Managing Your SOHO Router | Windows Vista: The Complete Reference (Complete Reference Series)

You don't have to be a certified network engineer to manage your SOHO router, but these routers still require proper care and feeding. Router vendors like Linksys and D-Link have synthesized all the necessary management tools you need in one easy-to-use web interface. For the most part, they're self-configuring , but you can control them through your browser if you need to adjust security settings or other router features. The router's built-in software provides many of the same features as corporate-level routers, including NAT, DHCP, firewall, and even PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE) if your DSL line requires it.

Note	Some of the new fiber- optic Internet offerings like Verizon FiOS require a specially configured and tuned router available only from the ISP.

Setting Up and Managing Your Wi-Fi Network Router

Even if you have no intention of being a "road warrior ," a Wi-Fi router is an ideal router choice for SOHOs because it offers you the best possible future-growth opportunities-and if you can get out of your home office with your laptop to sit out on your porch on a nice day, why not take advantage of the technology that enables you to do so and still connect to the Internet? In fact, in many stores the Wi-Fi routers handily outnumber the wired routers.

The following sections provide general guidance on setting up and maintaining your Wi-Fi network router.

Connecting Your Router to Your PC(s)

The first step to connecting your Wi-Fi router is to power it up, so it's smart to place your router near a power outlet. Plug the router's power supply into the nearest power outlet and turn on the router. Once your router is powered up, you should be able to find your new Wi-Fi router via the Windows Vista Network Center.

Configuring Your Router

While many SOHO routers include an automated setup CD that does the decision making and other heavy lifting during your router's configuration, it's always good to understand the basics of SOHO router configuration since routers serve as the first line of defense against Internet attacks.

Prior to configuring your router, visit your router vendor's support web site to see if any Windows Vista updates exist for the router's software or firmware. Threats on the Internet change rapidly and, again, your router is the first line of defense for your PC and its data against attackers .

Your router's management console has its own IP address accessible via your web browser. Most mass-market Wi-Fi routers like those from Linksys and D-Link use http://www.192.168.1.1/ or http://www.192.168.fl.I/. Your router documentation will include the proper IP address for your Wi-Fi router's management console.

The following settings changes are at a general level; depending on your Wi-Fi router brand, the terminology may be different and organized differently on the user interface. After you access your Wi-Fi router's management console, you should change the following default settings:

Change the wireless SSID name from the manufacturer's default name to a name of your own choosing. Be sure to not use any obvious identifying information, like your last name , as the SSID. Also, keeping the vendor's SSID is a sure sign of an easy target for hackers seeking an open Wi-Fi router.
You can also adjust your wireless network mode settings to best support the Wi-Fi devices on your network. Most router wireless network mode settings include B-Only, G-Only or Mixed. If you have all 802.11g devices on your SOHO's Wi-Fi network, then it's safe to go with G-Only. If your SOHO network is going to have users with a mix of Wi-Fi network cards, then stick with Mixed as the setting. Going with Mixed means users still using 802.lib can access the Internet from your network if given the appropriate permissions.
Turn on the security encryption. This is not a step to skip or go back to at a later date! Type in a passphrase and click Generate. The Key fields fill in with a passphrase automatically. Write it down on a piece of paper that you'll keep near the router. If your Wi-Fi network is supporting other Wi-Fi-enabled peripherals like the Series II Tivo (http://www.tivo.com) then your security encryption settings are limited to the lowest level of security settings supported by that device. As Wi-Fi routers mature (and, depending on the router model, their level of security), encryption could include Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP, offering a 40-, 64-, or 128-bit security) or Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). Be prepared to consult your router's help documentation to delve deeper into specific security settings.
Once you complete configuring your Wi-Fi router, unplug the cable from your computer to the router. Next, plug it back into the router. Choose the name you chose for your access point from the Windows Vista Network Center. You should be prompted for a password. Enter the password, and you should be online and seeing the Internet.

Securing Your Router

There are two opposing camps when it comes to securing your Wi-Fi router. There is a vocal minority that believes in open Wi-Fi access points for everyone (even if open Wi-Fi access points violate their broadband ISPs' terms of service). While this may sound like the socially conscious thing to do, let's look at the risks for not securing your Wi-Fi router:

An open Wi-Fi access point is an invitation to hackers and leaves your network and its data vulnerable to attack.
Although Wi-Fi law is still largely up for varied interpretations, some legal critics and pundits foresee a future where people running open Wi-Fi access points could conceivably be held accountable for activities carried out on their networks even by unauthorized users. Network security experts have long known that open Wi-Fi access points can be accessed maliciously and used to cover a user's online tracks.

In fact, in the post-9/11 world some legal critics have gone as far to ponder the potential of open Wi-Fi access points aiding and abetting terrorists' communications.

Real-World Wi-Fi Security

Wi-Fi security is becoming a hot topic of debate because of the rising numbers of mobile workers in corporate America today. While Wi-Fi usage can open up the home network, it can also open up corporate networks to potential attack.

The rise of Wi-Fi access both on corporate networks and on the public Internet means that Wi-Fi users have additional reasons to be conscious about security-both their own data and the data of their employer may be open to attack.

Mobile computing and Wi-Fi have impacted corporate networking, especially network remote access, so much that some early adopters are moving to an "inverted network" model where every Wi-Fi-enabled computer is viewed as a "guest" and thus requires authentication at the application level. The traditional model has been the inside/outside the firewall model, which corporations have followed since they took their businesses online.

If your employer issues you a Wi-Fi-enabled laptop, you may find yourself having to attend security training, especially if you are a mobile worker accessing corporate resources from your home Wi-Fi network, a coffee shop Wi-Fi hotspot, or your hotel room after a long day on a client site. Common sense should rule your approach to Wi-Fi security. Here are some tips:

Never log onto a Wi-Fi hotspot blindly. Look for Wi-Fi hotspot documentation, including login and fee information.
Run a personal firewall and updated antivirus software on your laptop at all times.

Chapter 34, which is about security, delves into what you need to protect your PC from attack. You shouldn't venture online with a Wi-Fi-enabled PC unless it is equipped with a software firewall, antivirus software, and antispyware.