MAC address.

[Canew]

Hello everyone,

I am intending to control access of other PCs into my wireless LAN network. I have decided to use MAC address filter control method. But first, I will have to identify the MAC addresses for the 3 PCs that I am using (2 notebooks and 1 desktop).

For my the other notebook, as it is an older Pentium 4M, I can identify the MAC address from the PCMCIA LAN adapter card itself.

Q1: May I know how do I identify the MAC address for my ACER notebook that has a built-in wireless LAN? (Intel Centrino)

Q2: Also, how do I identify the MAC address of my desktop?

TIA.

 

[caseytan]

command prompt -> ipconfig /all

 

[Canew]

command prompt -> ipconfig /all

Thanks bro, I've tried that immediately. Is the MAC address identified as 'Physical address'?

 

[caseytan]

correct

 

[Canew]

Thank you, Sir! Appreciate your prompt response.

 

[jsbn]

BTW, just to warn u. MAC Address filtering is NOT a 100% foolproof method.

 

[madmacs]

short of disconnecting your computer from the network, i'm not sure there is any 100% foolproof method :think:

 

[sammy888]

BTW, just to warn u. MAC Address filtering is NOT a 100% foolproof method.

Quite true man....WPA security (Wi-Fi Protected Access) is better but WEP is better then not having any. Also depend on the hardware if it has that support or driver built in....suppose to have been incorporated in most hardware since early 2004(or earlier) if I am not wrong. But if none of your wireless hardware has it then...that would be bad since it mean have to replace all the products. So have MAC address filtering as a line of defend is better then not having any at all. Should be able to stop most nosy parkers but the most hardcore hacker types who roam around coffee cafes trying to hijack notebooks or networks heh.

 

[laheyhv]

BTW, just to warn u. MAC Address filtering is NOT a 100% foolproof method.

Another additional method is to "disable" your "ssid" broadcast.

 

[dreamerz]

refer to this site n u will noe the 6 dumbest way to secure ur network...
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/?p=43

and a guide for secure network
http://www.lanarchitect.net/Articles/Wireless/SecurityRating/

 

[Del_CtrlnoAlt]

Another additional method is to "disable" your "ssid" broadcast.

yup been doing that...

and on top of that, if your router have DHCP that can assign IP to Mac addresses, even better, then u just assign them accordingly, then limit DHCP to that number of users... so even another 1 wanna log in also cannot add, unless he breaks thru your router.

anyway, whenever i see Linksys routers (those who put LINKSYS as their Router name) den automatically i will just enter & use 192.168.1.1... den see if they use default password... haha... some ppl just plain lazy..

 

[jsbn]

Well, actually disabling DHCP is not exactly a dumb or time-wasting method.

I disable mine DHCP on my router, limit the number of users and allocate individual IP addresses to each of my home computers and reallocate IP addresses accordingly whenever one of my computers die (permanently) or add new computers.

In a way, its alot easier to monitor which computers are hooked onto my router currently.

 

[Canew]

Wow! So much to learn from all the gurus here. So far, I will only dare to venture with the MAC filtering only as my knowledge is very limited. WEP, WPA, etc. are for the big leagues, IMO. Will read up on the links provided by the bros here and will try to understand. Hope that they will enlighten me.

Hope that the bros here will not mind me posting more questions here...

 

[jsbn]

Go ahead. There are more den enuff chaps here working in the IT industry.

 

[espn]

Well, actually disabling DHCP is not exactly a dumb or time-wasting method.

I disable mine DHCP on my router, limit the number of users and allocate individual IP addresses to each of my home computers and reallocate IP addresses accordingly whenever one of my computers die (permanently) or add new computers.

In a way, its alot easier to monitor which computers are hooked onto my router currently.

I can't be bothered to disable DHCP, I just disable the SSID broadcast.

 

[Canew]

Thanks again to everyone!

 

[wildstallion]

anyway, whenever i see Linksys routers (those who put LINKSYS as their Router name) den automatically i will just enter & use 192.168.1.1... den see if they use default password... haha... some ppl just plain lazy..

Is this not illegal in SG now?

 

[madmacs]

dun just implement security measures for the sake of implementing. also have to weight the costs (time, effort, money) and benefits (surfing speed). for me i just use MAC filtering and disable SSID broadcasts.

 

[Royce]

I used to do all those things, disabled SSID broadcast, MAC filter, WEP encryption. However after more experience and research, found it easiest just to use encryption. Especially once WPA was supported by XP SP2, just need to use a very long random key and your network is very secure (to clarify, this is using WPA). MAC filter and disable SSID broadcast just add additional admin hassles while providing very little security benefit.

 

[jsbn]

Is this not illegal in SG now?

"Do anything u want, don't get caught."

Doesn't it sound familiar to u?