WEP vs. Using MAC Filter for security question

[MrSnoobs]

Its reassuring to read people saying that MAC filtering is as secure as WEP. I have never been able to happily have WEP on my networks... but then I do buy cheap crappy routers...

 

[DelJo63]

use BOTH. the idea is to put as many barriers as possible for the creeps to fight with

 

[jonmcc33]

use BOTH. the idea is to put as many barriers as possible for the creeps to fight with

These are hardly barriers (WEP and MAC filtering). These are just speed bumps before they break into your network.

 

[DelJo63]

for those that know how, oh so true, but joe doe neighbor that can't manage GPOs
will never solve the combination.

after all, there IS a big difference in theory and practicality too.

you can never have too many speed bumps in the children's playground

 

[jonmcc33]

for those that know how, oh so true, but joe doe neighbor that can't manage GPOs
will never solve the combination.

after all, there's IS a big difference in theory and practicality too.

you can never have too many speed bumps in the children's playground

That's true. That's why you use WPA minimum and use Maximum WPA Security (63 characters/504 bits) here and you won't have to worry about MAC filtering or not broadcasting your SSID.

I wish anyone luck trying to crack that.

 

[buccaneere]

Hi
Well, doing the mac only thing will keep ppl out for a shorter period of time than if you ran the wep and mac thing. Tools are available (to tools that want to hack your stuff) that will make short work of unencrypted wifi traffic. If you live in a rural area this might not matter much as there's a reduced risk of being noticed and targeted. If you live in a urban area you will probably be noticed. And then there are tools such as the ones I know who like to drive through town with tools running in their laptops, conected to gps, so they can log the wifi ap's of an entire town and make a map showing all.

I DO live in a rural area. Zero stray traffic; that is, any traffic with more that 11 teeth (I know - they're probably techgurus crackpros)...

...so I'm not worried about my wireless gettin' hacked. I'm wantin' only to keep accidental logons from happnin'. I disabled my WPA-PSK, and entered MAC #'s for all 5 machines; 3 laptops, 2 dtops, Windows, Linux, and a partridge in a pear tree.

None of the wireless machines can keep a steady connection, without droppin' off. Before, it was only WPA, and no problems. MAC only, problems. MAC and WPA, no problems.

My router is a budget piece, so I need to reduce impedance from encryption, etc.

Why do I have problems with MAC-only filtering??? Do I need Flo-Max?

 

[DelJo63]

I disabled my WPA-PSK, and entered MAC #'s for all 5 machines; 3 laptops, 2 dtops, Windows, Linux, and a partridge in a pear tree.

that's a good start; I use MAC filtering too

None of the wireless machines can keep a steady connection, without droppin' off. Before, it was only WPA, and no problems. MAC only, problems. MAC and WPA, no problems.

My router is a budget piece, so I need to reduce impedance from encryption, etc.

Why do I have problems with MAC-only filtering??? Do I need Flo-Max?

hum; Mac filtering is trivial to implement so this IS puzzling. My Netgear does it well,
so which router/model are you using?

 

[buccaneere]

that's a good start; I use MAC filtering too
hum; Mac filtering is trivial to implement so this IS puzzling. My Netgear does it well,
so which router/model are you using?

Hey there jobeard...

The router is a Ehome EH100. $2 after all the rebates (which I NEVER got!!!).

I know I got it right, because for brief periods, it will stream some public radio content - MAC only. Even when connected wireless, the wireless icon is showing disconnection. ???

 

[rikkigrysko]

Hey there jobeard...

The router is a Ehome EH100. $2 after all the rebates (which I NEVER got!!!).

I know I got it right, because for brief periods, it will stream some public radio content - MAC only. Even when connected wireless, the wireless icon is showing disconnection. ???

try punching your computer really hard...