Wired networking help.

Hiroki · 04-10-2009, 20:12

Just wondering if someone could help me, at the moment I have a wireless computer which is basically under constant attack by the bored neighbour kid and as such he keeps breaking the encryption and using my internet! Now I have contacted the police and his parents and they seemed to have done nothing about it so I have decided to goto a wired network and I was wondering if someone could tell me what I needed please?

Do I need a wired router or an Ethernet switch or something else?

Are they fairly straight forward to set up?

Thanks to anyone that can help me with this.

(Btw I have 10mb, an Ambit modem & windows 7 x86)

Stuart · 04-10-2009, 20:17

Most wireless routers will have at least four ethernet ports..

These will look a bit like

You will need your PC to have one as well (most recent ones do), but if it doesn't, you can buy an ethernet card ( http://www.ebuyer.com/product/118964 ), and the correct length of Cat 5, 5e or 6 Ethernet cable..

You will also need a router (assuming you don't have one, but if you have a wireless network, you probably do as the Ambit modem does not do wireless).

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/35433 may be a good router, but Virgin also do their own branded netgear which is a bit more expensive, but they will help you set it up.

dd11 · 04-10-2009, 20:21

Could you possibly turn of the SSID name on your wireless router? What encryption was you using, WEP, WPA etc?

Hiroki · 04-10-2009, 20:22

Yeah I currently have a netgear WGT624 (http://www.netgear.co.uk/wireless_ca...ter_wgt624.php) which has 4 ports on the back and I have around 10m in network cable already set up for me.....is there a way to turn off the wireless signal from my router and just use it as a plain wired one?

Thanks for the help btw

Stuart · 04-10-2009, 20:28

I don't know the specific router, but if you open a browser, go to the router's home page (probably http://192.168.1.1) have a look at any Wireless options.

NoKnowledge · 04-10-2009, 20:28

Is it not possible to stay wireless and activate MAC filter - allows only the MACs you authorise

Edit> How many characters do you have in your password by the way?

Hiroki · 04-10-2009, 20:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by dd11

Could you possibly turn of the SSID name on your wireless router? What encryption was you using, WEP, WPA etc?

I was using SSID and I think I was using WPA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoKnowledge

Is it not possible to stay wireless and activate MAC filter - allows only the MACs you authorise

That option is there so would that just stop outright anyone hacking and using my internet over a wireless signal?

NoKnowledge · 04-10-2009, 21:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoKnowledge

Is it not possible to stay wireless and activate MAC filter - allows only the MACs you authorise

Edit> How many characters do you have in your password by the way?

Just in case you didn't read my edited post

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hiroki

That option is there so would that just stop outright anyone hacking and using my internet over a wireless signal?

Everything is almost hackable, people just need to figure out how.

My setup is MAC filter enabled;
WPA - I got a wireless device that doesn't work with WPA2;
WPA Key - 64 characters;
SSID - On (sometimes when I clean install Windows, I forget to enable SSID (if disabled))

cannot remember anything else.

xpod · 04-10-2009, 21:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoKnowledge

Is it not possible to stay wireless and activate MAC filter - allows only the MACs you authorise

Edit> How many characters do you have in your password by the way?

Mac filtering and ssid cloaking will probably make no difference whatsoever to somebody who already knows enough to bypass the encryption key itself.
Cloning authorized macs and unmasking hidden ssid`s is as simple as installing and configuring the relevant tools for the job.

@op Your obviously intent on using the wire but if you do need to use the wireless then just make sure you`re using as long and complex a WPA/2 passphrase as possible and not any names or words out a dictionary etc...and certainly dont be using any WEP.

Hiroki · 04-10-2009, 22:20

Right just hooked up my wireless router (first time in a month) I was using wpa, had the ssid off and was using a password with spaces, underscores and various other characters......so I am guessing wired would be the way to go?

Anyone have any advice on what to buy for a simple wired setup?

Thanks for the help to everyone

Dai · 05-10-2009, 08:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hiroki

Anyone have any advice on what to buy for a simple wired setup?

)

You already have router and cable so I can't see that you need to buy anything else.

You need to go into the router control panel and disable wireless. Once that is done you should be able to power everything off, connect cables modem->router->pc then do a stepped restart to get it all working.

Modem first, wait till lights stabilise. Router ditto, finally pc.

Taf · 05-10-2009, 10:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hiroki

Anyone have any advice on what to buy for a simple wired setup?

Buying the individual sockets and cables can get very expensive, but B&Q sell a very good kit which allows up to 4 terminals..

Philex Network Cabling Starter Kit

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.js...&isSearch=true

xpod · 05-10-2009, 14:37

I`m curious how you know for sure this kids been cracking your wireless encryption, especially if you went to the police with it.

Quote:

at the moment I have a wireless computer which is basically under constant attack by the bored neighbour kid and as such he keeps breaking the encryption and using my internet!

Quote:

Right just hooked up my wireless router (first time in a month)

Hiroki · 05-10-2009, 15:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaiNasty

You already have router and cable so I can't see that you need to buy anything else.

You need to go into the router control panel and disable wireless. Once that is done you should be able to power everything off, connect cables modem->router->pc then do a stepped restart to get it all working.

Modem first, wait till lights stabilise. Router ditto, finally pc.

So once the wireless is disabled that means no signal at all will be sent out and so nothing can/could get cracked right?

Thanks for the info btw.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taf

Buying the individual sockets and cables can get very expensive, but B&Q sell a very good kit which allows up to 4 terminals..

Philex Network Cabling Starter Kit

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.js...&isSearch=true

Ah that would have been great but it's out of stock in my area

thanks anyway

Quote:

Originally Posted by xpod

I`m curious how you know for sure this kids been cracking your wireless encryption, especially if you went to the police with it.

Because I found them on my attached devices list (more than once and I noted down the day/time and tooks screengrabs), they have also been bragging about it and they had been caught a few times doing it to other neighbours.

Dai · 05-10-2009, 19:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hiroki

So once the wireless is disabled that means no signal at all will be sent out and so nothing can/could get cracked right?

Correct. There will be no signal for them to attack.

Screwfix are pretty good for cables if you have one locally. Someone on here tipped me off to them recently.