Is MAC Address Filtering Sufficient for Wireless Network Security?

[Integral]

Due to an ongoing battle with linksys software I have disabled network security, currently I have restricted access to allow only the MAC address of my laptop.
Is this enough? Or should I also have WEP or WAP authentication?




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[imabug]

MAC addresses are spoofable so it's not a guaranteed way to keep people out. WEP is pretty crackable. I use WPA-PSK on my wireless AP. Still not the greatest, but I use it along with MAC address filtering and disable SSID broadcasting.

 

[mgb_phys]

In other words, someone could reprogram their laptop to use your connection when you aren't there. And when you are connected someone can 'overhear' the data you are sending to the web, even if they aren't connected.

Is this likely? Possibly if you are in a university hall, unlikely if you are out in the suburbs. You can also disable the SSID transmission on the router and change it from 'LINKSYS' to something random so other people cannot see it unless they know the name.

 

[Integral]

Thanks for the input, looks like I should keep figthing with the Linksys software. I have shut it off in the startup menu, seems to work best when it is not running!

 

[chroot]

A hint, Integral: You do not need any kind of third-party software installed on your computer to use any router. It's almost assuredly garbage! Uninstall the Linksys software and just use the built-in wireless network configuration utilities built into your operating system.

- Warren

 

[mgb_phys]

Seonded (and thirded) - I thought you meant fighting with the Linksys software INSIDE the router.

 

[Integral]

A hint, Integral: You do not need any kind of third-party software installed on your computer to use any router. It's almost assuredly garbage! Uninstall the Linksys software and just use the built-in wireless network configuration utilities built into your operating system.

- Warren

Absolutely, I have already uninstalled the software once, unfortunately, they seem to have tied the software and driver install together, it is not clear to me how to install the drivers without the "linksys Adviser" software. (this is for the wireless adapter not the router. Currently I have disabled the software in the startup menu so it should not startup every time I restart the computer. As long as windows handles the authentication it seems to work fine.

Silly me, I figured a linksys router talking to a linksys wireless adapter ought to work fine. It has been nothing but trouble from the day I installed it. Meanwhile a second laptop with a built in wireless adapter logged on quickly and easily.

 

[z-component]

What you can try is the following:
Uninstall ALL Linksys software and drivers related to your wireless card and restart the computer. Under Control Panel, go to System, click Device Manager, and look for your wireless adapter (it should be inoperable at the moment). View the item's properties and click the Driver tab. Click Update driver. Insert your Linksys wireless card driver CD at this point. You can then search for the .INF and/or .SYS file (whichever is asked for) on your driver CD, which will be installed directly without using the associated Linksys software.

As Warren already said, Windows has its own connectivity software built into manage wireless connections, so all you need is the driver to communicate with your card. The Linksys software is just a program to help you connect to networks and is unnecessary.

Let us know the results. You should not have to use your Linksys software.