Reference Manual for Cable/DSL Wireless Router WGR614

3-2

Wireless Configuration

Implement Appropriate Wireless Security

Unlike wired network data, your wireless data transmissions can be received well beyond your

walls by anyone with a compatible adapter. For this reason, use the security features of your

wireless equipment. The WGR614 router provides highly effective security features which are

covered in detail in this chapter. Deploy the security features appropriate to your needs.

Figure 3-1:

WGR614 wireless data security options

There are several ways you can enhance the security of you wireless network.

•

Restrict Access Based on MAC address.

You can restrict access to only trusted PCs o that

unknown PCs cannot wirelessly connect to the WGR614. MAC address filtering adds an

obstacle against unwanted access to your network, but the data broadcast over the wireless link

is fully exposed.

•

Turn Off the Broadcast of the Wireless Network Name SSID.

If you disable broadcast of

the SSID, only devices that have the correct SSID can connect. This nullifies the wireless

network ‘discovery’ feature of some products such as Windows XP, but the data is still fully

exposed to a determined snoop using specialized test equipment like wireless sniffers.

•

WEP.

Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) data encryption provides data security. WEP Shared

Key authentication and WEP data encryption will block all but the most determined

eavesdropper.

Note:

Indoors, computers can connect over 802.11b/g wireless networks at

ranges of up to 500 feet.

Such distances can allow for others outside of your

immediate area to access your network.

1) Open System: Easy but no security

2) MAC Access List: No data security

3) WEP: Security but some performance impact

Wireless Data

Security Options

Range: Up to 500 Feet

WGR614

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Reference Manual for Cable/DSL Wireless Router WGR614

Wireless Configuration

3-3

•

Turn Off the Wired LAN.

If you disable the wireless LAN, wireless devices cannot

communicate with the router at all. You might choose to turn off the wireless the LAN when

you are away and the others in the household all use wired connections.

Understanding Wireless Settings

To configure the Wireless settings of your firewall, click the Wireless link in the main menu of the

browser interface. The Wireless Settings menu will appear, as shown below.

Figure 3-2:

Wireless Settings menu

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Reference Manual for Cable/DSL Wireless Router WGR614

3-4

Wireless Configuration

The 802.11b and 802.11g wireless networking protocols are configured in exactly the same

fashion.

•

Name (SSID).

The SSID is also known as the wireless network name. Enter a value of up to

32 alphanumeric characters. In a setting where there is more than one wireless network,

different wireless network names provide a means for separating the traffic. Any device you

want to participate in a particular wireless network will need to use this SSID for that network.

The WGR614 default SSID is:

NETGEAR

.

•

Region.

This field identifies the region where the WGR614 can be used. It may not be legal to

operate the wireless features of the router in a region other than one of those identified in this

field.

•

Channel.

This field determines which operating frequency will be used. It should not be

necessary to change the wireless channel unless you notice interference problems with another

nearby access point. For more information on the wireless channel frequencies please refer to

“Wireless Channels” on page D-7

.

•

Mode.

This field determines which data communications protocol will be used. You can select

“g only” or “g and b.” “g only” dedicates the WGR614 to communicating with the higher

bandwidth 802.11g wireless devices exclusively. The “g and b” mode provides backward

compatibility with the slower 802.11b wireless devices while still enabling 802.11g

communications.

•

Allow Broadcast of Name (SSID).

If you disable broadcast of the SSID, only devices that

have the correct SSID can connect. Disabling SSID broadcast nullifies the wireless network

‘discovery’ feature of some products such as Windows XP.

•

Enable Wireless Access Point.

If you disable the wireless access point, wireless devices

cannot connect to the WGR614.

•

Wireless Card Access List.

When the Trusted PCs Only radio button is selected, the

WGR614 checks the MAC address of the wireless station and only allows connections to PCs

identified on the trusted PCs list.

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Wireless Configuration

3-5

Understanding WEP Authentication and Encryption

Restricting wireless access to your network prevents intruders from connecting to your network.

However, the wireless data transmissions are still vulnerable to snooping. Using the WEB data

encryption settings described below will prevent a determined intruder from eavesdropping on

your wireless data communications. Also, if you are using the Internet for such activities as

purchases or banking, those Internet sites use another level of highly secure encryption called SSL.

You can tell if a web site is using SSL because the web address begins with HTTPS rather than

HTTP.

Authentication Scheme Selection

Figure 3-3:

Encryption Strength

The WGR614 lets you select the following wireless authentication schemes.

•

Automatic.

•

Open System.

•

Shared key.

Be sure to set your wireless adapter according to the authentication scheme you choose for the

WGR614 router. Please refer to

“Authentication and WEP” on page D-3

for a full explanation of

each of these options, as defined by the IEEE 802.11 wireless communication standard.

Encryption Strength Choices

Choose the encryption strength from the drop-down list. Please refer to

“Overview of WEP

Parameters” on page D-5

for a full explanation of each of these options, as defined by the IEEE

802.11 wireless communication standard.

Note:

The authentication scheme is separate from the data encryption. You can

choose an authentication scheme which requires a shared key but still leave the

data transmissions unencrypted. If you require strong security, use both the

Shared Key and WEP encryption settings

.

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3-6

Wireless Configuration

•

Disable.

No encryption will be applied. This setting is useful for troubleshooting your wireless

connection, but leaves your wireless data fully exposed.

•

64-bit or 128-bit WEP.

When 64-bit or 128-bit is selected, WEP encryption will be applied.

If WEP is enabled, you can manually or automatically program the four data encryption keys.

These values must be identical on all PCs and access points in your network.

There are two methods for creating WEP encryption keys:

•

Passphrase

. Enter a word or group of printable characters in the Passphrase box and click the

Generate button. These characters

are

case sensitive.

•

Manual

. For 64-bit WEP, enter 10 hexadecimal digits (any combination of 0-9, a-f, or A-F).

For 128-bit WEP, enter 26 hexadecimal digits (any combination of 0-9, a-f, or A-F). These

values

are not

case sensitive.

Default Factory Settings

When you first receive your WGR614, the default factory settings are shown below. You can

restore these defaults with the Factory Default Restore button on the rear panel. After you install

the WGR614 router, use the procedures below to customize any of the settings to better meet your

networking needs.

FEATURE

DEFAULT FACTORY SETTINGS

Wireless Access Point

Enabled

Wireless Access List (MAC Filtering)

All wireless stations allowed

SSID broadcast

Enabled

SSID

NETGEAR

11b/g RF Channel

11

Mode

g and b

Authentication Type

Open System

WEP

Disabled

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