Configuring your Home Wireless Network

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Configuring your Home Wireless Network
Presented by Lou Koch March 14, 2006
Adapted from Presentation at APCUG By Jay Ferron
ADMT, CISM, CISSP, MCDBA, MCSE, MCT, NSA-IAM
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Questions

• How many of you have more than one computer at
  home?
• How many of you connect to the Internet using
  broadband (Cable or DSL)
• How many already have a home router?
• Already have a wireless router?
• For those who have not already done so, we will
  show you how to install a WLAN tonight.
• More critically we will discuss ways to secure
  your wireless network

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Agenda

• Connecting things together
• Home network - terminology
• Security Firewalls, Filtering, etc
• Setting up a home router
• Setting up Print and File Sharing
• Questions

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Home Network

• Internet ISP
• Wire to home
• Modem
• Translates electronic data
• Router
• Disperses electronic data
• Network Adaptor
• Required for each Computer
• Wired
• NIC (network interface card) or ethernet card
• Wireless
• Wireless Adaptor

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Network One or more devices connected together

• To the Internet with a router
• To each other in order to share Resources
• Internet Connections
• Sharing Files
• Sharing Printers
• WAN, LAN, WLAN, PAN
• WAN Wide Area Network many computers,
  locations
• LAN Local Area Network few computers, 1
  location
• PAN Personal Area Network home network
• WLAN Wireless Local Area Network

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Wireless

• Wireless Networking Standards
• 802.11 a, b, and g
• configuration specifications to insure
  compatibility
• Different speed/range capabilities
• Equipment conforming to g is most
  popular/available
• Good for 100-400 feet in a house
• General rule dont mix equipment made to
  different standards
• Bluetooth
• Standard which is often used for peripheral
  devices
• Printers, scanners, cell phones, etc
• Short range (10 ft), high speed

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What is a Cable/DSL Modem

• Modem (modulator/demodulator)
• encodes/decodes information transmitted to the
  internet
• Usually provided and controlled by your ISP
• Connects your home to the Internet.
• This is the device that gets your public IP
  (internet protocol) address
• Normally has no firewall protection

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What is a Router

• Connects one network to another Sometimes
  called a Gateway
• Connects your computer to the internet (cable
  modem or DSL Line) keeps LAN traffic local
• Routers keep track of IP addresses and physical
  (MAC) addresses of hosts
• IP (Internet Protocol) address your computers
  internet address
• MAC (Media Access Control) id for each physical
  communication device

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What is an Access Point

• A point where computers access a network
• Device which links wireless users to network
• Transmits and receives data (Transceiver)
• Bridge between wireless and wired networks
• Can be linked together to cover broad area
• No security or firewall implemented

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What is a Firewall

• A device that filters packets of data or traffic
• Its job is to be a traffic cop
• You configure the firewall
• What will allow to pass
• What will it block
• Hides your home network from the outside world
• Can be either in hardware or software
• Most popular routers for home have built in
  firewall protection

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What Does a Firewall do?

• They
• Protect your home computer from the bad guys
• Keep your information private
• Make you less of a target
• By
• Stopping viruses
• Hiding your computer from the world
• Making the bad guys work harder to get your info

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Firewall Protection

1. Checks incoming traffic from the network before
   it gets to your home network . default Blocks
   all Incoming connections
2. Traffic leaving your home network default -
   Allow all outbound connections
3. Hardware firewalls protect you home network by
   stop all traffic before it get to your computers
4. Personal software firewall on your computer
   blocks incoming and outgoing (lets you know what
   is leaving your computer)

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HardwareFirewall Routers

• The idea is layers of protection
• Examples of home combo units include
• Belkin (we will demo tonight)
• Dlink
• Linksys
• Netgear

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Software Firewalls

• Adding a second level of protection
• Controlling what leaves your computer
• By being aware of application level attacks
• By allow you to schedule
• Usage of the internet by time (control access at
  night)
• By location (block content for young children)

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Software Firewalls for Home Use

• Examples
• Zone Alarm (Free)
• McAfee Firewall
• Symantecs Norton Personal Firewall
• Computer Associates with Firewall (free)
• Windows Firewall in XP Service Pack 2 (free)

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Configure Wireless Firewall/router Overview

• Basic Settings name, ip address, etc
• Check for firmware updates
• Set Account name and password
• Change name and password dont used default
• Wireless Settings
• SSID broadcast
• make sure that remote computers are set to
  automatically connect
• Do not enable DMZ
• Do enable ping blocking
• Security - Blocking and Filtering
• Wireless Security encryption
• MAC filtering
• Back up settings

