Network Systems DesignLine | Securing a wireless network--The basics--Part IV

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HOW-TO

Securing a wireless network--The basics--Part IV

Here's the fourth segment of Chapter 2 of Home Network Security Simplified--an easy-to-follow explanation of how to make sure that your home network is secure--why it's important, and amazingly, how few of us actually do it. Part IV offers a step-by-step how to enable WEP Encryption on the Wireless NIC and using Windows XP.

By Jim Doherty, Neil Anderson

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Network Systems Designline
(02/14/2007 3:22 AM EST)

Here are Part I, Part II, and Part III

Enabling WEP Encryption on the Wireless NIC
There are a couple different ways to manage the wireless connection in each of your computers. Windows XP offers a built-in function for wireless NIC management. With computes with older versions of Windows (2000, 98SE, and so on) most likely you need to use a wireless management program that comes with the NIC.

The sections that follow show two examples: a Windows 98 desktop computer with a USB-connected wireless card that we set up with the Linksys WLAN utility and a Windows XP laptop that we set up using the XP built-in wireless NIC management function.

Enabling WEP Encryption Using he Linksys Utility
First, let's walk through an example of setting up WEP encryption on a computer running Windows 98SE, using a USB wireless NIC and the Linksys WLAN utility:

Step 1: Launch the Linksys WLAN Monitor by double-clicking the icon on the far right of your Windows taskbar (the example shows a computer running Windows 98/Me/2000.

If you do not see such an icon, try going through Start--Programs--Instant Wireless--Instant Wireless LAN Monitor.

Notice there is no connection to the wireless router (the signal bars are not "lit" up. See Figure 6).

Click the Profiles tab.

Figure 6. Launch the WLA Monitor Utility

Step 2: Select the profile for your home wireless network and click Edit (See Figure 7).

Figure 7. Select and Edit the Wireless Profile

Step 3. No changes are needed to the Network Settings (See Figure 8). Click Next.

Figure 8. Network Settings Stay the Same

Step 4: No changes are needed to the Network Mode either (See Figure 9). Click Next.

Figure 9. Network Mode Stays the Same

The Security Settings window appears.

Step 5: On the line labeled WEP, select 128-bit.

On the line labeled Passphrase, enter the passphrase you made up. In our example, we chose 64Gx3-rY19fk2 (See Figure 10). Leave the WEP Key and TX Key fields alone.

Step 6. Click Next.

Figure 10. Generate the WEP Key

Very Important: Make sure to enter the passphrase exactly as you did on the wireless router. Lowercase "a" is different from uppercase "A." The two keys (on the router and on the wireless card) must be identical.

Step 7: A confirmation window appears (See Figure 11).

Double-check that WEP is set to 128-bit and click Yes.

Figure 11. Confirm the New Settings

Step 8. Another confirmation window appears (See Figure 12). Click Activate new settings now.

Figure 12. Activate Your New Settings

Step 9. Click the Link Information tab. If you entered everything correctly, the Signal Strength and Link Quality should reappear as green bars (See Figure 13).

Figure 13. Success at Last!

Very Important: The green bars may or may not be solid the whole way across. It depends on the strength of the wireless signal and how far away you are from the wireless router, much like a cell phone.

If not, you probably entered something incorrectly. See the "Troubleshooting Tips: Wireless Encryption" sidebar later in this chapter for help.

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