How Do I Secure My Wireless Internet?

[WabeWalker]

I have a Macbook (running OS X 10.4.9) and just finished connecting it to the modem/router box thing that was supplied by my internet company.

I followed the onscreen instructions and the whole hardware installation took me about fifteen minutes - and yes it works fine; my MacBook now connects wirelessly with the router thing....

But how the heck do I go about securing the connection?

If anybody could help me out here I'd really appreciate it - and I'll add, as well, that I have no idea what the hell I'm doing here. All I know is that, so far, I've never had to type in any sort of a password? That's a bit odd, isn't it?

Also, how do I find out if anybody else has been logging onto the net via my connection - does OSX maintain a log file for this somewhere?

 

[xJulianx]

What you will need to do, is in your internet browser, type 192.168.1.1 into the search bar. From there, go to the security tab (may be called something else depending on your router) and set up WEP2 encryption. It should all be fairly straight forward once your there.

Thats the most basic form of securing a wireless network and should be fine for a home network.

 

[iBookG4user]

What kind of router are you using? For my WRT54G I type 192.168.1.1 and type in the username and password (default is admin for both of them). Then I click on wireless, and then wireless security, I changed the security to WPA Personal and entered the password and then saved the settings. I then reconnected to the router, I believe it asked for a password the first time, but I don't remember.

EDIT:

set up WEP2 encryption.

I would not suggest using WEP encryption as it is not as secure as WPA or WPA2.

 

[WabeWalker]

Bear with me please. I'm lost already. Exactly where am I supposed to type in the number "192.168.1.1"?

 

[iBookG4user]

Bear with me please. I'm lost already. Exactly where am I supposed to type in the number "192.168.1.1"?

The same place where you would type www.google.com .

 

[xJulianx]

I would not suggest using WEP encryption as it is not as secure as WPA or WPA2.

Ah my bad, I meant WPA2. And yes I agree, 12 year olds can get through a WEP secured network.

It's late here in England

 

[WabeWalker]

Are you saying that I should type this number into the address bar and then hit enter?

But when I do that nothing happens?

 

[iBookG4user]

Are you saying that I should type this number into the address bar and then hit enter?

But when I do that nothing happens?

That's weird, but yes you're supposed to type it in the address bar. What type of router are you using?