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Basic Settings and Info

• Run Install CD that comes with router
• Basic info will be automatically entered or
  requested
• To change info
• For Belkin the default IP address is 192.168.2.1
• Other manufacturers use different ip addresses
  (later slide)
• Enter this into address bar
• Setup page will be displayed
• Firmware - software that is embedded in a
  hardware device
• Updated occasionally by manufactures
• Check whenever you access router

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Account Name

• Change name
• Default name is set by manufacturer eg,
  Belkin54
• Bad guys know defaults and default administrative
  passwords
• Create Administrative Password
• Use Strong Password
• Record your password where you can find it so you
  can make changes

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Default Info

• Router default info is easily available on
  internet for consumers and the bad guys
• eg
• http//www.otosoftware.com/wwhelp/Default_Router_U
  sernames_and_Passwords.htm
• http//forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t64258
• So Change Name and Password

Mfg Default IP User Name Password
Belkin 192.168.2.1 admin blank
D-link 192.168.0.1 admin blank
Linksys 192.168.1.1 blank admin
Netgear 192.168.0.1 admin password
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Passwords

• Your computer password is the foundation of your
  computer security
• No Password No Security
• Old Passwords Same Password Reduced Security
• Set and change the administrator password on
  router (and your computer logon)
• STRONG PASSWORD 6-8 digit passwords
• use upper, lower case, numbers and symbols

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Wireless Settings

• SSID - service set identifier
• name given to your wireless network
• Broadcasting this ID makes network visible to PCs
  in area
• can be turned off so it will not be detected by
  other PCs in area
• Be sure to set up your own pc to automatically
  detect and logon to your WLAN
• DMZ
• allows you to select a PC to access WLAN outside
  the firewall
• do not enable unless firewall interferes with
  some activity
• Ping Blocking troubleshooting tool
• Signal sent and echo received indicates valid ip
  address
• Used by hackers to find active computers
• Enable ping blocking wont send echo back

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Security Blocking and Filtering

• Encryption coding transmissions
• Multiple variations. 2 most common
• WPA-PSK Wireless Protected Access (Pre-shared
  key)
• Use same password for all computers
• Preferred Choice
• WEP Wired equivalent privacy
• 64 or 128 bit encryption doesnt matter
• Enter Password converts to hex code
• Must enter hex code
• 2nd Choice (if WPA not supported)

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MAC Filtering

• MAC address Media Access Control address
• Unique ID permanently attached to each
  communication device by manufacturer hardware
  id
• Can find MAC address run ? cmd ? ipconfig/all
• Enter MAC addresses of acceptable network clients
• If address is not on filter list, access to
  network will be denied
• Very effective security method

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RECAPSteps to protect your wireless network

• Change the default password on your router
• 2. Enable WPA(PSK) or WEP on router and wireless
  workstation
• Use MAC address filtering
• SSID broadcast off
• Prohibit Peer-to-peer (Ad Hoc) networking
• 5. Keep current on hardware bios upgrades

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Print and File SharingOverview

• Print and File Sharing
• Useful, but Risky if all computers are not secure
• Setting up Network for Printer and File sharing
• Interface card
• Set Interface card to allow
• Each computer in network
• Make sure each computer is part of network
• Printer
• Make sure that Print sharing is allowed for
  printer
• Load appropriate print drivers on each computer
• Firewall Settings
• Reset network IP range to trusted zone
• Place files to share in Shared Documents folder

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Print and File SharingDetails (1)

• Be sure WLAN is working and secure
• Interface card
• Start ? connect to ? NIC or WLAN card ?
  properties
• Check File and Printer sharing on Microsoft
  Networks
• Repeat for all PCs on Network
• Printer
• Start ? Printers and Faxes ? shared printer
• Select properties ? sharing ? check share this
  Printer)

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Print and File SharingDetails (2)

• Firewall
• Be sure WLAN IPs are allowed in Firewall for all
  PCs
• Zone Alarm
• ? Firewall ? zones ? add ? IP range ? ltenter
  appropriate rangegt
• Network ID for each computer
• Under My Computer ? Properties ? Computer name
• Click Change and add WLAN name as Workgroup
• Shared Documents Folder for each computer
• Any files in the Shared Documents folder will be
  accessible from all computers

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Questions