Wireless Bt Security Concern

IT Loser

Hi there

Just got my Wireless BT modem up and running last night, to my concern the "Zyxel" network to which the computer is connecting is reporting that the network is configured for "open access"

Every time I try to change this, the network disconnects.

Does anybody have any history or advice to relate to me vis a vis this particular type of problem? How do you recommend going about setting up the best and most secure wireless network. Please spell it out...in this regard I am an illiterate Ape of the highest order...

IT Loser

oh yeah..and information I send to the net may be viewed by others...thats another warning I keep getting.

Big P

Might help if you say what type of wireless router you have, make and model number, so either someone can step you through it or you could google it and do some learning :P

Anyway, this is in no way serious, you dont necessarily need to encrypt your network, chances are no one is bothered sniffing traffic. But if you're paranoid look into WEP or WPA encryption. Enable it in the router, set a pass key etc and you'll be given a bunch of keys you can use on your machines using the wireless connecton. Now in windows when you go to connect to your network you'll have to enter one of those keys in order to be able to connect. Thats why your machine disconnects.

kaizersoze

Good to see you got connected at last:)
I'm not familiar with that particular router but....
the wireless connection disconnects because the when you turn on the security the laptop needs a password to connect. The router can only be accessed by connecting to it with an ethernet cable.
Connect to it with a cable and the router should have a security or wireless config page. Here you can create a password. When you create the password write it down and disconnect the cable. Now when you try to connect with the wireless it should ask for the password.
There are other things you can do to make it more secure but this will do for starters.

8track

IT Loser wrote:

Hi there

Just got my Wireless BT modem up and running last night, to my concern the "Zyxel" network to which the computer is connecting is reporting that the network is configured for "open access"

Every time I try to change this, the network disconnects.

Does anybody have any history or advice to relate to me vis a vis this particular type of problem? How do you recommend going about setting up the best and most secure wireless network. Please spell it out...in this regard I am an illiterate Ape of the highest order...

Did you get the wireless modem from BT? I rang them last week to enquire about getting and they said they won't have them for a couple of months and to ring them back then!

IT Loser

Hi there, I'm online now and using the "wired" option.......I messed up the settings or something and now the whole wireless thing ist Kapput. I'll follow 'Sozes advice and walk myself through it one more time....I probably should have waited instead of messing, like I said, half literate ape.

8track: yes BT sent me out the modem. I asked for it and it cost me 40 euros, it is available on their website for order as part of a package. As for being told its not available, it is. Just keep ringing up!!

Diabolus

Looks like only new customers get it when ordering broadband
Trying to get one for my missus who ordered BB 2 weeks before this was released.

dub45

IT Loser wrote:

Hi there, I'm online now and using the "wired" option.......I messed up the settings or something and now the whole wireless thing ist Kapput. I'll follow 'Sozes advice and walk myself through it one more time....I probably should have waited instead of messing, like I said, half literate ape.

8track: yes BT sent me out the modem. I asked for it and it cost me 40 euros, it is available on their website for order as part of a package. As for being told its not available, it is. Just keep ringing up!!

Did you get a manual with the router? It may be on any cd that accompanied it in pdf form.

kaizersoze

Diabolus wrote:

Looks like only new customers get it when ordering broadband
Trying to get one for my missus who ordered BB 2 weeks before this was released.

If they give you that speil about only supplying them to new customers you can quote their own press release to them:

Today's announcement includes a series of product and price changes including:
* Automatic upgrade of 1Mb customers to 2Mb for the same monthly rental
* Automatic upgrade of 2Mb customers to 3Mb for the same monthly rental
* Download limits will increase from 12GB to 20GB and from 24GB to 30GB
* Introduction of a new 1Mb product at €20 per month (with online bill; €22.50 with paper bill)
* Wireless modem upgrade for new and existing customers for €40
* Free "transfer" connection for customers of other broadband providers who do not require BT to supply a broadband modem
* Connection charge for all products reduced to €40 from €50
* Discounted 'bundle' offers available across all three broadband products when ordered with landline including: *
- 1Mb Broadband with Line Rental for €35 per month in total
- 2Mb Broadband with Line Rental for €40 per month in total
- 3Mb Broadband with Line Rental for €50 per month in total

Link to full press release:
https://home.btireland.ie/echannel/esat.portal?_nfpb=true&aboutUs_actionOverride=%2Fpageflows%2FaboutUs%2FdisplayPressRelease&aboutUscontentNode=%2Fechannel%2Fpressreleases%2Fstories%2Fenglishrelease%2F1-2006%2FmediaPRJan2006.html&aboutUsbreadCrumb=January+2006&_windowLabel=aboutUs

IT Loser

dub45 wrote:

Did you get a manual with the router? It may be on any cd that accompanied it in pdf form.

Hi there....I got a CD alright, as it happens I have the problem licked, I'm back online using wireless.....what happens if you plug the ethernet in and are on wireless at the same time.? From what I can see, nothing happens but what do I know!!

