3rd party wireless

Ok, I know that Apple wants me to use their Airport base -- but I don't got it (costs almost $400 canadian bucks). What I do have, however, is a d-link wire router (costs about $120 loonies). The package says that the wireless is Mac compatable, and it is. Although, i find it finichy with ADSL. I had a cable connection before I moved, and I never had problems. ADSL doesn't seem to like me, but it's my roommates, and he's not going to cable. And I don't have the extra to spare to set up the cable.

Anyway, yes, the wireless works fine -- except for one problem: for my wireless to work, I have to leave the system (router) wide open.

Now, when I turn on my mac and I start seeing other people logged into the net work -- I don't know if they are using my router, or their own, and the signals are all mixed up -- anyway, sometimes I can't get on.

I can set a WEP thingy on my router, which is supposed to protect (encrypt) my net work. But, when I do that, my Mac machine can't log into the net work.

How do I set the WEP in Panther. I've been trying to find help, but d-link just tells me how to set things without the WEP, and same for the mac help.

I just set a normal password on the router, but i don't know if it's keeping people out from using my net for free. Or stealing my connection. Or even stealing my wireless data. I hear that people can do that.

So, say I was doing banking online -- using my wireless -- I'm afraid that anyone can just log in and have the info sent to their computer as well. That why the WEP encryption thingy looks good. But again, it wont work on my mac. Or maybe it does, i just can't figure out where to type the WEP KEY info.

help?

--nate

I know people who have their d-links working secured...however, I don't know how they do it. I'll have to ask...it's a good thing to know how to do. And my friend has quite an intense "security system" set up. A password should help....but there are deeper steps to take if you would like to be fully secure.

Yeah, I've got a password, and it works. Except, I'm quite sure that our neighbor (I live in a duplex) is using my interent. How do I know that? Simple, my mac shows his name. And when I go on the net, i can't get on -- cause he's on my network.

Now I don't know if it's on purpose, or by accident -- he may have a wireless connection that's connecting to my router on occasion.

The only way to get on, when the line is taken up, is I go right into the router (I can do this wirelessly) and reset the modem. then it bumps off the other wireless connection, and lets me on.

At least, i think that's what's happening. It's just frustrating when the net wont work. It might also be the ADSL modem. I don't know. It's just annoying.

I'm thinking a security system would work. with that wep thingy.

--nate

Well, does he have a mac? Cause it could just be redevous I think...I don't believe you have to have internet for that...if there are two macs with airport cards and redevous active, then you might see his name anyways.....either that or he hacked your password.