On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 08:27:37 -0400, Scot L. Harris <webid@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
On Tue, 2004-07-27 at 23:22, Price Technology wrote:
As promised, I have installed the MA301/MA401 wireless card in my
freshly installed FC2 box and it is working famously. (using it right
now in fact)
The only thing I haven't set up is encryption. I am using MAC address
access control, not broadcasting the SSID, etc. even switched away from
the default channel 11.
While I have set up encryption at all my customer's sites where the
Netgear MR814 in deployed, and had planned to do it here, I got curious.
Considering the other safeguards I've deployed, how important is
encryption?? Opinions please.
Thanks
Joebewan
Without encryption it would be very easy to look at all your packets
going over the wireless connection. This could include your pop3
passwords for your email access, text of your emails, etc.
They'd have to sniff the packets without being able to access the network
though.
Think of it as if you have locked your homes door but have the huge
picture window on the front of the house with the drapes pulled open.
Nobody can get in easily but they can see everything that is going on
inside.
Good analogy.
Of course if you are using WEP someone can still break the encryption
but they have to gather a couple of million interesting packets to do
so. Usually more trouble than it is worth for most casual hackers. But
encryption would keep your next door neighbors kid from getting
information you may not want them to have.
I guess I didn't consider the possibility of "promiscuous" sniffing. With
the MAC address restrictions and not broadcasting the SSID, I'd pretty
well have the neighbor's kid blocked out anyway.
Thanks for the input.
Joebewan
