Making a secure wireless connection ?

charliechoice · 03-03-2009, 06:51 AM

Hello everyone, I am completely new to this forum so I hope i am posting my request in the correct manner. We have recently purchased a compaq laptop, and to my great surprise managed to create the wireless connection (using a Belkin wireless router) without too much hassle.However I have noticed that the connection is unsecured, how can i make this a secure connection, and what are the consequences if we were to leave the connection unsecured. Many thanks in advance

kind regards Phil.

ThePistonDoctor · 03-03-2009, 08:10 AM

Hi Phil,

If you click start > run > cmd and press enter, then type ipconfig /all and look under the heading for the wireless connection. You will see a number called "default gateway" which is the IP address of your router.

You can use a web browser to browse to http://<default gateway IP address> to access the configuration page for the router. If you've never logged into it before chances are it has a blank password or the password is something like "admin" or "password." I believe that the Belkins ship with a blank password.

Once you're logged in you want to enable "authentication" preferably using WPA or WPA2. This will allow you to create a password to authenticate to the network. You should also change the default password to access the router in case anyone IS able to connect to the network, they will not be able to access your router and lock you out or change your settings.

Hope this helps.

**johnwill** · 03-03-2009, 11:25 AM

If you post the exact model of the Belkin router, we could be more specific.

charliechoice · 03-04-2009, 01:23 AM

Thanks for the replies, the model of the belkin router is 'Wireless G modem router' 802.11g. Hope this is a little bit more specific. As I am not the best when it comes to computers and such like, do I carry out your advice given on the laptop computer or our main computer ? Apologies if this sounds stupid,

regards Phil.

**johnwill** · 03-04-2009, 06:21 PM

You need to look on the bottom label for the actual model number of the router.

**johnwill** · 03-04-2009, 06:21 PM

You need to look on the bottom label for the actual model number of the router.

ThePistonDoctor · 03-05-2009, 06:51 AM

To do what I listed above, you'll want to do it on the laptop while it's connected to the wireless network.

03-03-2009, 06:51 AM	#1 (permalink)
charliechoice Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2 OS: xp	Making a secure wireless connection ? Hello everyone, I am completely new to this forum so I hope i am posting my request in the correct manner. We have recently purchased a compaq laptop, and to my great surprise managed to create the wireless connection (using a Belkin wireless router) without too much hassle.However I have noticed that the connection is unsecured, how can i make this a secure connection, and what are the consequences if we were to leave the connection unsecured. Many thanks in advance kind regards Phil.

03-03-2009, 08:10 AM	#2 (permalink)
ThePistonDoctor Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 58 OS: XP	Re: Making a secure wireless connection ? Hi Phil, If you click start > run > cmd and press enter, then type ipconfig /all and look under the heading for the wireless connection. You will see a number called "default gateway" which is the IP address of your router. You can use a web browser to browse to http://<default gateway IP address> to access the configuration page for the router. If you've never logged into it before chances are it has a blank password or the password is something like "admin" or "password." I believe that the Belkins ship with a blank password. Once you're logged in you want to enable "authentication" preferably using WPA or WPA2. This will allow you to create a password to authenticate to the network. You should also change the default password to access the router in case anyone IS able to connect to the network, they will not be able to access your router and lock you out or change your settings. Hope this helps.

03-03-2009, 11:25 AM	#3 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,857 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: Making a secure wireless connection ? If you post the exact model of the Belkin router, we could be more specific. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

03-04-2009, 01:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
charliechoice Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 2 OS: xp	Re: Making a secure wireless connection ? Thanks for the replies, the model of the belkin router is 'Wireless G modem router' 802.11g. Hope this is a little bit more specific. As I am not the best when it comes to computers and such like, do I carry out your advice given on the laptop computer or our main computer ? Apologies if this sounds stupid, regards Phil.

03-04-2009, 06:21 PM	#5 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,857 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: Making a secure wireless connection ? You need to look on the bottom label for the actual model number of the router. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

03-04-2009, 06:21 PM	#6 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,857 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Re: Making a secure wireless connection ? You need to look on the bottom label for the actual model number of the router. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

03-05-2009, 06:51 AM	#7 (permalink)
ThePistonDoctor Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 58 OS: XP	Re: Making a secure wireless connection ? To do what I listed above, you'll want to do it on the laptop while it's connected to the wireless network.