1) Always apply a password for your network.
This will in most cases prevent the Wardrivers from trying to connect to
your network, as it would be much easier for them to just go and find another
AP else where that is open and has no protection.
There are two main types of password protection that you could use:
i. WPA (Wireless Protocol Access)
ii. WEP (Wireless Equivalent Privacy) This is far easier
to crack than WPA, but is still better than nothing.
The best one
of the two to use is WPA, as it is much harder to crack than WEP.
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2) Hide
your SSID:
This method of wireless security is not very affective at all,
because if there was a wardriver, with even the most basic software, they
would immediately pick up the 'hidden' network without any skill required
by the user. |
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3) Assign a MAC address. (see dictionary for definition).
This type of wireless security protection is not very secure as there are ways of faking the MAC address of the wifi card. However it is still worth applying it as yet another layer of protection.
This type of network protection works by assigning the MAC address of all the wireless devices that you want to ALLOW on to the network. Any other wifi cards that try to connect to the network that arn't on the list will be denied access.
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4. Don't use your data for personal gain:
Place your wireless router as far away possible from the street outside,
to limit how much the signal radiates outside. Some routers also have setting to determine how powerful the signal is sent out. |
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5) Turn off your network.
Turn off your network when you are not going to use it for a long period
of time. ie when going on holiday or if you'll be away for a couple of days. |
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6) Always
update wireless router software and use most secure settings.
When telling others about wardriving and wireless security, don't get sensationalistic.
Horror stories and FUD are not very helpful to the acceptance of wardrivers.
Speak factually and carefully, Point out problems, but also point out solutions,
especially how we are not the problem because we don't connect. |
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7) Avoid
Auto Connection!:
When out wardriving, make sure that your wireless
devices Auto Connection function is turned off, to avoid automatically connect
to someone's network without you knowing. |
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I recommend if you have a wireless network at your home or business, that
you should take all the above precautions to try and prevent anybody from
hacking into your network.
The reality is, that there is no real way to have a 100% secure wireless
network at this time, but if you take all of the above steps, it will deter the
average wardriver as they are usually looking for easy access.
Here
are some alternative methods of networking that are far safer than wireless
802.11b & 802.11g:
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Use the
old 802.11a type of wifi.
Because nearly all the wifi cards and networks are now 802.11b
or 802.11g compatible, (because they are faster and more efficient than
the original 'a'.) all the new cards are not compatible of joining a 802.11a
network, therefore making the network immune from attacks from 802.11b or
802.11g networks.
Use Wired Networking.
And finally,
if you are very skeptical of wireless networking, you can always use the
good old wired network with Ethernet cables. They do not just give you a
100% secure network, but are also much much faster!
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