J on 2009-10-24

2009-10-24T14:04:21Z

Using Dlink wireless 615 can I set up router to ask for passphrase each time a client wishes to connect, like after reboot? my laptop see's the router and connects automatically, But I'd like to discourage clients that have had access in past, just being to log on use bandwidth in a conference envirnment.

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Comment from mohamad ahmad on 2009-03-17

2009-03-17T19:58:23Z

The Physical security of routers becomes more
stronger than now if that resetting button
is removed completely and instead one small electronic Item is added to the hardware of the router and that Items job is to reset the router when it receives a special signal from a key
provided with each router, when key is pressed it sends the required reset signal just as
that used for cars to open and close the doors.
then no one can do resetting unless he has the
key. I don't know why the manufacturers has not
though of that yet.
thanks for your articles.
mohamad ahmad

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Comment from Jon on 2009-03-16

2009-03-16T15:28:14Z

I currently have my FiOS router set up with WPA2. I don't recall offhand how to do it, but it can be done.

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Comment from Frank L. Doobyus on 2009-03-13

2009-03-14T04:27:43Z

Verizon FiOS's wireless router uses the WEP type key. Within the "Advanced" settings there appears to be a means to select WPA rather than WEP. Has anyone using FiOS done this successfully? Any glitches or warning? Curious before I go there.

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Comment from Iqbal on 2009-03-12

2009-03-12T19:43:18Z

I has a belkin fsd7230-4 model type
and it stopped working after some time
so i got a new router which is cisco wrt54g but how do i know when i search for devices.. which one my new router really is? right now i dont know if im using my routers route or some other routers route.
i just want to use mine and secure it
please inform me what im doing

If the old one has been removed, and the new one installed, and your internet now works, it seems like it must be working.

- Leo
13-Mar-2009

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A comment on: How do I secure my router?

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Comment from Rayw2082 on 2009-03-12

2009-03-12T17:40:11Z

How does one change the password? Where are the controls and settings for the router? Mine is a 2Wire system.

Added an article on that: How do I change my routers password?

- Leo
13-Mar-2009

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Comment from Mike Obrien on 2009-03-10

2009-03-10T20:55:01Z

Leo,

I have two Linksys routers, one a standard W54 wireless and one that a Verizon or Sprint aircard plugs into for remote site internet access. From the standpoint to who can access either wirelessly, am I wrong to rely only on router mac address filtering? Logic would suggest the router will only talk to the two laptops whose mac id's are entered into the router table. Greatly appreciate your newletter and expertise...mike

MAC address filtering is not reliable. MAC addresses are easily spoofed.

- Leo
12-Mar-2009

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Comment from Jim on 2009-03-10

2009-03-10T15:37:16Z

Regarding the original question on CISCO, they do make a home-level router: Zonealarm Z100G which has antivirus, antispyware and a robust firewall BUILT-IN to the hardware. The AV and Antispyware is updated automatically like that on your computer. I have been using the Z100G for a year and it has cut 99% of the spyware and viruses off that I used to get at my computer. Further, it blocks hack attempts at the router rather than letting them flow to my computer for software blocking. (I can see the IP addresses of these hack attempts in the log.) This router acts much like the Enterprise Cisco router most of us are used to using at work.

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Comment from Hans Jonson on 2009-03-10

2009-03-10T15:32:29Z

Don't forget to update the firmware of the router occasionally.

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Comment from MajorDad on 2009-03-09

2009-03-10T01:08:48Z

Forgot to mention that it's also good practice to stop broadcasting your SSID.

There's not much value in hiding the SSID. As I understand it, the SSID is still visible within packet traffic and sniffable. Once WPA with a strong passphrase is by far your best protection - with that it doesn't matter if your SSID is broadcast or not.

- Leo
10-Mar-2009

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Comment from MajorDad on 2009-03-09

2009-03-10T01:07:06Z

Wireless MAC filtering is the only way to go as both WEP and WPA encryption have been hacked. MAC address filtering ensures that only computers with the MAC address you specify in the router can connect to it.

WPA has not been cracked - that's a misunderstanding of something else. As mentioned above, MAC addresses are easily seen and spoofable.

- Leo
10-Mar-2009

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Comment from mishel on 2009-03-09

2009-03-10T00:57:16Z

if this is a wireless router, you may also want to enable Wireless MAC filtering.

As I understand it, MAC filtering is kinda pointless. For one thing, MAC addresses are not part of the encrypted data, so they're sent in the clear, and they're also very easy to spoof. Someone could sniff your traffic, find a MAC address that you've allows through, start spoofing that address and get on your network. Using WPA with a strong passphrase is much more secure.

- Leo
10-Mar-2009

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A comment on: How do I secure my router?

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Comment from David on 2009-03-08

2009-03-09T02:15:01Z

Hi Leo,
I don't know how to configure my settings so the encryption is WPA. if says my encryption is wep right now. This means that it is easier to hack correct? I had no choice on encryption options when I set up the router. I was wondering how to change the settings of the router (if it is via installation disk or something else)?

Not something I can answer. It depends on the specific model of router you have. Normally it's done with a browser interface, but you'll need to check your router's documentation.

- Leo
09-Mar-2009

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Comment from kptech on 2009-03-08

2009-03-09T02:09:40Z

Hi Leo,

If you have a wireless router (both router and wireless access point functions built-in to the same device), there's one more setting you might want to consider.

On these devices there's usually an option to disable wireless administration. This means that you can only make configuration changes while connected via ethernet cable. That way, even if someone gains access to your wireless network, all attempts to gain access to the router will be ignored.

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A comment on: How do I secure my router?

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