[NTLK] [Spam] Re: Can anyone flash a Wavelan card for me for about $10?

[Dan]

Intersting, I didn't know that you could flash a sliver into a "gold"
card. But I have to agree with Scott, at this point I wouldn't worry
about 40bit vs 128.  If you are in a apartment building then this may be
a problem.  If not, and the houses are not too close together, I doubt
anyone could even get on the network.  Some routers let you turn down
the transmission power (all ddwrt routers for example can, but many
others as well, it is often referred to as TX in the configuration).
This reduces your range, and hence accessibility/visibility to others.
Turn it down enough and someone has to be inside your home to be able to
use your network (or if your home is large enough already that the
signal does not reach that far).

Another thought would be to turn off the SSID broadcast, this will make
your router less 'visible'.  But by no means 'invisible', but it is
better none the less.  Especially if you are not running it in WEP for
very long.  But again it all depends on how far the signal reaches, if
it will be a issue in the first place.

Oh a couple of other options is to block anything but certain MAC
addresses (your equipment).  And the other is to set the max DHCP to
only the number of devices you connect on a continual basis.  Anyone
else trying to connect will likely get a "busy signal".  Or the
equivalent of "all circuits are busy, please stand by".

Granted there are ways around these options (MAC address spoofing for
example).  But layering them up will make it more trouble for the would
be network hacker.  Most "script kiddies" won't try that hard or for
long with their short attention spans (in general).  Now if you get a
dedicated hacker, then that is another story.  But if they are just
sniffing around for a free network, it is likely they will pass you by
as being more trouble than it is worth if they can't get in two minutes.

Still all this being said nothing beats WPA encryption, however there
are options to improving ones network regardless.

Oh by the way, if anyone has a router that allows for "ez setup" or
something to that effect where a button is pushed on the front (or back)
to set up a wireless connection... turn that off!  There was a bad
security bug found in it last year or so that allows people to get into
your network in less than 30 minutes even with WPA.  Also some routers
have a option to turn it off, but actually don't.  I don't recall the
brands offhand, but I think they were Linksys and Cisco that couldn't
actually be turned off.  Not all models though.  However, if you have a
Linksys/Cisco router that has a setup/ez setup button of some sort.  Be
vary wary.  On a good note ddwrt type routers with the open source
firmware either never used the button or it can be easily turned off.

-Dan

On 6/14/2013 11:22 AM, Scott Ticknor wrote:
> Hi Noah, a couple things here... First, the Gold card is obviously the one to have... But, in 2013, if you are still using WEP, you might as well use 64/40-bit crypto because even the 128 bit flavour can be cracked in just a few seconds or less. So you aren't gaining much security by going up to the "strong" WEP. 
> What about a captive portal arrangement? Then the crypto would not be an issue... A quick google doesn't come up with much on the topic. Maybe I'll try it later, I think I have a DDWRT router I could experiment with. 
> 
> In the meantime, I will root around in my box of newt stuff, I may have a gold card in there somewhere. 
> 
> 
> --
> Scotty Technoir
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Jun 14, 2013, at 11:08 AM, Noah Leon <moosefuel at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I've asked this before and didn't get a response, but does anyone have
>> experience flashing the Orinoco/Wavelan Silver card's firmware to make it
>> into a Gold card? I would like to get my newt back online for some
>> e-mailing of notes, but the Silver only supports 40 bit encryption, while
>> my home network uses 128.
>>
>> I believe you need a PCMCIA slot and Windows XP and the instructions found
>> here:
>> http://www.inertramblings.com/2004/08/05/hacking-the-orinoco-silver-into-an-orinoco-gold/
>>
>> I could mail the card and a small fee to someone, if they would be
>> interested. I live in Canada, so local would be preferred, but
>> international would be OK too.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> noah