Alternative Wireless Connection

[Fred S *****]

Hi,

I have a Windows 7 desktop and a Win 7 laptop connected to a router
using cable internet service.

I have a Home Network which works fine. My network is setup with the
desktop using a Cat5 cable and the LT uses a Wireless "N" connection
with WPA/PSK Key security enabled.

I also have MAC address Access List set to ON - System seems secure.

I have saved these settings using the router's config program and can
easily restore it when needed.

I would like to create another setup, with much lower security, perhaps
a WEP config and the option to use Wireless G & N to accommodate
visitors and/or family members using their own laptops.

Can I just create a whole new configuration, assign a new SSID for it,
and save that setup and then switch over to it when needed for say a
weekend or so?

IF so, what if any precautions are needed?
Do I have to do anything with my current network and a mapped drive?

I'm not worried about not having my network drive available during this
time but I don't want to mess it up either.

Another possibility would be to change the security settings and add
wireless "G: for the current configuration, then do it all over again to
get back.

Please advise and any comments/help are appreciated.

Fred

 

[Jack [MVP-Networking]]

Hi
MAC filter is Not really a security feature it is much lower the WEP. WEP is
Not very secure these days either.
At the basic you have to use WPA. http://www.ezlan.net/wlan_secure.html
Instead of the shaky concoction that you plan it is much better to get a
second Wireless Router.
For your purpose you can find a simple one for $30 or less.
Configure it like this, http://www.ezlan.net/shield.html
Put your Wireless Router and Network as the secondary Network and secure the
Wireless with WPA or WPA2.
The first Network Wireless you can secure with WPA (so that leeches would
not use your connection).
When friends come give them the password. It takes a minute to change it
when ever you feel like there after.
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking).

 

[Fred S *****]

Jack,

Thanks for your suggestion but I don't want to get another router - I
really like my setup as it is now.

I agree WEP is not secure and I can use WPA or WPA2 BUT I need to know
if my original plan will work as a temporary configuration.

I will save my current settings (SSID, Sec codes, channel, etc etc.)
using the built in utility for save and restore.

I want to create a NEW SSID, different channel (or not?), change my
wireless from "N" to "G and N" and whatever else needed for my
daughter's netbook (does not have "N") and maybe not WPA2.

The idea is to switch to that when she arrives, then after she leaves,
restore my original setup.

My questions are;

Will this work?
Will my network and shared//mapped drive still behave the same under
BOTH setups?

Thanks, Fred


Then I will save that setup

 

[ybS2okj]

Fred,

You are making things more complicated than they actually are. There is no
point in creating a new SSID or even to buy a new router. You should use
only one WPA2 key and when your friends come to your place, you should give
them that key to use on their laptop. Inserting a WPA2 key by your friends
is not difficult at all as long as they can see your Wireless on their
system. If they can see your wireless (this is when you have allowed your
router to broadcast the SSID), they should select it for connection and they
will get a prompt to enter the key. It is as simple as that.

If you don't trust your friends with the key then clearly you shouldn't
allow them to use your wireless connection at all no matter whether it is
the same SSID or not. You will always be tracked down by the IP address -
not by your SSID.

What exactly is the reason to have such a complicated arrangements?

hth

 

[Fred S *****]

hth,

Thanks for your comments but I like my current setup the way it is - it
is fairly secure and works great. I have a mapped network drive and a
shared printer - everything works great.

My daughter has a Netbook, which only uses wireless "b" or "G" and not
"N" which (SEE original post) is what I have now and want to keep. Also,
my daughter's LT doesn't have WPA2 either. She cannot connect as it is now.

It's not a matter of trust at all, it's for her convenience so that she
can use the wireless connection. Right now, I simply hook up an extra
Cat5 cable for her to connect but she is locked to that wire.

I don't want my regular connection to have both "G" and "N" enabled, I
don't want a lower security setting to accommodate her machine except
when she visits. When she leaves, I want to go back to my "good setup."

The router software lets you save and restore a configuration, so the
idea is to make two of them and then simply restore the one I want
whenever I want. It would be fast and efficient if it works.

So that's what this is all about - I think it should work but I don't
know and that's why I'm asking here.

I need to know if I can create the second setup, use it with my own LT
and have my daughter use it too. Be able to still use my shared drive
and shared printer as before on BOTH setups. THEN, after she leaves,
restore back to my original setup with "N" only and better security.

Hope this helps you see what I want to do.

Fred

 

[ybS2okj]

My replies are inline;

hth,

My daughter has a Netbook, which only uses wireless "b" or "G" and not "N"
which (SEE original post) is what I have now and want to keep. Also, my
daughter's LT doesn't have WPA2 either. She cannot connect as it is now.

