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Setting up a secure wireless network with the ALLNET ALL0195





 



Open a web browser like internet explorer or Netscape. Enter the ip address of your router in the address bar of your browser. In the picture above the address bar has http://www.google.com in it. Just replace all of that with the ip address of your router. By default the ip address should be set to 192.168.1.100.




You should see a box prompting you for your username and password. Enter your username and password now. By default both the username and password are blank. Click the Ok button to log in to your router.




Click the Wireless button near the top of the page.




In the box called SSID put a name that you make up. You will need to remember this name because it will be used to connect to your wireless network. Do not make it obvious to guess, the network name should be difficult for your neighbors to guess. If you can not think of anything, simply use your first name.

In the box called Channel, pick a random channel number. Channels make it so that you and your neighbors can use your own wireless networks without interfering with each other. By picking a random channel you reduce the chance of your neighbor using the same channel as you.

When you are finished, click the Save button.

Click the Security button near the top of the page.




Put a checkmark in the Hide SSID checkbox.

Turn on the option called WEP.

Select 128 bit key from the WEP Key 1 drop down box.

Now you need to make up your network key. It doesn't matter what this key is, as long as it is random. A network key is a password that is 26 characters long, and made up of only the letters A,B,C,D,E,F and the numbers 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. If you are using 128 bit WEP, then your key must be exactly 26 characters long, and the more random it is, the better it is. Here is an example of a random 128 bit network key:

7F5B3FD23A8EC290AC682DF8FA

Once you have made up your key, write it down somewhere. You will need it at each computer that you are going to connect to your network.

Now put the key you made up in the box called WEP Key 1.

Select 1 from the WEP key to use drop down box.

Put a dot into the Open radio button.

When you're finished, click Save near the bottom of the screen to save your changes.

And that's it! You're done!

Wireless Filters

Now that you have secured your wireless network, you may want to check out our guides on how to setup some wireless filters. Filters will help keep people out of your network who are smart enough to figure out your wireless keys. Wireless filters are the final step in securing your network. A wireless filter guide for your router is located here.

Connecting to your Secure Wireless Network

You may want to read our guide on how to Configure Windows XP to connect to your wireless network.