Blocking other users from accessing my router

[TRDCorolla1]

After having the wireless router setup and connected, what is the best way to block other people from accessing it? For example, if my friend comes over with his wireless laptop, will he be able to automatically detect the access point (router) and surf the Net? If so, how can I keep my PCs active to the router but at the same time block all the other PCs?

 

[dyserq]

Hmm its definately possible to hijack a wireless connection, i mean, just google it and you've got yourself a guide to stealing other peoples bandwidth without their permission, yet knowledge
First off, you will need to obtain the MAC address of the networked computer in which you would grant authorised access and then add it to the allow list

 

[TRDCorolla1]

Are MAC address permanent or do they refresh itself everytime the PC is booted? I think my computers uses the same IP address all the time. DOn't know about the MAC address though.

 

[catalyst1]

A MAC address is one level lower than an IP address. MAC addresses are burned into hardware and can never be changed without getting a new network device, but it is possible to spoof them. Your wireless router should have MAC address filtering. Find out the MAC addresses of the systems that you want to allow on your network, and allow them access to the network. All other MAC addresses will be filtered out. Also, setting up a password for access would be a good idea.

 

[x0r515t]

You could also encrypt your wireless connection, but MAC address filtering is definitely more secure. To deny others access to your router, all you have to do is set a router password.

 

[dyserq]

I think that both an encrypted wi-fi line and mac address should be used
MAC addresses can, as spank fusion said, be spoofed by googling it
Lol you can get everything off google

 

[TRDCorolla1]

I will try this idea with MAC address filtering with my D-Link router. THe manual it comes with is very broad so no help there. I'll try to play with the router interface through IE and see what I can come up with. I'll let you guys know how that works out.


Ok, I did the MAC filter as suggested. I added my two PCs unique identifier to allow access to the Net and it is running great. I don't really have another wireless PC to test but I will trust D-Link that after setting that filter, my two PCs are the only PC that can access the Internet. As far as outsiders accessing my LAN, well, I don't care if they get in or not or can they? I have nothing else shared except for what's in the Shared folder (nothing in there worth hijacking).

 

[x0r515t]

Yeah I know you can spoof your MAC address, I even linked a tutorial on this here:

http://www.computerforums.org/showthread.php?t=19253&page=2

Sure someone could spoof their MAC address, but they would have to know what to spoof it to, since there would only be a few MAC addresses allowed to connect in the allow list. The average person won't need to use both security precautions, anything can be cracked especially WEP since it's so popular these days.

 

[TRDCorolla1]

So it seems like there is no secure security measures to take. I have two PCs under the MAC filter list to gain access to the Net. All others are blocked out. It seems good, but I had no idea just how effective they are now, after reading your links.

 

[x0r515t]

Well as dyserq said, you could always use both WEP and MAC filtering. Honestly if someone is trying to break into your network and they discover you're using both WEP and MAC filtering, most likely the "war driver" or who ever will just move on to the next guy with no security.