Master
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5.7K Messages
How secure is our wireless network connection?
As I was checking the signal strength of my home wireless network here in our living room.....I noticed that there were 14 other two-wire wireless routers on the list with signal strengths ranging from one bar to three or four bars. Obviously my neighbors. Mine was, of course, the strongest at 5 bars. Supposedly all of our 2-wire residential gateways are protected by a built-in firewall....plus we have firewalls installed in our operating systems. In my case that is Microsoft Security Essentials and Windows 7. ALSO I noticed one weak signaled unsecured network on the list. All this begs the question in my mind.....just how secure are we? Are these firewalls truly inpenetrable? I admit I've never been aware of anyone hacking into my home network from outside. But then I wouldn't know about it would I?
I just thought I'd throw this out for any discussion and maybe some authoritative advice from some of you who are "in-the-know" on the subject. Anyone?
Phil
The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples' money.
.......Margaret Thatcher
.......Margaret Thatcher
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Official Solution
nwrickert
Scholar
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218 Messages
13 years ago
There are different kinds of security.
Your 2Wire use WPA security (encryption) on the Wireless LAN (unless you have changed it). That should be sufficient protection to keep others out of your LAN.
The firewall is more for protecting you from attacks coming over the wire (such as from half way around the world). It should provide adequate protection.
There's nothing to lose any sleep over.
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txnroger
Scholar
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277 Messages
13 years ago
nwrickert you are absolutely correct. great answer!
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trparky
Guru
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594 Messages
13 years ago
Most of the time, if your wireless connection is encrypted (preferably with WPA but even WEP works), most people who are looking for free Internet are going to simply pass you by for trying to get into your network is going to be a complete waste of their time.
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