Secure home routers
 

Hi, I have cable internet and laptops at home and need a new router. Someone has hacked into my home network and it could have been from my crappy Linksys router, and I want something as secure as possible because my ip address was used to send out threatening messages. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Someone had to have recently changed the password on my router since a few months ago it didn't have one and I was not concerned about it, and now I can't access it.

Re: Secure home routers
 

On the back of your LinkSys router is a factory reset button - use it; set a password. All routers are boxed identically, whether without a password or with a standard password - change that immediately. It does not matter what password you use except:

password
secret
linksys
admin

or any other 'cute' password.

If I were a hacker, I would scan for all the router brands I could find then try all the default passwords and I bet I would get into more than 50% of the routers I find. Turn off your routers broadcast and change the damn password to something you can see near your computer like Black&Tan, SilverSkull, TaiChiMaster, MyPassport - anything that triggers your memory but is not obvious. I had a friend with a BeanieBaby collection so when she changed her password she would bring out a trigger-beanie like WhiteUnicorn or BeanieFeverRippedMeOff.

Re: Secure home routers
 

and switch the encryption to wpa
wep is VERY easy to crack

Re: Secure home routers
 

Linksys are actually a pretty good brand - partly as they're the domestic division of Cisco. The Linksys router do provide you with sufficent tools to minimise these sort of attacks however you'll never to 110% secure - sadly that's just the world we live in.

As DimaYasny said above; you should try to use WPA instead of WEP - most people with basic knowledge and a packet sniffer can crack WEP.

MAC addressing can be useful as well; but it shouldn't be relied upon as security. As with WEP, MAC addressing is fairly easy to get round but when used with WPA can offer an extra layer of defence from wireless attacks.

Most router have a function called 'DHCP client list' - this will display all devices connected to your router and thier details, usually MAC address and IP address on the router.

Hope this helps,

Dazza :cool:

Re: Secure home routers
 

You should also considere the hipothesis of having unadvertedly installed some kind of backdoor in one of your home PCs. This will go around any router defenses.

Re: Secure home routers
 

first u have configure ur router which type of router ur using DSL router it have a ip address just read ur manuval its contain the instructions and type the ip address of router on internet explorer then u get the windows of router just check it and set administrative password and thoroughly check then u can find the option firewall and just enable it and also some router contain instruction detection just enable both of them then u just security no can hack u this is way of securing our router. 1st u contact with ur router supporting center then they will instruct u how to reset ur passord. i think if ur admin. password lost it cant recover only way to change the router . just talk with help desk support then after u get a idea and after u get router in normal way and configure like this