It doesn't matter at all what she has. Her wireless card will work with "N"
router because router will be backwards compatible. Also, if she has SP2
(minimum requirement) on her Windows XP then SHE HAS WPA2 because this was

I don't want my regular connection to have both "G" and "N" enabled, I
don't want a lower security setting to accommodate her machine except when
she visits. When she leaves, I want to go back to my "good setup."

Your regualr connection has already got Both "G" and "N" enabled because
your router is backward compatible. Your setup will remain as it is except
that she will have a key on her laptop until you decide to change again.
You have said you don't want to change so there is no problem here.

The router software lets you save and restore a configuration, so the idea
is to make two of them and then simply restore the one I want whenever I
want. It would be fast and efficient if it works.

It is very bad policy to constantly meddle with routers because you are
likely to forget the security issues and then you will be f***ed up. Leave
the router as it is; it is not something you keep changing all the time.

So that's what this is all about - I think it should work but I don't know
and that's why I'm asking here.

No it can't work. A router can have only one SSID and related credentials
going with it. You can't store two SSIDs in the router; It is not possible
unless something new comes out but it is unlikely because routers are left
alone; They are not something you keep changing like you change your
clothes after every shower.

I need to know if I can create the second setup, use it with my own LT and
have my daughter use it too. Be able to still use my shared drive and
shared printer as before on BOTH setups. THEN, after she leaves, restore
back to my original setup with "N" only and better security.

No you can't automatically but you can do it manually like the one you have
already set it up on your current system.

 

[Fred S *****]

hth,

Thanks again, but ...

My router is a Belkin Wireless "N" router and I have the settings set
for broadcasting "N" only - there are options for "N" and "G" and "B"
but mine is set for only "N" - PW or not, you can't connect to it unless
you have "N" and the security code.

I'm not talking about two setups saved in the ROUTER. My configuration
has a BACKUP feature that lets me "save" ALL my settings to my HDD. I
can later restore those settings using the RESTORE feature. The settings
are in a folder on my PC - not in the router. I can have as many
configurations (backed up) as I want and restore the desired one at any
time. Which is why I would like to do this.

I would do this manually - I hope I didn't imply automation for this. I
just want to change to a new setup five minutes before she wants to use
her computer. Then, a few days later, five minutes after she leaves, I
want to restore my other setup. Just a simple restore (with saved
setting from my HDD) on my router.

Rather than pursue that stuff, I know I can backup and restore different
settings - done it before. Can you advise if my network (PC Names,
shared and mapped drive, and shared printer) would be messed up with a
different setup? That's what I've not done before.

Fred

 

[Fred S *****]

Thanks to everyone who tried to assist.

I decided to just go forward with my plan and it works great!

I backed up (saved) my current setup which has very good security, is
set for Wireless "N" ONLY and Channel 11, WPA\WPA2 PW key, etc. etc.

I put a copy of this config in my Data\Network\Wireless\CURRENT folder.

NEXT - I created a NEW config by changing a number of settings - set a
new SSID, set Wireless 11b,g, and N, switched to channel 6, WPA PW key
(different key from above) etc. etc.

Saved (backup) this NEW config to the "Current folder" too.

Turned on my Laptop, LT found the NEW network, I connected to the NEW
one and checked the connect automatically box. My existing network is
already on the automatically connect listing. I set the order as desired.

Under each setup, my system network is fine, shared drives (mapped) and
a shared printer are there and work fine as intended.

All I need to do to use a changed wireless configuration is run my
router config link in my browser and login to the software, then RESTORE
the setup I want, hit apply and then logout. Takes less than a minute
and I have a completely different wireless configuration, both of which
are secure and solid.

Once again, thanks,

Fred

 

[Lem]

Almost correct.

Wireless-N routers *are* compatible with Wireless-B and Wireless-G *but*
you must make sure that that you configure the router to enable that
functionality. For example, a typical Wireless-N router may be
configured as N, G, and B, B and G, N only, G only, or B only.

WPA2 capability depends on *both* software *and* hardware. Windows XP
added WPA2 software capability with update KB 893357 for Service Pack 2
(this update was included in Service Pack 3). If the netbook has SP3 or
SP2 plus KB 893357 and still can't access a WPA2 network, it's likely
that the wifi adapter hardware doesn't support it, although it's
possible that a firmware/driver update could add that capability. Some
older wifi adapters that can't do WPA2 may be able to use WPA-PSK (AES),
which is pretty much the same as WPA2 in terms of crackability. I have
a Linksys Wireless-G PC-Card that almost certainly antedates your
netbook and it implements WPA (AES) (but not WPA2).

 

[Fred S *****]

Lem,

Thanks for your comments. I thought this was the case as my daughter
could not log on to my wireless connection as it was.

Hence, the reason for my Alternative Connection for temporary usage
during visits.

Creating backups of my original and the alternate configurations gives
me a fast and efficient way of enabling a connection for her when needed.

Fred