WEP, WPA or MAC Filtering - Which is best

[Saaf_laandon_mo]

I currently have my Belkin router's security set to WPA. When trying to connect my Nintendo DS lite to the net I discovered that WPA security settings is not supported and I either have to switch it off or change to WEP or MAC Filtering.
I was under the impression that WPA is safer/better than WEP. Is this true? So why would Nintendo not support it. Ideally I dont want to go for MAC Filtering (it's a lot more rigid isnt it?) as it means other people wont be able to connect to my wireless when they bring their laptops round. Plus I dont want to go and get all the MAC addresses for 2 laptops and the numerous phones and hand held consoles we have at home.
Can someone show me the light as to what I should be doing.

[deadite66]

WEP is horribly broken, a few minutes and i can be on your ssytem and reading your data.
MAC filtering can easily be bypassed
WPA is the only secure way to go

[Saaf_laandon_mo]

Originally Posted by deadite66

WEP is horribly broken, a few minutes and i can be on your ssytem and reading your data.
MAC filtering can easily be bypassed
WPA is the only secure way to go

That's what I thought.... so how do I go about racing people on line on the DS at home? Do I have to change settings everytime I want to play?

[deadite66]

perhaps run 2 wifi routers, set one to WEP and plug it in as needed.

[sollp]

WPA, With MAC filtering as well.

[Toto]

As above posters, WPA is the preferred option, as long as your network enabled devices can handle it.

Use a strong long key (password/passphrase), something around 20 characters should be sufficient, and consider a regular key change, weekly if you can handle it.

MAC filtering can help, but has to be part of the overall solution, not the only solution. I know its a pain listing all the wireless devices, but it can help by adding tht extra security layer, and should be considered.

Also make sure your access to the router configuration system is password protected, and regularly change that also.

Oh, and on the subject of router configuration, turn off upnp, I'll drop in the reason why another time, I don't seem to have my usual bookmarks to wireless security.

EDIT: Got this one real quick

[Saaf_laandon_mo]

Originally Posted by Toto

As above posters, WPA is the preferred option, as long as your network enabled devices can handle it.

Use a strong long key (password/passphrase), something around 20 characters should be sufficient, and consider a regular key change, weekly if you can handle it.

MAC filtering can help, but has to be part of the overall solution, not the only solution. I know its a pain listing all the wireless devices, but it can help by adding tht extra security layer, and should be considered.

Also make sure your access to the router configuration system is password protected, and regularly change that also.

Oh, and on the subject of router configuration, turn off upnp, I'll drop in the reason why another time, I don't seem to have my usual bookmarks to wireless security.

So can I use MAC filtering in conjuntion with WPA. Does that mean that if a console/laptop is on the MAC filter list, it can connect to the router even if it doesnt have the WPA password? And those not on the list will connect via WPA (if they have the password)

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by Saaf_laandon_mo

That's what I thought.... so how do I go about racing people on line on the DS at home? Do I have to change settings everytime I want to play?

You could get the Nintendo WiFi dongle thing. It's basically a USB WiFi adaptor for your PC which uses a proprietary encryption method supported by the DS.

Instead of dropping the router's security down to the easily defeated WEP, so you can connect the DS to it, the DS wirelessly connects to the USB WiFi adaptor, which shares your PC's internet connection with the DS using ICS (Internet Connection Sharing).

[Toto]

Originally Posted by Saaf_laandon_mo

So can I use MAC filtering in conjuntion with WPA. Does that mean that if a console/laptop is on the MAC filter list, it can connect to the router even if it doesnt have the WPA password? And those not on the list will connect via WPA (if they have the password)

No, two layers of security

The connecting device must have its network MAC address added to the allowed list AND have the appropriate encryption protocol and passphrase.

Sorry, missed your point of the DS Lite, to be honest, if you care about security, don't downgrade your security protocol just for the DS lite, it honestly isn't worth it.

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by Matt D

You could get the Nintendo WiFi dongle thing...

Ah... perhaps not.

Bit of hunting for it found the Wikipedia entry, which says that Nintendo have actually discontinued it, plus it was apparently a right pain to set up & was incompatible with some software firewalls such as ZoneAlarm.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintend..._USB_Connector

[Toto]

Originally Posted by Matt D

You could get the Nintendo WiFi dongle thing. It's basically a USB WiFi adaptor for your PC which uses a proprietary encryption method supported by the DS.

Instead of dropping the router's security down to the easily defeated WEP, so you can connect the DS to it, the DS wirelessly connects to the USB WiFi adaptor, which shares your PC's internet connection with the DS using ICS (Internet Connection Sharing).

Hmmmm, didn't think about that option.

I'll not be telling that to the missus.

[Saaf_laandon_mo]

Originally Posted by Matt D

You could get the Nintendo WiFi dongle thing. It's basically a USB WiFi adaptor for your PC which uses a proprietary encryption method supported by the DS.

Instead of dropping the router's security down to the easily defeated WEP, so you can connect the DS to it, the DS wirelessly connects to the USB WiFi adaptor, which shares your PC's internet connection with the DS using ICS (Internet Connection Sharing).

Thanks Matt, I didnt think of that, mainly because I was hoping not to spend more money than I have to.

If my router had a USB slot in it could I plug the dongle into that? I am looking to upgrade my router anyway and was wondering if this would be possible. The reason I ask is that we dont have a desktop connected to the router, just use laptops in the house. Also I'm assuming the PC would have to be on?

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Saaf_laandon_mo

Thanks Matt, I didnt think of that, mainly because I was hoping not to spend more money than I have to.

If my router had a USB slot in it could I plug the dongle into that? I am looking to upgrade my router anyway and was wondering if this would be possible. The reason I ask is that we dont have a desktop connected to the router, just use laptops in the house. Also I'm assuming the PC would have to be on?

A 'cheap' set of homeplug adapters would do the trick as well (I'm assuming the DS has ethernet). One homeplug plugs into the router, the other into the DS

http://www.ebuyer.com/search?page=3&...vancy&limit=10

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by Toto

Hmmmm, didn't think about that option.

I'll not be telling that to the missus.

Originally Posted by Saaf_laandon_mo

Thanks Matt, I didnt think of that, mainly because I was hoping not to spend more money than I have to.

If my router had a USB slot in it could I plug the dongle into that? I am looking to upgrade my router anyway and was wondering if this would be possible. The reason I ask is that we dont have a desktop connected to the router, just use laptops in the house. Also I'm assuming the PC would have to be on?

Unfortunately, as I posted in my update, it seems it's been discontinued.

I suppose you may be able to find one somewhere though.

You couldn't plug it into the router - it would have to connect to a PC (desktop or laptop), and the PC would have to be running to share its own connection with the DS.

Originally Posted by danielf

A 'cheap' set of homeplug adapters would do the trick as well (I'm assuming the DS has ethernet). One homeplug plugs into the router, the other into the DS

http://www.ebuyer.com/search?page=3&...vancy&limit=10

No ethernet on the DS - just WiFi with obsolete WEP (& the proprietary encryption for a dongle that has been discontinued).

[MadGamer]

Originally Posted by sollp

WPA, With MAC filtering as well.

Ditto I use a combination of WPA/MAC Filtering as well.