Previously, I’ve posted the basic tutorials on how to edit your WEP on your computer. WEP setup keys are no longer a viable option in today’s corporate and home networks without some of the proprietary fixes that run on top of it. Now, let’s move on to an advanced setup in order to protect your wireless network more secured and less vulnerable to the bad guys out there.
Wi-fi Protected Access (WPA) is a standard developed in 2003 by the Wi-Fi Alliance, formerly known as WECA. It provides a standard for authentication and encryption of WLANs that’s intended to solve known security problems existing up to and including the year 2003. This takes into account the will-publicized AirSnort and man-in-the-middle WLAN attacks.
After reading the CCNA Study Guide by Todd Lammle I was very excited to change my configuration of my home networks from WEP to WPA. Please see my illustrations below.
Easy Steps in Setting up a WPA security on your network:
- Login to your router http://192.168.1.1 (make sure you have change your system username and password for more security).
- Click on Wireless > Security.
- Select WPA radio button.
- Select AnyWPA radio button (this will allow your client to get access any of the two WPA or WPA2).
- Set your Pre-Shared Key String (if you’re not sure what is the best key to generate, head over to http://www.yellowpipe.com/yis/tools/WPA_key/generator.php )
- Click Apply.
- Restart Access Point.
In a few minutes you’re router is now configured to a WPA setup but the question is how will you connect your clients to your wireless network? That’s simply easy. Just follow what I did.
Connect your clients via Flash Drive
- Copy first your new wireless network setup.
- Click on network icon notification area.
- Select your SSID (Service Set Identifiers or Network Name).
- Right click, Properties.
- Click tab Connection.
- Click Copy this network profile into a USB flash drive.
- Insert your flash drive and you’re done copying of your new network settings.
- Let the user of your clients to open your new settings on your Flash Drive.
- Run the .exe file and it will automatically connects to your new wireless network settings and to the internet as well. Voila, you’re good to go back online and share data to your secured wireless local area network.
Are you a network administrator and interested in networking? You can write and submit your own configuration here. Let’s compare if we have similar interest.