I'm still a bit worried about the security issue so what I'll do is I'll get my fathers laptop and walk outside the house and see if I can pull in the signal and get online....that should count for something!

Thanks.

IT Loser

kaizersoze wrote:

If they give you that speil about only supplying them to new customers you can quote their own press release to them:

Link to full press release:
https://home.btireland.ie/echannel/esat.portal?_nfpb=true&aboutUs_actionOverride=%2Fpageflows%2FaboutUs%2FdisplayPressRelease&aboutUscontentNode=%2Fechannel%2Fpressreleases%2Fstories%2Fenglishrelease%2F1-2006%2FmediaPRJan2006.html&aboutUsbreadCrumb=January+2006&_windowLabel=aboutUs

Don't understand why they would be so peeved about selling a current customer a new router....I'm prepared to hazard a healthy guess and say that they just have their lines crossed.Again.

IT Loser

kaizersoze wrote:

Good to see you got connected at last:)
I'm not familiar with that particular router but....
the wireless connection disconnects because the when you turn on the security the laptop needs a password to connect. The router can only be accessed by connecting to it with an ethernet cable.
Connect to it with a cable and the router should have a security or wireless config page. Here you can create a password. When you create the password write it down and disconnect the cable. Now when you try to connect with the wireless it should ask for the password.
There are other things you can do to make it more secure but this will do for starters.

The Nub of the problem as I now see it is that the wireless network cannot be accessed as soon as I attempt to change the nature of the network- in other words, the network must be left "open" and the security "disabled"....if the security is enabled [WEP] I lose connectivity on the wireless. Any ideas...??

Ta!

dub45

IT Loser wrote:

The Nub of the problem as I now see it is that the wireless network cannot be accessed as soon as I attempt to change the nature of the network- in other words, the network must be left "open" and the security "disabled"....if the security is enabled [WEP] I lose connectivity on the wireless. Any ideas...??

Ta!

The simplest way to do it is to access your router via an ethernet cable. This will allow you to set up the security on the network without any complications.

WPA is the one to go for and it is the simplest. Save your new settings and then if you disconnect the ethernet cable the router will have reset itself on saving the new settngs and your network should now be picked up by the laptop wireless card. To access it you will be required to enter the password and then all should be go for surfing wirelessly and securely.

watty

Some devices can't be reconfigured at all by wireless. If there is a check box to disable configuration by wireless use it. Only configure by USB or Ethernet.

If you connect by USB or Ethernet, disable your own Wireless connection till you have reconfigured the router / wifi base box. Then disconnect the wired connection, disable it in PC and reconfigure the PC/Laptop wireless.

It causes a Network error if two connections (of any kind) connect from one PC/Laptop to the same network. You can have lots of network devices active at once ONLY if they are on different subnets that don't overlap. Ideally on different physical networks, but that is not so important.

IT Loser

watty wrote:

Some devices can't be reconfigured at all by wireless. If there is a check box to disable configuration by wireless use it. Only configure by USB or Ethernet.

If you connect by USB or Ethernet, disable your own Wireless connection till you have reconfigured the router / wifi base box. Then disconnect the wired connection, disable it in PC and reconfigure the PC/Laptop wireless.

It causes a Network error if two connections (of any kind) connect from one PC/Laptop to the same network. You can have lots of network devices active at once ONLY if they are on different subnets that don't overlap. Ideally on different physical networks, but that is not so important.

Watty...I had one mother of a day trying to get sh!t set up, nothing was working. The wireless was out, ethernet too. Eventually i rang BT and we managed to get something sorted out despite the fact that their tech support guy sounded as interested in me as I was in him. As I type this my wireless icon in the toolbar is indicating a disconnected network, and I keep getting "unable to connect to network" signals. But.....Yet....I am able to work online.

Ethernet is back working again.

All in all I am content but its not reliable. I paid for this..should work like clockwork, no? The wireless keeps dropping....

Diabolus

IT Loser wrote:

As I type this my wireless icon in the toolbar is indicating a disconnected network, and I keep getting "unable to connect to network" signals. But.....Yet....I am able to work online.

All in all I am content but its not reliable. I paid for this..should work like clockwork, no? The wireless keeps dropping....

The majority of the time this is down to your own wireless receiver.
Have you got a laptop? Built in wireless? USB dongle? etc....

Try re-installing the wireless reciever.
Your issue sounds too dodgy to be a router fault.

IT Loser

Diabolus:

Built in wireless receiver on my Presario from Compaq. I just give you those details in the blind hope that you're familiar with that make and its record.

As it happens I tinkered about a bit with settings and discovered that setting the system up to "connect to any available network" worked a treat and the connection hasn't dropped since.

Diabolus

Also laptops use "Power Save" features to decrease the wifi signal strength so plugging it in helps or changing the power profile.

watty

Disable all power save features to do with network adaptors.