Is this setup secure?

[Agee]

Setup I've got now...is it reasonably secure?

I have two PC's with the following configuration:

PC's :
One wireless NIC in each PC, nothing bound to the adapter except IPv4. No file sharing or anything else. PC's gets internet through this device.

One gigabit ethernet adapter in each PC connecting PC 1 and 2 together, file sharing bound to the adapter. No internet connection.

Windows 7 firewall active at all times.

DSL bridged to Buffalo WHR-HP-G300N. Internet served up wirelessly to 2 PC's. Router operates WPA2/PSK with random SSID and long hard to type passkey.

I also have SSID hidden and MAC authentication on router, and I do understand that this only keeps the newbies out of my sandbox.

Any comments on my setup greatly appreciated.

 

[zurge]

Security

Yea this setup is secure. Why do you have the two computers connected via a wired cable for file sharing and then wirelessly for the internet? If a person hacks or a virus is acquired from the wireless side both computers could still be compromised due to the ethernet connection.

As a home user who is pre-cautious myself, I typically do the following. I have a software firewall running in a pretty relaxed mode so that it doesn't conflict too much with my router firewall but so it still has a little extra protection from hacker types. I have anti-virus, etc... obviously and have one network adapter that is used for internet, file sharing, everything. On the router I have MAC address filtering and WPA2 with a strong password.

On top of these things I also surf with common sense, this tool alone can do more for a person than any safety net.

Hope this helps....let me know if you have any further questions.

Zach

 

[Agee]

Yea this setup is secure. Why do you have the two computers connected via a wired cable for file sharing and then wirelessly for the internet? If a person hacks or a virus is acquired from the wireless side both computers could still be compromised due to the ethernet connection.

As a home user who is pre-cautious myself, I typically do the following. I have a software firewall running in a pretty relaxed mode so that it doesn't conflict too much with my router firewall but so it still has a little extra protection from hacker types. I have anti-virus, etc... obviously and have one network adapter that is used for internet, file sharing, everything. On the router I have MAC address filtering and WPA2 with a strong password.

On top of these things I also surf with common sense, this tool alone can do more for a person than any safety net.

Hope this helps....let me know if you have any further questions.

Zach

It's my assumption that not having file and print sharing bound to my wireless devices makes it more difficult for people to poke around in my stuff. I could be wrong though, which is why I am asking.

I'd rather have the telco come out and run wires so I could dispense with my wireless setup, but I'm only going to be here for a few more months...and I've come to enjoy being able to put my PC's wherever I want and not have 300 miles of ethernet cord running everywhere.

I've got the PC's wired together and chatting with Intel NICs...GREAT cards!

I surf safe anyway, so all I am concerned about is someone haxing my boxes via wireless.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

There is no additional security or obstacle by having LAN and WLAN running at the same time. If someone gets into your network...they're all on the same IP range and I can hop around via TCP/IP to all adapters equally.

However, nobody is going to get past your WPA2...or WPA for that matter. Don't forget, the WPA crack is really just for super weak passwords pretty much in a lab environment anyways.

There is more "overhead" for your PCs when running dual NICs...so they're booting up slower, browsing network places slower.

MAC filtering and hiding your SSID....that will only keep out the innocent 90 year old lady next door....but then again...WPA/WPA2 will do that anyways. If some kid is going to hack wireless...if he's experienced enough to crack WPA/WPA2 (wait...nobody really can yet)..blowing by MAC filtering and SSID hiding is like 1st grade math to a college quantum physic major. IMO just adds potential for unreliability in your setup...sometimes hiding the SSID prevents some wireless clients from latching on properly.

 

[claykin]

+1

And I'll add that the WPA crack that was posted some months back isn't really a crack at all. And what limited data it divulges (really nothing) is only if you use TKIP. WPA2/AES is unaffected.

That said, rainbow tables are used to crack crap WPA passwords. So, don't set a poor password for your router (using dictionary words). Create a secure password from GRC Perfect Passwords and you'll be all set and secure.

There is no additional security or obstacle by having LAN and WLAN running at the same time. If someone gets into your network...they're all on the same IP range and I can hop around via TCP/IP to all adapters equally.

However, nobody is going to get past your WPA2...or WPA for that matter. Don't forget, the WPA crack is really just for super weak passwords pretty much in a lab environment anyways.

There is more "overhead" for your PCs when running dual NICs...so they're booting up slower, browsing network places slower.

MAC filtering and hiding your SSID....that will only keep out the innocent 90 year old lady next door....but then again...WPA/WPA2 will do that anyways. If some kid is going to hack wireless...if he's experienced enough to crack WPA/WPA2 (wait...nobody really can yet)..blowing by MAC filtering and SSID hiding is like 1st grade math to a college quantum physic major. IMO just adds potential for unreliability in your setup...sometimes hiding the SSID prevents some wireless clients from latching on properly.