Does WEP's insecurity affect wired connections?

minckster

minckster

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I have a wireless router that uses WEP security for the wireless connection. I'm wondering if WEP's security issues could somehow make the wired connections from the same router insecure. For example, could someone sniff the password to gain access to the router and from there to my Mac?

What does WEP's insecurity allow unscrupulous people to do? Just read the traffic between the TiVo and router? Or something more than that?

TiVo supports only WEP encryption, so I have to use it. My Mac and PC are both connected to the same router with ethernet cables.

Also, can I do more to secure the wireless connection? Here's what I've done: Diable SSID broadcast, Restrict access to only the TiVo's and Mac's MAC addresses, and Set the WEP password to 128-bit 26 hex digits. AirPort is almost always off on the Mac.
 
Well, if they are able to crack your WEP encryption, then they could basically associate to your wifi network. In essence, they've become part of your internal network. And if this is a wireless router that has switch ports for Ethernet, they can also access the Ethernet-connected computers.

I would recommend using WPA2 for encryption if possible. WEP is too easily breakable nowadays. I mean, if you have no choice, then stick with WEP, but use the 128-bit key and try implementing MAC filtering as well. Enable the firewalls on the computers also. Anything you can do to add more layers of protection to prevent those that are determined to get in will help, but see about switching to WPA2 eventually.
 
minckster said:
I have a wireless router uses WEP security for the wireless connection. I'm wondering if WEP's security issues could somehow make the wired connections from the same router insecure. For example, could someone sniff the password to gain access to the router and from there to my Mac?

What does WEP's insecurity allow unscrupulous people to do? Just read the traffic between the TiVo and router? Or something more than that?

TiVo supports only WEP encryption, so I have to use it. My Mac and PC are both connected to the same router with ethernet cables.

Also, can I do more to secure the wireless connection? Here's what I've done: Diable SSID broadcast, Restrict access to only the TiVo's and Mac's MAC addresses, and Set the WEP password to 128-bit 26 hex digits. AirPort is almost always off on the Mac.
Click to expand...

WEP doesn't do anything to your wired connection. It's Wired Equivalent. Meaning it makes your wireless connection as secure as your wired connection. I agree with the previous poster. Use WPA.
 
Thanks nixgeek and ]Michael[ (your first post no less)! And, may I add, Drats! Double Drats!

I can't switch to WPA because TiVo only supports WEP and the only reason I even have wireless is for the TiVo.

I have the firewall enabled on both computers. It looks like I've done about all I can, so I'll start changing the WEP password once a month. That's about as frequent as I could stand. On the plus side, I'm really far from the street (16th floor), so I don't have to worry about people walking by, just my neighbors.
 
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