Re: Rebuilding Simple Home Network - Finding Highest Security LevelAvail on Ea Comp
On Mar 6, 6:08 pm, "John" <a> wrote:
> "CT" <CThompson...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:fa2e4a0f-c399-450d-a70e-6abb2017c961@59g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
>
> >> What "security" are you referring to? Wireless security? Windows XP
> >> (firewall) security?
>
> > Wireless security, I guess. The only security I'm aware of is located
> > only in the router's setup, online. The Linksys WRT54GX2 router is
> > configured with WPA/WPA2 Personal, with WPA enabled and WPA2 disabled.
> > TKIP encryption. But I thought I read that both computers on the
> > network (during set up) must be configured to use the same security
> > level? Can't mix WEP and WPA for instance.
>
> Ok, so WiFi security it is. That is correct, you can't set your Linksys to
> use WPA and your laptop to use WEP or WPA2 for instance. If you set Linksys
> to use WPA (preferably WPA2 if your laptop WLAN card supports it), you must
> also set your laptop computer to use WPA security.
I would like to increase my security from WPA to the highest
available. So, that brings us back to my original question:
How do I find the highest security level available on each computer['s
WLAN card]? Where do I look? In the paperwork? In the system
somewhere?
The computers:
Desktop: WinXP Professional SP2 (Generic build), built a few years
ago. No paperwork or discs at all came with it.
Laptop: WinXP Media Center Edition(Pro) SP2 (HP Compaq Presario)
bought last year. Maybe some paperwork and discs (have yet to pull its
file from the file cabinet and look at it)
>
> The part that I don't understand on your post is "...both computers". If I
> understand you correctly, you have 2 computers (judging by your other
> posts)... 1 wired and the other wireless. If that is correct, you won't even
> have to worry about the wired PC. Configure Linksys to use WPA2 with AES
> encryption, enter/create a shared key.
>
You understand me correctly. The desktop is wired to the router, the
laptop is connected wirelessly. I'm using the laptop and Gmail right
now, wirelessly. I can wirelessly print from the laptop to the two
printers wired to the desktop and share files (properly) only one way
- desktop can SAVE and share files to laptop, laptop cannot SAVE, only
share and only if I type the \\computer name\folder into the address
bar in My Network Places so the file appears under Entire Network .
I was told here:
http://tinyurl.com/2knlmv that I need to rebuild my
network from scratch because my laptop is not on the same workgroup
(WORKGROUP) as the desktop (MSHOME). The first step I'm supposed to
perform is, "remove all the networks" (for which I have another post
going to find out what this means).
Quote: "Configure Linksys to use WPA2 with AES encryption, enter/
create a shared key."
Shouldn't I first find out if the laptop's WLAN card supports WPA2
with AES? This is my goal with this posting. To find out how/where to
get this information.
> Next step is to turn on your laptop. It will detect a wireless network name
> (which is yours). Double click to join (or connect to) your Linksys router.
> You'll be prompted for a shared key. Type in exactly the same key you put on
> Linksys router. That is it.
This is what I did the first time in setting up the network. The
shared key is identical to the router's. The only thing, it seems,
that I messed up was placing the laptop in its own separate workgroup
called WORKGROUP instead of placing it with the desktop in MSHOME. :-
(
If I can get my questions answered, then I will be able to rebuild (or
simply fix?) this network the way it should be:
With more meaningful Computer and User names.
With the highest possible security level (to be determined).
With both computers on the same workgroup.
Thanks.
Cheryl