# Putting a password on wireless router....



## emceepj (Aug 18, 2002)

so, i'm trying to put a password on our wireless router so only my bf and i can access the network in the apt. I'm looking at the linksys "how to" page and it's talking about WEP encryption... is that putting a password on it? it seems to be making it out to be harder than it really is... alot of tech-speak and such. so, if i use the encryption (i think macs support 128, right?) can his PC (running windows 98) access this router (via ethernet) as well?

whoa.

here's the link to the help page: click

thanks for any and all help! 

Phil


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## MACSPECTRUM (Oct 31, 2002)

you just need to enter a string of 10 numerical digits for 64-bit WEP encryption
MAKE SURE YOU WRITE THEM DOWN
64-it is more than enough

that "encodes" the info. being sent to and from the wireless router so that devices without the 10 digit number cannot see the data

if you are really concerned about security don't use
1234567890
or
0987654321
they are very easily guessed at
don't use phone numbers either
4165551212 for example or backwards either

yes, his Win98 pc can use the router too
for Win98 just go to
Settings > Control Panel > Networking > TCP/IP Properties
set for "obtain automatically"
make sure that the internet options are set to use the LAN (ethernet card) and NOT dial up for intenet

good luck


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## Macaholic (Jan 7, 2003)

She might be talking about unauthorized access to their bandwidth, too; so that no one can "war drive" and start downloading porn on their IP address.  

As far as I know, routers don;t have password requirements to connect to them and use them. To secure your wireless bandwith so that ONLY the computers you want can access it, you have to establish their Ethernet card's addresses as being the ONLY ONES to access it. This is called "MAC filtering". "MAC" doesn't stand for "Macintosh" in this instance; it stands for "Machine Address Code", which is the actual unique address of your Ethernet cards.


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## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

Yes setting WEP will block out unwanted users. The other method mentioned (MAC address filtering) is better as it doesn't allow unwanted users to see the network in the first place. You can feel safe with WEP but the MAC filtering is even better. Be warned, some routers don't support MAC address filtering. For instance, my LinkSys allows me to block specific MAC addresses rather than allowing only specific addresses. Since this is the case, I use WEP.

If the PC is going to attach wirelessly, your bf will need the WEP encryption code or you will have to add his MAC address to the access list.


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## Macaholic (Jan 7, 2003)

A related question:

Can you put a mac that is connecting to the router wirelessly in the router's DMZ?


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