Question / Verifying my Security

I have just successfully set up my wireless. Happily I apparently already had a wireless router and I didn't know it.

Anyway here is my setup.

PowerBook G4 with Airport
I have it hooked up with a Linksys 2.4GHz Wireless-B Broadband Router model BEFW11S4 and a Netopia DSL modem with Earthlink.

So I found this card provided by Earthlink for the wireless setup. I followed their instructions (which said NOT to use the Linksys disc) and got to the wireless security part. The card is several years old and said to choose WEP. Instead, I chose WPA and entered a very secure passcode.

So here are my questions

1. How do I verify that my security is set up correctly and is working?
2. When I turn on the computer, it automatically finds the network. Should I set it to ask for a passcode first and if yes, how do I do that?

Thanks.

ImageExtensions said:

So I found this card provided by Earthlink for the wireless setup. I followed their instructions (which said NOT to use the Linksys disc) and got to the wireless security part. The card is several years old and said to choose WEP. Instead, I chose WPA and entered a very secure passcode.

So here are my questions

1. How do I verify that my security is set up correctly and is working?
2. When I turn on the computer, it automatically finds the network. Should I set it to ask for a passcode first and if yes, how do I do that?

Click to expand...

Older wireless B routers normally do not support WPA and usually default to WEP. Verify that the Linksys model you're using does indeed support WPA. If it does, the password or phrase must be set in the router menu. After setting up the password in the router, your wireless network will appear in Airport with a lock. Accessing it will require entering the correct password or phrase.

Right now it appears that you are broadcasting wireless in the clear - which is not recommended. WEP is easy enough to crack, but broadcasting in the clear is an invitation to disaster.

If it turns out the Linksys does not support anything but WEP, I would not use it. Purchase a newer model router, one that is designed for "G" operation at the very minimum. "B" routers are not only usually less secure, but they're slower.

Regards.