Come on y'all. Let's not bicker..........
Facts only please...
Wireless security can be set on most modern routers and adapters to one of 7 states -
Everyone has an opinion and they are mostly free - there are 50 networks I can detect and about 10% are open, another 60% are WEP, 5% are WPA, and 25% are WPA2.
Since it is just as easy to set WPA2 as it is anything else, my assumption is that the open ones either don't care about security (my neighbor), have lots of "guests", or have no clue. The WEP ones are either old routers, need to support old adapters, or don't
understand the difference. The WPA are old routers or are confused. The WPA2 know something, but still may be dangerous or they have a geek friend.
WEP is old technology and is not difficult to compromise with today's computing power.
AND I would hope that Wired systems are a lot more secure than Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP). Though I guess if it isn't TEMPEST it is vulnerable to a good antenna.
The bottom line:
If you are not concerned about security leave your network open - it eliminates a lot of potential connection issues and makes it easy for others to get onto the internet. Data on your computer can be protected from other LAN/WLAN computers by other means,
which may be necessary even with WPA2.
If you are concerned then set your router to the highest level available consistent with the adapters you need to support.
The following is from the HELP contents on my Linksys Router.
Your router may vary.............the reason it says "6" is because they don't consider NONE a security mode.
I moved WEP to the top so that the strength level increased top to bottom.
To set them go to your router-Wireless-Security page
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These settings configure the security of your wireless network. There are six wireless security modes supported by the Router: WPA-Personal, WPA2-Personal, WPA-Enterprise, WPA2-Enterprise, RADIUS, and WEP.
PSK stands for Pre-Shared Key, which is stronger than WEP encryption. WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy, while RADIUS stands for Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service.)
WEP
WEP is a basic encryption method offering two levels of encryption; 128-bit is stronger than 40/64-bit encryption.
Encryption . Select the appropriate level of encryption, 40/64-bit (10 hex digits) or 128-bit (26 hex digits) .
Passphrase . To automatically generate keys, enter your passphrase. Then click the
Generate button.
Key 1-4 . If you want to manually enter the WEP keys, then enter them in the
Key 1-4 fields.
TX Key . To indicate which WEP key to use, select a transmit key number.
WPA-Personal
Encryption . Select the algorithm you want to use, TKIPor AES . (AES is a stronger encryption method than TKIP.)
Pre-shared Key . Enter the key shared by the Router and your other network devices. It must have 8-63 ASCII characters or 64 hex characters.
Key Renewal . Enter the Key Renewal period, which tells the Router how often it should change encryption keys.
WPA2-Personal
Encryption . Select the algorithm(s) you want to use, AES or TKIP or AES . (AES is a stronger encryption method than TKIP.)
Pre-shared Key . Enter the key shared by the Router and your other network devices. It must have 8-63 ASCII characters or 64 hex characters.
Key Renewal . Enter the Key Renewal period, which tells the Router how often it should change encryption keys.
WPA-Enterprise
This option features WPA used in coordination with a RADIUS server. (This should only be used when a RADIUS server is connected to the Router.)
Encryption . Select the algorithm(s) you want to use, TKIPor AES . (AES is a stronger encryption method than TKIP.)
RADIUS Server . Enter the IP address of your RADIUS server.
RADIUS Port . Enter the port number of your RADIUS server.
Shared Secret . Enter the key shared by the Router and RADIUS server.
Key Renewal . Enter the Key Renewal period, which tells the Router how often it should change encryption keys.
WPA2-Enterprise
This option features WPA2 used in coordination with a RADIUS server. (This should only be used when a RADIUS server is connected to the Router.)
Encryption . Select the algorithm(s) you want to use, AESor TKIP or AES . (AES is a stronger encryption method than TKIP.)
RADIUS Server . Enter the IP address of your RADIUS server.
RADIUS Port . Enter the port number of your RADIUS server.
Shared Secret . Enter the key shared by the Router and RADIUS server.
Key Renewal . Enter the Key Renewal period, which tells the Router how often it should change encryption keys.
Radius
This option features WEP used in coordination with a RADIUS server. (This should only be used when a RADIUS server is connected to the Router.)
RADIUS Server . Enter the IP address of your RADIUS server.
RADIUS Port . Enter the port number of your RADIUS server.
Shared Secret . Enter the key shared by the Router and RADIUS server.
Encryption . Select the appropriate level of encryption, 40/64-bit (10 hex digits) or 128-bit (26 hex digits) ,
which is stronger encryption than 40/64 bit encryption.
Passphrase . To automatically generate keys, enter your passphrase. Then click the
Generate button.
Key 1-4 . If you want to manually enter the WEP keys, then enter them in the
Key 1-4 fields.
TX Key . To indicate which WEP key to use, select a transmit key number.
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