10.4.11 and secure wireless connectivity

Question

10.4.11 and secure wireless connectivity

Have G3 and emac running 10.4.11. These are capable of "WPA personal". I realize that significant progress in wireless security has supposedly been made, but it seems that newer routers (FIOS in my case) will not allow these older macs to connect even though I am willing to keep the WPA instead of WPA2 (which my newer macs are capable of).

Is there a way to do this or should I give up?

Also, since I use the 10.4.11 macs less than the newer ones, I don't see a lock next to a WPA personal network in the airport menu of the 10.4.11 macs, even though shows up as a WPA personal network in the network pref pane. Is it safe to assume that the lock icon was not part of 10.4.11?

I have all the macs running now on an older FIOS router, but I need to upgrade the router. I have a newer (not the newest) FIOS router that I have been swapping in/out and just can't get the older macs to join on the newer router

Thanks

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5), late 2009

Posted on Jan 19, 2014 10:36 AM

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Answer 1

rccharles

Level 6

13,037 points

Jan 19, 2014 11:09 AM in response to mrokloricred37

You could get another wifi router to ethernet. Attach via ethernet to your new fios router. Note to do printer sharing and/or file sharing. all devices need to be connected to the same router. Unless, you are a networking geek and buy more expensive hardware. You can get to the internet from any router.

Ethernet Bridge Solutions

Ethernet Bridge
"The versatile Wireless-G Ethernet Bridge can make any wired Ethernet-equipped device a part of your wireless network." from linksys. The supports both web browser based or program configuration. For the program, you need mac os x 10.5 or greater or windows xp to configure. Once configured, you can use it on any ethernet port.
http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-RE1000-Wireless-N-Range-Extender/dp/B005FDXMJS/ref =sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314563758&sr=8-1
Airport Express
Airport Express is an external unit and you can configure it as a bridge. 802.11n ( You will need a more modern version of Mac OS X to configure. Sadly, Apple uses a configuration program to configure, not a web browser. ) Please note this requires mac os x 10.5??? or greater to configure or windows xp to configure. Please verify requirements before buying. Once configured, you can use it on any ethernet port.
https://www.apple.com/airportexpress/
Netgear WNCE2001
Linksys WET610N are only two bridge examples.

USB Adapters

BearExtender
http://store.bearextender.com/products/bearextender-mini
Newer Technology MAXPower 802.11n/g/b USB Adapter. New Technology has made these adapters for a while this one is for OS X 10.5 and greater.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20Technology/MXP3802NU2C/
Newer Technology MAXPower 802.11n/g/b USB Adapter. New Technology has made these adapters for a while. What Mac OS they supports changes over time. Be careful which one you get. Amazon claims to be selling older ones as of 2/16/2013. http://www.amazon.com/NewerTech-MAXPower-802-11n-Wireless-Extension/dp/B00132CMN C
Tenda W311M
http://www.microcenter.com/product/373032/W311M_150Mbps_Wireless_N_USB_20_Adapte r
Most of the real work is done in software. Took 15% to 25% of the processor in my iMac G3 600 :(
Edimax EW-7722UTn -- 300Mbps Wireless 802.11b/g/n Mini-size USB Adapter
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Edimax/EW7722UTN/Specs
10.4 / 10.5 / 10.6 / 10.7 / 10.8

The letters n/g/b correspond to the speed of the data transfer. You should match the speed to your existing router. You best match on the highest speed. N is the highest. G is middle. b is lowest.

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Answer 2

Jan 19, 2014 2:22 PM in response to mrokloricred37

Ways to improve router security:

use a wireless access control list to limit connections to specified MAC numbers
use an unusual wireless name
use a long and unusual but easy to remember wireless 'password'
changed both the router's login name and password from the defaults
turn off all unnecessary options, ports and protocols
turn off the router's DHCP server and use fixed IPs for both wired and wireless connections
reduced the number of IPs from the default 256 to 16
use third party firmware if you router is one of the many that are easily hacked
changed IPs from the default 192.168.x.x to something else within private ranges

The established private ranges are:

10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255

172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255

192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255

Useful IP tool: http://jodies.de/ipcalc

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