Implementing Appropriate Wireless Security - NETGEAR RangeMax Next Wireless Router WNR834M Reference Manual

NETGEAR RangeMax™ NEXT Wireless Router WNR834M Reference Manual

Implementing Appropriate Wireless Security

Note: Indoors, computers can connect over 802.11b/g wireless networks at ranges of up
to 300 feet. Such distances can allow for others outside of your immediate area to
access your network.
Unlike wired network data, your wireless data transmissions can be received well beyond your
walls by anyone with a compatible adapter. For this reason, use the security features of your
wireless equipment. The WNR834M router provides highly effective security features which are
covered in detail in this chapter. Deploy the security features appropriate to your needs.
Figure 3-1
There are several ways you can enhance the security of your wireless network.
• Restrict Access Based on MAC address. You can restrict access to only trusted computers so
that unknown computers cannot wirelessly connect to the WNR834M. MAC address filtering
adds an obstacle against unwanted access to your network, but the data broadcast over the
wireless link is fully exposed.
• Turn Off the Broadcast of the Wireless Network Name SSID. If you disable broadcast of
the SSID, only devices that have the correct SSID can connect. This nullifies the wireless
network 'discovery' feature of some products such as Windows XP, but the data is still fully
exposed to a determined snoop using specialized test equipment like wireless sniffers.
• WEP. Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) data encryption provides data security. WEP Shared
Key authentication and WEP data encryption block all but the most determined eavesdropper.
3-2
v1.3, May 2006
Wireless Configuration