Most WLANs use the same default channel when they ship from factory. This is most of the time channel 11 and sometimes channel 6. Most users keep those default channels which can lead to the mentioned WLAN problems if your neighbors use that same channel.

I would therefor change that default channel if you are experiencing difficulties like disconnects in your WLAN. The default channel needs to be changed in the WLAN router only, the computer will automatically pick the signal up without modification. I’m going to show you how a change would look in my WLAN router.

My U.S. Robotics Wireless MAXg router can be accessed locally with the IP 192.168.2.1. You need to consult the manual of the router to find out how you can access the router interface. The main interface loads after supplying the username and password.

The Wireless tab at the top lets the user change the wireless settings. I had to click on advanced settings to change the default channel from 11 to 3. You should try to raise or reduce the channel by 3-5 steps if possible. This can be an impossible task if you have dozens of WLANs in your neighborhood; My advise would be to start with the low channel numbers and work your way up until you find a channel that works nicely.

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The file javax.comm.properties has to be moved from the Wlandscape directory into the lib directory of the JRE installation of your computer. This can be found in the Program Files folder normally. After copying this library the run.bat file has to be edited to point to the correct installation of the Java Runtime Environment on your computer.

Finally Wlandscape can be started by double-clicking on the run.bat file. The best approach would be to search for Wlans by address. You can enter city, zip and street information and let Wlandscape search for hits. If more than one possibility is found it will ask the user to pick one result of the list.

What I like is that Wlandscape supports automated tracking by GPS and that Netstumbler information can be imported as well.

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While it does not seem to be that bad that someone else would use your wireless internet connection for surfing the web it becomes a very important matter if this is abused. Someone could download warez, pornography, commit fraud, send thousands of emails or share software in p2p networks. You will be held responsible for abuse that is done with your connection.

You need to know the basic information about your wireless router before you can begin to protect it.

• Who is the manufacturer
• What is the name of the wireless router

Visit the manufacturers website and search for updates for your router. Updates are normally in the form of firmware updates which update the internal functions to a new version which could result in additional features and security. Please consult the website for instructions on how to update the firmware of your router.

Make sure you update it using a wired connection because wireless connection tend to become unstable in the wrong moments. (Murphy’s law)

It is now time to protect the router further. Connect to the interface which is normally done by opening the IP of the router. (default 192.168.1.1 most of the time) Enter username and password and change them when your are logged in. Many routers get hacked because the user did not change the default login data that ships with the routers. Everyone can look them up and it is really easy to access the router even though everything else might have been optimized for security.

Now it is time to configure the security settings of the w-lan router. Add a service set identifier (SSID), it does not really matter how you name it, just remember the name. Make sure you disable the SSID broadcasting afterwards, this ensure that your wireless router does not show the SSID and it is a little bit more difficulty to find it out.

I know that this is a weak security tip but it could mean that this in addition with other security measures poses a problem for so called script kiddies.

Enable the strongest encryption method available, this is normally WPA2 with AES. If you have an older router or a device that does not support WPA2 you should think of buying a new router or updating the devices. Make sure you use a large string with numbers and letters. A good value would be between 20 and 30 chars for the key, make sure you remember it because you need to supply the key to the other devices that have to connect to the router.

Enable Mac filtering, look up your mac address by using the command line in Windows XP and typing ipconfig /all. The physical address is your mac address. This ensures that only computers with a Mac address that is listed in the router can connect to it. Please note that the Mac address can be faked.

If you do not need the full transmitter power because your router and computer are physically close to each other you could reduce the transmitter power to reduce the chance that someone from outside your walls will be able to find the router and connect to it. Please be aware that a good antenna on the device that wants to connect to your router is able to counter this strategy.

Here is a list of other ideas that are worth investigating.

• Disable all services that you do not need.
• It is a very good idea to power off the router when you do not need it to prevent anyone from connecting to it while you are away. Alternatively turn off the wireless function of the router.
• If you have the means monitor the traffic of your wireless connection to find out if someone else uses it as well.
• Enable the firewall of the router and configure it properly
• If the router has a logging feature enable it and analyze it regularly.
• Limit the maximum number of DHCP addresses if you use that feature.
• Use Authentication if possible.

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