airport extreme security

[jbrown]

I have an AEBS, and currently use it without any password - I like the conveinience of just opening my laptop and being straight online!

Now I don't mind sharing my broardband(as long as it doesn't affect my usage)......but are there other security issues I should be aware of? Can someone being on my network see my personal stuff or see what I'm doing? Can they gain access to my computer itself ( and get into my hard drive ).

Cheers all

 

[zama36]

I have an AEBS, and currently use it without any password - I like the conveinience of just opening my laptop and being straight online!

Now I don't mind sharing my broardband(as long as it doesn't affect my usage)......but are there other security issues I should be aware of? Can someone being on my network see my personal stuff or see what I'm doing? Can they gain access to my computer itself ( and get into my hard drive ).

Cheers all

Bad idea!! While well intentioned, it's a bad idea. If they do anything it can be tracked back to you since you are the subscriber.

Also depending on how your computers are set up on the network there is a possibility that they can get in.

Play it safe and put a password on it with WPA if you can. You can save the password so you don't enter it every time you start up your computer.

 

[RaceTripper]

Agree. Bad idea to open up your network like that. I use WPA2, MAC address filtering, and I don't broadcast my SSID. It won't prevent the most determined and knowledgeable hackers from accessing my wireless, but it'll keep most out.

Your Mac will remember your WPA2 password and connect automatically all the time. Hell, I'd have to go into my keychain to even remember what the password is.

 

[itickings]

...but are there other security issues I should be aware of? Can someone being on my network see my personal stuff or see what I'm doing? Can they gain access to my computer itself ( and get into my hard drive ).

The answer to all of these questions ranges from "Yes" or "Most likely", or the very least "Technically possible". You don't need to look for other issues, these ones are bad enough.

Agree. Bad idea to open up your network like that. I use WPA2, MAC address filtering, and I don't broadcast my SSID. It won't prevent the most determined and knowledgeable hackers from accessing my wireless, but it'll keep most out.

So true. In general, everything is about making it difficult enough for the casual bad guys to access your stuff so that they move on to easier targets. Just running WPA2 with a long, random passphrase should be perfectly fine.

 

[ChrisA]

Can someone being on my network see my personal stuff or see what I'm doing? Can they gain access to my computer itself ( and get into my hard drive ).

Everyone within range is on your local network. If you have anything shared it is shared to them. Shared folders, shared printers. Works the other way too. If they are dumb enough to use your conection and have file sharing enabled yu can get at their stuff.

With some modest effort other people can see the data you are sending and receiving over the Internet. At least any data that is not to an encrypted site. But then the same applies to a wired connection because the "bad guy" can physically tape you line as it leaves your house. Your un-passworded wifi only saves them the trouble of climbing the utility pole. Everyone is best off to assume the whole world has access to whatever goes through your Internet connection.

 

[gojaromeiginla]

How would you save your network password so you don't have to enter it each time you connect?

 

[JimmyDThing]

How would you save your network password so you don't have to enter it each time you connect?

Keychain.

 

[gojaromeiginla]

oh, ok. Thanks.

 

[npdale]

MAC Filtering

How do you use MAC address filtering on the Airport Extreme?

 

[jsw]

How do you use MAC address filtering on the Airport Extreme?

- Applications->Utilities->AirPort Utility
- choose your AEBS.
- double click or select 'Manual Setup'
- Go to Airport->Access Control tab
- change the '(default)' to 'No Access'
- add the MAC addresses you want to allow

 

[npdale]

cheers mate - you're a legend... dont suppose you know why my Apple TV wont find the base station when everything else will? -- does the airport hide from some systems?