wireless ?

i have just set up a wireless connection for the first time and have a quick question. how can i check if it's it's a safe connection IE no one can sit outside my house with a laptop and tap into the connection. as i said im new to this and know nada about it. thanks in advance for any advice....

 

You need to set up encryption on your router to stop people from leeching your internet.

Chipper

 

From the weakest to the strongest, Wireless security capacity is.

No Security
MAC______(Band Aid if nothing else is available).
WEP64____(Easy, to "Brake" by knowledgeable people).
WEP128___(A little Harder, but "Hackable" too).
WPA-PSK__(Very Hard to Brake ).
WPA-AES__(Not functionally Breakable)
WPA2____ (Not functionally Breakable).

Note 1: WPA-AES the the current entry level rendition of WPA2.

Note 2: If you use WinXP and did not updated it you would have to download the WPA2 patch from Microsoft. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893357

The documentation of your Wireless devices (Wireless Router, and Wireless Computer's Card) should state the type of security that is available with your Wireless hardware.

All devices MUST be set to the same security level using the same pass phrase.

Therefore the security must be set according what ever is the best possible of one of the Wireless devices.

I.e. even if most of your system might be capable to be configured to the max. with WPA2, but one device is only capable to be configured to max . of WEP, to whole system must be configured to WEP.

If you need more good security and one device (like a Wireless card that can do WEP only) is holding better security for the whole Network, replace the device with a better one.

Setting Wireless Security - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html

The Core differences between WEP, WPA, and WPA2 - http://www.ezlan.net/wpa_wep.html

 

thanks for the reply cat5e. i have found WPA-PSK but it says i need an 8 didgit key to enable it. sorry to be a total nob but i have no idea what the key is. any idea where i should find it?

 

Thats something you make up usually This should be the key that then you enter on your laptop or desktop to connect to the wireless.

 

thanks for the help guys finally figured it out. who says your to old to learn lol....

 

im back for one more bit of advice. i got the router set up with the WPA-PSK but do i need to anything with the adapter settings?. im using a netgear adapter and the it says on the settings no security enabled. thanks for the help guys....