Linksys WRT54 Remote access.

Quam256 · 06-09-2008, 07:44

I have a Linksys router connected to a broadband connection and want to be able to access the router remotely .Does anyone know how to to do it in simple terms .

Sir John Luke · 06-09-2008, 09:00

Not actually tried it, but on my WRT54GS, it's under 'Administration'. You enable remote admin, specify a port (default 8080) and whether to use https (i.e. encrypted). Presumably, you would then connect remotely using the IP allocated by VM (which can change), or an address allocated by a service such as DYNDNS. For example, if the VM IP is 82.xx.xx.xx and you've selected port 8081, you'd go to

http(s)://82.xx.xx.xx:8081

To get the VM-allocated IP address, click the 'Connection' link at the top of this page

Raistlin · 06-09-2008, 10:49

Couple of points here though.

When you open that 'remote administration' service up you're asking for trouble.

Make sure you have a really good password (upper case, lower case, numbers, special characters, completely random string, as long as you can make it), because otherwise it won't take long for someone to brute force it.

You also need to make sure that you've updated to the very latest firmware, and that you continue to do so. The remote admin services on routers are not best known for being bullet-proof, if you know what I mean.

For example:

http://labs.idefense.com/intelligenc...lay.php?id=305

This one could allow a remote attacker to gain access to your router and, from there, they have a foothold which they could leverage to gain access to other systems on your network.

You really should ask yourself whether you absolutely need to be able to administer that router remotely.....

Wicked_and_Crazy · 06-09-2008, 14:21

When you say "access the router remotely" do you mean access it to administer it or to be able to access devices on the network remotely?

I have the same router with a NAS drive attached to it. To access the NAS driver remotely i had to use a non Linksys firmware

Quam256 · 06-09-2008, 16:15

To access the settings on the router ,not the network or Pcs that it is connected to .

Wicked_and_Crazy · 06-09-2008, 16:19

why would you need to do that? surely once its set up, you just leave it alone?

Quam256 · 06-09-2008, 18:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wicked_and_Crazy

why would you need to do that? surely once its set up, you just leave it alone?

It is for one of my sisters,has problems with the kids

and keeps asking me to change settings and restrictions .Would save a lot of travelling on my part.

Raistlin · 06-09-2008, 18:12

You might be better off teaching her how to make the changes herself, unless you really know what you're doing you could be asking for trouble opening this up to the outside world.

Quam256 · 06-09-2008, 18:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob M

You might be better off teaching her how to make the changes herself, unless you really know what you're doing you could be asking for trouble opening this up to the outside world.

After reading about it and the from what has been said ,that may be the best the best option .

Dai · 06-09-2008, 20:31

Just a through, as I've never tried this.
Might it be possible to use a VNC-type of tool to connect to her machine and from there run the router control panel from a browser?

I realise that *some* router changes will require a reboot which would disconnect you but it should be possible to make simple adjustments to banlists etc.

Ed2020 · 06-09-2008, 20:49

The VNC suggestion is a good one. Same advice applies about passwords though. You'd also want to make sure her PC is locked down very well too.

If you still want to pursue the remote router admin idea I'd suggest reflashing the firmware with DD-WRT, providing she has a model that's compatible. It kicks the pants off the stock Linksys firmware in just about every area and I'd feel more confident about its security as well.

Ed.

Dai · 06-09-2008, 21:04

With many of my clients I use PCHelpware.

http://www.uvnc.com/pchelpware/

It's possible with this to create an exe file for the client that has your IP hard-coded. When they run the file it attempts to connect to the viewer on your machine. This one-to-one relationship takes away some of the risk of having a service on the client machine waiting for a connection. Also, because it's active from both ends it will work through a firewall without having to forward any ports.

Quam256 · 06-09-2008, 22:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed2020

The VNC suggestion is a good one. Same advice applies about passwords though. You'd also want to make sure her PC is locked down very well too.

If you still want to pursue the remote router admin idea I'd suggest reflashing the firmware with DD-WRT, providing she has a model that's compatible. It kicks the pants off the stock Linksys firmware in just about every area and I'd feel more confident about its security as well.

Ed.

I have done that with my Linksys ,(Tomato) but the version they have it cant as far as I know be done.

---------- Post added at 22:39 ---------- Previous post was at 22:37 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaiNasty

With many of my clients I use PCHelpware.

http://www.uvnc.com/pchelpware/

It's possible with this to create an exe file for the client that has your IP hard-coded. When they run the file it attempts to connect to the viewer on your machine. This one-to-one relationship takes away some of the risk of having a service on the client machine waiting for a connection. Also, because it's active from both ends it will work through a firewall without having to forward any ports.

I will have to give this a try as it is looks like it is only active when needed .
Once I work out the instructions

Ed2020 · 07-09-2008, 02:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quam256

I have done that with my Linksys ,(Tomato) but the version they have it cant as far as I know be done.
:

It's difficult to say whether the newer versions of the WRT54G routers can be flashed without opening them up. Even the ones with the severely reduced flash RAM will take the micro version, unless it's an Intel flash chip. If it does flashing with DD-WRT will brick the router.

Supported hardware is listed here:

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Supported_Devices

Ed.

Horace · 07-09-2008, 04:40

Having a VNC server running on their PC is far more insecure than setting up remote access on the router since VNC gives direct access to the PC and there's been plenty of exploits in the past for that service.

Code:

2008-08-01     RealVNC Windows Client 4.1.2 Remote DOS Crash PoC     
2007-06-28     AMX Corp. VNC ActiveX Control (AmxVnc.dll 1.0.13.0) BoF Exploit
2007-05-08     SmartCode VNC Manager 3.6 (scvncctrl.dll) Denial of Service Exploit
2007-02-02     Chicken of the VNC 2.0 (NULL-pointer) Remote Denial of Service Exploit
2006-05-17     RealVNC 4.1.0 - 4.1.1 (VNC Null Authentication) Vulnerability Scanners 
2006-05-16     RealVNC 4.1.0 - 4.1.1 (VNC Null Authentication) Auth Bypass Patch/EXE
2006-05-15     RealVNC 4.1.0 - 4.1.1 (Null Authentication) Auth Bypass Exploit (meta)
2006-04-11     Ultr@VNC <= 1.0.1 client Log::ReallyPrint Buffer Overflow Exploit
2006-04-04     Ultr@VNC <= 1.0.1 client Log::ReallyPrint Buffer Overflow PoC
2006-04-04     Ultr@VNC <= 1.0.1 VNCLog::ReallyPrint Remote Buffer Overflow PoC

Unless she's annoyed some Russian hackers it's highly unlikely (tho' not impossible) that someone would bother to waste time trying to brute force the router password. There's much easier ways to exploit than that.