Wireless internet security

No extra software is required.

Just enable wireless security on the Airport Express - my suggestion is to use "WPA Personal" with a password of at least eight alphanumeric characters not found in any dictionary. Your Mac will then prompt you to enter that same password after your re-establish the wireless connection to the Airport Express. That's it!

I'm glad MacLuv asked this question because I've been wondering the same thing.

I have a graphite base station and I can see other networks but wonder if any of my neighbors can see mine.

I went to airport admin and clicked on "change wireless security".
It says 40 bit WEP and then shows a network password and verify password (in dots). I can't remember where I got that password but I think I could find it if I had to. Anyway, I'm rambling and yet hoping MacLuv will get some info out of what I'm asking, too.

So my real question is; I don't have "enable interference robustness" checked, I do have "create a closed network" checked. But how do I know for sure if my neighbor's can see my computer?

"Enable interference robustness" is a setting you should only use as a last resort to solve a problem caused by radiofrequency interference on your network. This setting doesn't have anything to do with wireless security.

If you check the setting to "create a closed network" then your neighbor's Mac or PC won't be able to "see" your wireless network or your Mac. However, software is readily available on the internet to allow anyone to "see" a so-called "closed network" - so this feature will only prevent the amateurs from "seeing" your network. Anyone who is scouting around for wireless networks to crack will certainly know this as well. Only WEP security will provide some small roadblock to preventing someone from readily accessing your network. Unfortunately the 40-bit WEP supported by the old Graphite Base Station is by current standards woefully inadequate security - even an amateur could crack 40-bit WEP with little effort.

OK, I kind of answered my own question by doing what I should have done right off the bat; "help".

In help I found this:

To password-protect your AirPort network:
Open AirPort Admin Utility, located in Applications/Utilities.
Select your base station and click Configure. Enter the base station password, if necessary.
Click Change Wireless Security and choose a password scheme from the Wireless Security pop-up menu.
Enter the password all users will need in order to join this wireless network.
If you choose Not Enabled from the Wireless Security pop-up menu, your wireless network is accessible to anyone within range of the network.

Here's my new question, and maybe this will help MacLuv, too.
Does apple automatically give your wireless network a default password?

Because last week when I tried to add a work PC to my wireless network, I needed my password.

So after clicking here and there, I saw the "Password" button in airport admin; it's right up there on top, next to "restart", "upload", and right between "default" and "profiles". When I clicked on "Password", it gives me a hex equivalent password (WEP key) with some random numbers and letters.

So I used that password for my PC and presto chango, it worked. So here's my question that I think I already asked, but I only ask to learn so bear with me, where did that password come from? It's not one I came up with. Should I change it? Does it hurt to leave it alone?

In either case, it sounds like my network is secure. I hope my stumbling and rambling helps you MacLuv.

Wow! Henry that was fast. I added that last post without knowing you posted.

So do you think it's time for me to update to an airport extreme?

How dangerous is it to leave it alone? What can they steal from me? All I have on my computer is digital video projects, itunes, pictures, etc. But I do order things from the Internet using a credit card. Can they somehow get that info? Or worse yet, the passwords I use here and there?

I feel like I'm exposing myself right now just by asking these questions.

No, the Base Station doesn't come configured with wireless security enabled and therefore doesn't come pre-configured with a wireless security password.

When you originally set up 40-bit WEP on your Base Station, you also entered what Apple refers to as a "wireless network password". From that alphanumeric password, the Base Station generates a hexadecimal format "network equivalent password". That hex-format password is made available for use with PCs - many of which won't connect if you use the alphanumeric "wireless network password" that all Macs use. The alphanumeric password and its hex-format "network equivalent" are from a functional point of view identical - and if you change the "wireless network password" the hex format password gets automatically changed to match.

Most connections to web sites that require secure activity (like credit card purchases) are done using a secure web site - a site that uses an https:// URL.

If you are currently using 40-bit WEP, I wouldn't panic - unless maybe you live in a large apartment block in a large urban center where the potential exists that there is someone close by with a lot of time on there hands with nothing better to do than to crack other people's networks. Just keep this all in mind and when finances allow, consider upgrading your old Graphite Base Station.

Thanks for the info Henry. One last question, so if somebody cracks my network, could they just roam around on my computer if they want?
I usually leave all 3 computers on 24-7. They go to sleep but can they still be accessed by somebody else? And is there a way to know if somebody is lurking around in my itunes folder, or buying songs without me knowing? OK, so it was like 5 questions.

No one can access your computer unless (a) you have file/web/FTP sharing enabled and (b) they can guess a valid user name and login password for your Mac.