Wireless drop out

[timskemp]

Dect phones work on the same frequency and may well be causing you problems. My advice is to move the dect phone and base station further away and also to change the channel of your Router.

Since when?

802.11b/g is 2.4GHz band, 802.11a is 5.4GHz band. Dect is 1.9GHz in the EU.

 

[Sp!ke]

OK, not all work on exactly the same band (some imported handsets work on 2.4GHz) but they are all on microwave frequencies and close enough to cause interference.

We see the problem quite regularly.

 

[Rory]

Here's an interesting article on the subject.
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article2872726.ece

So that confirms that hardly anyone has been caught and none of them were attempting to steal bank details etc.

The Police say they're worried that might happen, but before the Lottery started here they were worried that Lottery winners kids would be kidnapped and held to ransom. Did that put people off doing the lottery?

There is a school of thought that all wifi access points should be open to allow free access. You (and others) talk about it as if logging on to someone else's wireless network immediately gives access to the owners whole life.

As you know, it doesn't work like that. The router doesn't broadcast all your information, a hacker would have to intercept the transmission between a client and a host which is not a trivial task. The porn download is a more real issue, but if the Police investigated, they'd find nothing illegal on it and then there's nowhere for them to go. The prosecutions in that area have all been to do with people who paid to download, and some of those went wrong as the credit card used turned out to have been cloned.

 

[Benzowner]

Another interesting read My daughter had a similar problem with the wireless dropping out, even with a 100% signal. It appeared to be the card antennae that slid into the laptop. When we connected a belking wired antenna to a usb port, all worked fine. I know technology has moved on, but with one laptop working and the other not, preumably in the same room, it look as though the receiving antenna may be u.s.

Oh, and my take on internet fraud, media driven as was the milennium bug. There are probably as many purchases over the telephone giving card details which is more open to fraud than internet operation. If you give your card when purchasing anything, the retailer has your full card number on his copy, a quick look at the three digit number on the back of the card whilst verifying your signature and he can then buy lots of things on line cardholder not present, and have them delivered to whatever adress he or she likes. It happens, but...............so does sh1t. Be careful but not paranoid.

 

[timskemp]

OK, not all work on exactly the same band (some imported handsets work on 2.4GHz) but they are all on microwave frequencies and close enough to cause interference.

We see the problem quite regularly.

Interesting - I've noticed lots of 2.4GHz phones, but I'm slowly moving all my client's installs to dual band APs anyway where they insist on wireless (I'm on wireless now) mainly because of interference with them horrid wireless mice and keyboards (I'm using a bluetooth mouse now too... it goes horrid when you transfer big files on an 11g network)

 

[columb]

So that confirms that hardly anyone has been caught and none of them were attempting to steal bank details etc.

The Police say they're worried that might happen, but before the Lottery started here they were worried that Lottery winners kids would be kidnapped and held to ransom. Did that put people off doing the lottery?

There is a school of thought that all wifi access points should be open to allow free access. You (and others) talk about it as if logging on to someone else's wireless network immediately gives access to the owners whole life.

As you know, it doesn't work like that. The router doesn't broadcast all your information, a hacker would have to intercept the transmission between a client and a host which is not a trivial task. The porn download is a more real issue, but if the Police investigated, they'd find nothing illegal on it and then there's nowhere for them to go. The prosecutions in that area have all been to do with people who paid to download, and some of those went wrong as the credit card used turned out to have been cloned.

Rory,

Check how much time off from life you will get for pictures containing paedophile on your laptop/downloaded from your broadband.

Try to explain that it wasn't you...

Cheers
Chris

 

[columb]

As you know, it doesn't work like that. The router doesn't broadcast all your information, a hacker would have to intercept the transmission between a client and a host which is not a trivial task. The porn download is a more real issue, but if the Police investigated, they'd find nothing illegal on it and then there's nowhere for them to go. The prosecutions in that area have all been to do with people who paid to download, and some of those went wrong as the credit card used turned out to have been cloned.

http://www.wireshark.org/
and check google for cain

You might be surprised


Cheers
Chris

 

[Sp!ke]

The encryption on wireless keyboards is very weak. Data between the wireless keyboard and PC easily intercepted and all key presses including passwords logged using simple software on mobile devices.

Nought better than a cable in my view.

 

[SimonsMerc]

This is not in dispute, every security agency worldwide has been warning of this for a long time. The IT press likewise. Look at what goes on at Defcon or similar and it makes for scary reading.

Web2.0 security is so flawed that all a hacker needs is to intercept a cookie and they can directly open your password protected webpages, email or even this forum.

Download the flash file below for a rather irritatingly narrated but informative video of how easy it is and what can be done. Its five minutes or so but well worth watching to get an idea of the ease it is done. You really dont need to be a geeky wizzkid hacker to do this. Your local hoodie in his Nova is more than capable of this kind of activity. He can make more money than he can dream of by robbing post offices and the likelihood is he'll never get caught.

Right Click - Save As

How many of you are using a wireless keyboard? My advice.... dont

Security is all about balance. Nothing is totally secure unless it is physically locked down but having an insecure wifi network is like leaving your precious car with the keys in the ignition and leaving a big sign on the windscreen saying take me. Why make it easy for them, its not exactly hard to set things up properly?

