Using iBook G3 as a 802.11b router

Hi all,

Due to my Netgear 11g router crapping the bed, I had to set up an old iBook G3 to serve as a 11b router. It has been serving as a print server dutifully.

Anyways, I got to work (easier than I expected), but I still have reservations. I've taken precautions to make it as hacker-proof as possible, but I would like to do more. I could be running it this way for a little while, until I get a new Extreme.

So here's what I've done so far. iBook is running 10.4 and is connected to the cable modem directly via ethernet. I enabled internet sharing and 128-bit WEP. I turned on the firewall and left Remote Desktop and Personal Web Sharing open. I did shut down File Sharing and Windows File sharing.

I'm wondering if there's any way to enable MAC filtering with this set-up?

The iBook is running on an Admin account ... should I log into a more restrictive account?

Anything else I can do to secure my set-up?

Thanks!

EDIT - oh yeah, I have an unused Dell laptop with 11g, running Windows 2000. I would appreciate the extra speed of 11g, but I'm not sure if Windows is more/less secure with an ad-hoc network. Any comments? Using 11g would be a huge benefit as I'm only getting 3Mbps using my iBook network. Apparently, the cable modem is giving me 15 Mbps, so 11g should theoretically get me very close to 15.

PracticalMac said:

Admin account has nothing to do with how easy someone can use your wireless (only computer).

It has eveything to do how you set up your wireless and firewall (and you need Admin access to do that).

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Yeah, I was just thinking that if someone did hack into the iBook, they could do more damage if it's running an admin account.

Do not broadcast the ID (hidden)
Set it only accept the wMAC address on the 'books you want it to use.

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Can I do both of these using Internet Sharing? I didn't see anything to select these. Maybe I'm not looking in the right place? I'd love to be able to do this as it's 2 more layers of protection.

Use WEP 128.
Firewall to close all ports not in use.

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I'm already doing both of these.

Now, if you are REALLY good, you can burn the system and wireless onto a CD-r/DVD, that way no one can hack your iBook router!

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This would be pretty cool, but might be overkill. By the time I figure this out, I'd probably would have bought the Airport Extreme already. Thanks!