RE: Private WiFi in hotel room; security/interference issues

In general, especially for permanently installed wifi networks, I don't
recommend disabling the broadcast of the SSID.  Why?  Because it makes it
harder for people installing networks nearby to see what channels are
already in use, so they can avoid using those channels and causing
interference on your network.  (And as far as hiding your SSID goes,
Kismet/Kiswin/KisMac users can still see it.  I don't feel that hiding the
SSID gives an substantial additional benefit above and beyond a wireless
network using WPA, or one using WEP/no encryption in addition to other
security measures.

If you need security, use WPA, (or WEP if your goal is to keep honest
people honest and off your WLAN), or no encryption (and then consider using
SSL or VPN connections between your clients and servers).
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=security+obscurity

http://forums.wi-fiplanet.com/archive/index.php/t-1293.html

At 02:12 PM 1/10/2006 -0800, you wrote:
>Per previous message, suppress the broadcast of the network ID, so people
>won't know how to connect (I assume that there are cracking tools that will
>detect this, but are probably not used by the casual browser of the
>airwaves).  As for the details of the antennae, I defer to the expertise at
>SWN.
>
>Ken M.
>
>PS Those scruffy characters probably wouldn't know a PC-Card if it bit them
>in the asses -- but they probably do know what a laptop is -- moot as the
>point is now.
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>
>From: Tim Maher [mailto:[email protected]]
>Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2006 10:45 AM
>To: Ken Meyer
>Cc: [email protected]; Seattle Wireless - Talk
>
>Subject: Re: Private WiFi in hotel room; security/interference issues
>
>On Tue, Jan 10, 2006 at 10:11:08AM -0800, Ken wrote:
>
>> Tim --
>>
>> Are there so
>> many crooks in the Perl/UNIX community that theft of cards is a real
>> problem?
>
>It's not the students I'm worrying about, but the other people
>hanging around in the hotel, who frequently peek into the
>classroom to see what's happening. And at locations near
>airports, where I tend to stage my classes, hotels tend to get
>lots of scruffy-looking guests. For example, there's a certain
>percentage who are under "house arrest" by the INS (now
>homeland security) for not having proper papers.
>
>Moreover, hotel staffers are notoriously lax about leaving
>meeting rooms unlocked for hours on end in the evenings, for the
>convenience of the vacuuming guy! I've been complaining about
>this for decades, but it goes on (My laptops will NOT be there
>at night, I assure you).
>
>> Perhaps someone on this list can give advice on antennae, especially for
>> "a", as it seems to have become the standard position that a directional
>> antenna is much more valuable to optimizing performance than even adding
>> reasonable amounts of power would be.
>
>Are custom antennae available as screw-on replacements for
>popular WiFi routers? If I can get a "pancake" shaped reception
>field on the AP, do I really need /a to reduce interference, or
>will my /b/g activity be so localized that my AP won't pick up
>other activity in the hotel?
>
>NEWS FLASH: I've just placed a large order for /b/g-equipped
>laptops (got a good deal), so I'd like to shift the discussion
>away from the pros/cons of /a now.
>
>So what's the best plan for keeping out of the way of the hotel's
>WiFi system, and keeping hotel guests from accessing mine?
>
>These have been the suggestions thus far:
>* use fixed IP addresses
>* use encryption (WEP or better)
>* consider a directional antenna for the AP
>* consider point-to-point protocol
>
>Any other pointers, or thoughts on these ones?
>
>-Tim
>
>*-------------------------------------------------------------------*
>|  Tim Maher, PhD  (206) 781-UNIX   (866) DOC-PERL  (866) DOC-UNIX  |
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>
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