Wifi or Modem More Private & Secure

[gawguy]

Maybe this sounds like a dumb question, but I have the option to use encrypted wifi (128 bit I think) or I can plug in my phone line when I do private business. I suppose that is not encrypted.

 

So, I guess the question is this:

Is encrypted wifi that "floating around out there" more secure than a telephone line connection?"

 

Thanks,

GG

[carlton68]

Hi,

 

when you are that near to the telefone socket that you may use a telefone cable and dial-up, why don't you just use a wired Lan connection?

When you say you encrypt your wireless Lan with 128bit I guess you're still using WEP encryption. WEP can be broken. Check if your access point/router and client are capable of WAP/WAP2 and use this.

When you intend to use wireless Lan over hotspots google for 'man in the middle'.

 

The bigger threat is not someone tapping your connection but being victim to phishing attempts. Because it goes for the weakest target - the user. Regardless what's your connection.

 

 

[Guest]

More to the point why do you need encryption?

 

Wifi is by it's very nature not secure...but then you'd need to have someone wanting to spend the time to intercept your data and who is going to do that? Unless you are in a high risk area or being watched for some reason or engaging in an activity that requires you to be secure, because others might be interested.

 

If you use microshit software and connect to any network you are automatically taking a risk. It's a given.

[carlton68]

Well,

 

while it's almost impossible to be 100 percent secure you want to make it difficult for others to harm you when using the computer. And using WPA encryption is f...ing difficult to break. As far as I know it hasn't been broken yet.

 

My Wlan is encrypted (WPA) not because I'm scared of someone tapping on the airwaves. My Wlan is encrypted because:

- I don't want everyone to use it and possibly get me in trouble. My landlord surfs over my Wlan. I set up his computer for him, he doesn't know the key and doesn't need to know.

- much easier to break into a computer over the local network (e.g. all computers connected to a router with unsecured Wlan) than over the internet. Therefore I restrict connection to my local network.

- airwaves go through walls and across the street. You trust (or even know) all those people? 99.9 percent would only connect out of curiosity or to check on the weather, news and newest porn. No problemo.

- make me a hard target so wanna-be hackers go somewhere else. While there's always a risk when turning on a computer I don't have to invite trouble. Still, highest risk is surfing without turning on the brain.

[gawguy]

First, my reason for wanting security is so that I can work with my online accounts. I don't want anyone keylogging or capturing passwords. If they did, and they had enough information, they could transfer funds out of my account into a dummy account.

 

I live in a neighborhood where there are a lot of smart people on wifi. As you say, I don't know who they are or what they might want.

 

Hi,

 

when you are that near to the telefone socket that you may use a telefone cable and dial-up, why don't you just use a wired Lan connection?

 

 

I don't have access to the router. It is controlled by my roommate who lets me use it. The wire and router are in his room. I trust him completely.

 

 

When you say you encrypt your wireless Lan with 128bit I guess you're still using WEP encryption. WEP can be broken. Check if your access point/router and client are capable of WAP/WAP2 and use this.

 

 

Well..I run Win XP and Win2k on my laptops. Do they do WAP/Wap2 ?? Maybe not. I could ask about the router if I find I have the capability in my laptops, but I don't think so?

 

Conclusion so far???

I think what I'm hearing is that the phone line is more secure.

 

Thanks for the replies,

GG

[carlton68]

Win XP supports WPA/WPA2 and I think Win2k does support WPA/WPA2 as well.

The question is if your hardware, your Wlan network interface, supports WPA. Rule of thumb: most 11b (11mbps) adapters do not support WPA, most 11g (54mbps) adapters do. And does your roommates router support WPA? Best ask him, he maybe can help you with the configuration. The encryption settings must be accordingly on the router and the clients.

 

Keyloggers intercept the keys pressed and they are hiding on the computer. They do their job regardless what connection you're using.

And people listening to your wireless connection will not get much info about your online accounts. Online banking usually creates a secure connection between you and the banks server. So even if someone can listen to your airwaves he can't make sense out of the data exchanged between you and your bank.

If you ask me, no need to go back to dial-up for your online banking.