Setting security

As mentioned previously in these documents, the initial set up of your wireless network can be easier without any security enabled. However, once you have the basic settings in place, you should enable the security to prevent unauthorized use of your computer systems.

Very good instructions for securing your network are available at Practically Networked: Secure Your Wireless Network.

The specific ways of doing the steps described in those instructions vary considerably between different brands of access points (APs) and CF cards so it will be impossible to provide precise steps for each brand/model. My best suggestion is to refer to your users guide or the manufacturer's website. I’ve added a few points here that I’ve discovered or have been pointed out by other people on the Aximsite forums and also have tried to explain what some of these steps mean. The bottom line is that, even with all the security features described here, someone with the know-how and desire can probably get into your network if you have a wireless system in place. But, the odds of someone doing it - especially when many of your neighbors’ systems are completely open - is slim.

The three simple, yet pretty effective ways to secure are

1. Change your network identification (SSID) and do not broadcast it or accept entry from systems not set with the same ID. [Note: some users have reported problems making a connection without the SSID broadcast. In some cases, once the initial connection has been made, the SSID broadcast could be turned off and the PPC was still able to connect.];
2. Set up WEP-encryption (see below) and
3. Use MAC filtering (also see below).

WEP encryption: WEP is an acronym for Wired Equivalent Privacy and is a way of putting information being sent from one part of your system (the AP or your PPC/computer) into a code before it is sent through the airwaves. Of course, once you’ve encoded your data, the receiving side needs to decode it. For this to work, both sender and receiver need to be using the same code. Most current WiFi equipment can handle 128-bit encryption in which the codes are created using 26 hexadecimal characters. You can make up your own 26-characters, but most WiFi equipment also can create these for you using a shorter, more typical password. Unfortunately, using the same password on equipment from different manufacturers does not necessarily create the same WEP key, thus completely disabling your wireless network. Therefore, I use a password to create the 26-character key on the AP and then I enter that key in the PPC's setup in hexidecimal format. If the equipment can use ascii passwords, you may be able to use the same one on multiple brands as long as you use the proper length (5 characters for 64-bit; 13 characters for 128-bit encryption).

With Window Mobile 2003, it may be necessary to set the WEP encryption in two locations - in the driver utility for your WiFi card and in the Windows Mobile 2003 connection settings. Check the user's manual for the way to enter the configuration settings in the driver utility. For the Windows Mobile 2003 settings, tap your Start Menu, select Settings, Connection (tab), Connections, Advanced (tab), select Network Card, Add New Settings..., enter a "Network name:", change "Connects to:" to Work. Select Authentication (tab), uncheck "The key is provided from me automatically" and enter your WEP key in hexidecimal format in the available "Network key:" space. Tap Ok to get back to your today page.

MAC Address-filtering: This is an acronym for Media Access Control, which is a hardware address that uniquely identifies each piece of equipment on your network. These are 12-digit series of numbers and letter that are assigned to your network equipment during manufacture and it is actually the CF card that has the number (not the PPC). Setting this protocol means your router/AP will only accept information from equipment with a proper number so if you have the router/AP set up for MAC-filtering, you need to add the CF card's MAC address to the router/AP’s management utility. Some of CF cards have the MAC printed on the card itself. If it's not there, look in the card’s setup utility on the PPC programs or settings for it.