HELP me secure my wireless network

[edrod13]

Guys,

I have just replaced my existing router with a wireless one and need some help on securing my network. Things I have done:

1. set a password on my router
2. turned off SSID broadcasting
3. temporarily disabled wireless functions

Things I need help on:
1. using WPA, creating a passphrase?
2. should I create MAC filters

I have installed a PCMCIA card in my notebook and all is working well with the exception of one minor problem. It seems that the driver for the card makes my right speaker crack or hiss. I have already downloaded the most recent driver and the issue seems to still be there. Its not constant or loud but just enough to irritate me. Anyhow, right now my priority is to secure the network, then I can find out whats going on with the speaker. Any help would be greatly appreciated, especially the WPA and passphrase part.

Update:

ROUTER = WGR614 version 4
PCMCIA = WG511

I have been messing with the router and have noticed and done a few things:
1. It does support WPA-PSK along with WEP, but want to use WPA-PSK. I have a box were I can enter a word and it generates the HEX value for it.

2. Once I choose the key, does my laptop PCMCIA have to have the same key in order to connect to my network. When they say KEY is it like a PASSWORD?

3. I enabled MAC filtering and entered the MAC address of my PCMCIA card in the router settings.

Sorry just waiting to here some advice

Edrod13

[kingoftowns]

sounds good, yes your key on the laptop, and all other wireless connections for that matter, have to be the same, it is exactly like a password that any wireless connection needs to give in order to access the network, the mac filtering was the best thing you could do, arguably even more secure than wpa, just remember that if you ever want to add another wireless connection you have to enter the key as well as enter the mac address of the new connection to the filter in order for that new one to get on.

[neouser99]

if you are mac filtering, there is really no need to use wep...nothing can connect. and if someone tries to spoof a mac address, the router will fail cause it won't know what to do with two mac addresses that are identical.

-neo

[mbossman2]

Originally Posted by neouser99 if you are mac filtering, there is really no need to use wep...nothing can connect.

it depends upon the nature of your traffic. While MAC filtering will keep people out of your network, the data stream itself is subject to interception and interpretation. Habits, my friends, habits are the key. Eventho you may not be moving "sensitive" data around wirelessly now, you will do it at sometime. If you do not develop good data security habits now (good solid passwords, password rotation, data encryption etc), when it doesn't really matter, you will overlook them when it does count and that can cost you dearly.

[kingoftowns]

second that

[neouser99]

Originally Posted by mbossman2 it depends upon the nature of your traffic. While MAC filtering will keep people out of your network, the data stream itself is subject to interception and interpretation. Habits, my friends, habits are the key. Eventho you may not be moving "sensitive" data around wirelessly now, you will do it at sometime. If you do not develop good data security habits now (good solid passwords, password rotation, data encryption etc), when it doesn't really matter, you will overlook them when it does count and that can cost you dearly.

i step down...

-neo