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If I can't see any others' than my own under "Available Networks" in
Wireless Network Connections, does this necessarily mean that there is no
one in my physical neighborhood who is within range to pick up my wifi
broadcast? If not, how is there more powerful equipment or software that
would allow them to pick up my signal?

My signal is WPA encrypted, but there was a period of a few weeks when it
was unintentionally left open due to some difficulties with my Linksys
router.

Any general suggestions to improve wireless security?

"rabbit" <> wrote in message
news:Xns97307C9A8E88FMyemailaddressnet@66.150.105. 131...
> If I can't see any others' than my own under "Available Networks" in
> Wireless Network Connections, does this necessarily mean that there is no
> one in my physical neighborhood who is within range to pick up my wifi
> broadcast? If not, how is there more powerful equipment or software that
> would allow them to pick up my signal?

You ever hear of War Driving? You can look it up using Google.

>
> My signal is WPA encrypted, but there was a period of a few weeks when it
> was unintentionally left open due to some difficulties with my Linksys
> router.
>
> Any general suggestions to improve wireless security?

Some other basics

http://netsecurity.about.com/cs/wire...aa112203_2.htm

Duane

"Duane Arnold" <> wrote in
news:Q_gpf.5998$ ink.net:

>
> "rabbit" <> wrote in message
> news:Xns97307C9A8E88FMyemailaddressnet@66.150.105. 131...
>> If I can't see any others' than my own under "Available Networks" in
>> Wireless Network Connections, does this necessarily mean that there
>> is no one in my physical neighborhood who is within range to pick up
>> my wifi broadcast? If not, how is there more powerful equipment or
>> software that would allow them to pick up my signal?
>
> You ever hear of War Driving? You can look it up using Google.

Duane,

I've read about it, but not so much as a security threat as a way to get
free connectivity. If they're surfing on someone else's dime, does that
mean these "wardrivers" can connect to the host's hard drive, provided the
host does not have file and printer sharing enabled?

Thanks.









> Some other basics
>
> http://netsecurity.about.com/cs/wire...aa112203_2.htm
>
> Duane

"rabbit" <> wrote in message
news:Xns9730C10516ECCMyemailaddressnet@66.150.105. 131...
> "Duane Arnold" <> wrote in
> news:Q_gpf.5998$ ink.net:
>
>>
>> "rabbit" <> wrote in message
>> news:Xns97307C9A8E88FMyemailaddressnet@66.150.105. 131...
>>> If I can't see any others' than my own under "Available Networks" in
>>> Wireless Network Connections, does this necessarily mean that there
>>> is no one in my physical neighborhood who is within range to pick up
>>> my wifi broadcast? If not, how is there more powerful equipment or
>>> software that would allow them to pick up my signal?
>>
>> You ever hear of War Driving? You can look it up using Google.
>
> Duane,
>
> I've read about it, but not so much as a security threat as a way to get
> free connectivity. If they're surfing on someone else's dime, does that
> mean these "wardrivers" can connect to the host's hard drive, provided the
> host does not have file and printer sharing enabled?
>

You don't have F & P sharing active on the machine, then they cannot access
it that I know about.

But just having someone access your wireless setup such as a gateway router
is a secuirty risk in the fact that they can use your setup as a jumping off
point to attack other machines and networks on the Internet leaving you
holding the bag as it's tracked back to you.

Duane

rabbit wrote:
> "Duane Arnold" <> wrote in
> news:Q_gpf.5998$ ink.net:
>
>
>>"rabbit" <> wrote in message
>>news:Xns97307C9A8E88FMyemailaddressnet@66.150.10 5.131...
>>
>>>If I can't see any others' than my own under "Available Networks" in
>>>Wireless Network Connections, does this necessarily mean that there
>>>is no one in my physical neighborhood who is within range to pick up
>>>my wifi broadcast? If not, how is there more powerful equipment or
>>>software that would allow them to pick up my signal?
>>
>>You ever hear of War Driving? You can look it up using Google.
>
>
> Duane,
>
> I've read about it, but not so much as a security threat as a way to get
> free connectivity. If they're surfing on someone else's dime, does that
> mean these "wardrivers" can connect to the host's hard drive, provided the
> host does not have file and printer sharing enabled?
>
> Thanks.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>>Some other basics
>>
>>http://netsecurity.about.com/cs/wire...aa112203_2.htm
>>
>>Duane

As far as getting in to your hard drive with out sharing turned on it
would stop most people but if a good hacker is inside your network via
open wifi he would have a good shot at it.

As to your OP even if you can not see another network does not mean it
is not there if all you are using is Windows built in finder. If they
have just turned off broadcasting SSID that would fool windows. You can
get better apps check for other wifi.

http://www.grc.com/securitynow.htm Here is link to a podcast that can
tell you a lot about security some of the back issues are all about wifi.

In article <Xns97307C9A8E88FMyemailaddressnet@66.150.105.131> , rabbit
<> wrote:

> If I can't see any others' than my own under "Available Networks" in
> Wireless Network Connections, does this necessarily mean that there is no
> one in my physical neighborhood who is within range to pick up my wifi
> broadcast? If not, how is there more powerful equipment or software that
> would allow them to pick up my signal?

They could boost the signal, sure -- but I don't see any reason you'd
see their machine listed just because they can see your signal. They
can receive, and boost, and report your location to other users.
The list of networks available does not mean that there aren't many
machines connecting and using it. It doesn't even mean there are no
other networks.

I, too, don't know how much they'd have to go through to access your
machine. but you are at least using security now.

rabbit wrote:
> If I can't see any others' than my own under "Available Networks" in
> Wireless Network Connections, does this necessarily mean that there is no
> one in my physical neighborhood who is within range to pick up my wifi
> broadcast? If not, how is there more powerful equipment or software that
> would allow them to pick up my signal?
>
> My signal is WPA encrypted, but there was a period of a few weeks when it
> was unintentionally left open due to some difficulties with my Linksys
> router.
>
> Any general suggestions to improve wireless security?

"Available networks" says next to nothing about how many computers are
within range of your network. It just shows how many networks with SSID
broadcast you are within range of.

Wireless clients (common PC workstations) do not proclaim their
existence unless they're set up with wireless p2p networking (also known
as ad-hoc WLANs), so you won't see them.

Wireless base stations (=access points) can be set up to not broadcast
the SSID (=network name) too, in which case you'd have to know the SSID
in order to connect.

WPA encrypts the network traffic, making it difficult for unauthorized
clients both to connect and to eavesdrop. (WEP does the same, but is not
as hard to crack. Use only if you have equipment without WPA support.)

MAC address filtering makes unauthorized connections even harder.

These protection schemes rely on static data, shared between access
point and client computer. This is easily manageable in most home
networks, but in a larger environment (>10-15 clients and 3 access
points) some centrally managed password protection scheme is better
(most access points have RADIUS support). While more work is required to
set it up, day to day management is much easier.

Additionally, disable SSID broadcast on the base station, if possible.