Be careful out there.

Spike, your link is to c:\Documents and Settings\Home\Desktop\over_shoulder.swf ;-)

-simon

 

[Sp!ke]

The world is on fire with people doing this stuff. There are heaps of forums dedicated to hacking into wireless networks and getting banking data and credit card data from people like you who cant be bothered to spend 5 minutes securing their network.

Remember the big TKMax credit card data loss not so long ago? This was from hackers breaching weak wireless security in a branch and gaining access to data.

But its not just big businesses they are after. They need people like you to leave your open wireless networks so they can anonomously do their dirty work and while they are there, hell they may as well grab your info too.

As for giving out my credit card number over the phone... I stopped doing that a long time ago as its simply not safe to do. I either pay in person or I pay online through a secure server. I never give out my card details to a stranger over the phone or worse still by email.

Did you look up your connection on Wigle? Was it listed yet? If not, it will be soon and then, everyone worldwide knows they can park near your house and have unrestricted access to your network.

I really dont understand your reluctance to implement some security?

 

[Sp!ke]

Spike, your link is to c:\Documents and Settings\Home\Desktop\over_shoulder.swf ;-)

-simon

LOL... Best change that then

Done, link should now work. Goes to show no-one bothered to look at it - hey Rory....

 

[Rory]

As for giving out my credit card number over the phone... I stopped doing that a long time ago as its simply not safe to do. I either pay in person or I pay online through a secure server. I never give out my card details to a stranger over the phone or worse still by email.

Up to you, of course, but that would interfere with my life. Where do you draw the line - How secure if the secure server?

Did you look up your connection on Wigle? Was it listed yet? If not, it will be soon and then, everyone worldwide knows they can park near your house and have unrestricted access to your network.

I did look - in my area it's ridiculous - there are no hits in my village or the bigger village nearby, but there are along the road between them, even though there are no houses on the road!

I really dont understand your reluctance to implement some security?

I'm not reluctant, as long as it doesn't interfere with the easy operation of the network. I said remove it to test for a while. If I thought there was a real threat I'd use the cat5 I wired my house with a few years ago (I'm connected to it while at my desk) but wireless is that bit more flexible.

 

[Sp!ke]

If I thought there was a real threat I'd use the cat5 I wired my house with a few years ago (I'm connected to it while at my desk) but wireless is that bit more flexible.

Guess what... I wired up my house with Cat5 and don't use wireless.

 

[columb]

Guess what... I wired up my house with Cat5 and don't use wireless.

Welcome to the club.

Cheers
Chris

 

[timskemp]

The world is on fire with people doing this stuff. There are heaps of forums dedicated to hacking into wireless networks and getting banking data and credit card data from people like you who cant be bothered to spend 5 minutes securing their network.

Remember the big TKMax credit card data loss not so long ago? This was from hackers breaching weak wireless security in a branch and gaining access to data.

If you've ever read the requirements for new credit card information storage contracts that was a breach of those requirements.

But its not just big businesses they are after. They need people like you to leave your open wireless networks so they can anonomously do their dirty work and while they are there, hell they may as well grab your info too.

As for giving out my credit card number over the phone... I stopped doing that a long time ago as its simply not safe to do. I either pay in person or I pay online through a secure server. I never give out my card details to a stranger over the phone or worse still by email.

Have you got a tin foil hat too? After all, with the new, lower security chip and pin service maybe you should stop using plastic face to face and go back to getting cash over the counter at the bank for your needs. Secure server?? Just because the connection between their server and your browser is tunnelled doesn't mean they don't just print it out at the other end, or store it in a plain text file on an open wireless network...

Did you look up your connection on Wigle? Was it listed yet? If not, it will be soon and then, everyone worldwide knows they can park near your house and have unrestricted access to your network.

As there's only just enough spaces for residents cars around here I doubt that

I really dont understand your reluctance to implement some security?

No one is reluctant to implement security, it needs to go beyond the connection though. Simple rule though is that anything sensitive needs at least wired networking, and if it must be wireless needs to be as secure as possible. All the suggestion were to assist in diagnosing a connection fault.

 

[timskemp]

LOL... Best change that then

Done, link should now work. Goes to show no-one bothered to look at it - hey Rory....

In the same way that no-one has bothered to infiltrate most wireless networks out there.

 

[Sp!ke]

Personally, in an ordinary domestic environment, the lack of wireless security doesn't bother me.

It is Rorys advice to turn off security coupled with this statement that needed to be put in check.

As for buying using a secure server online... A secure server being a specialist processing centre such as secpay where your card details are never passed on to the company you purchase from, just the funds.

I have no problem and few constraints in never giving my card number out on the phone. There are always alternate means to pay. Worst case, you use a top up credit card.

 

[Rory]

It is Rorys advice to turn off security coupled with this statement that needed to be put in check.

I did say "personally" - everyone else is perfectly free to take whatever precautions they wish.

It does make me laugh when people go to the extent with cards etc that you do - my security is that Mrs Rory and I keep 4 cards in regular use, so if, as happened twice last year, they get fradulently used, then we have others to use while they're being replaced. The card I use for all "not present" purchases (as it offers a specific guarantee for online purchases) was one of the cards that didn't get cloned.