We have two computers on a wireless connection.  Someone in our area has a
wireless connection also.  Every time we boot up the second computer, it
shows the other person's wireless on our toobar with a secured connection. 
Each time we have to open up our wireless connection and re-connect.  What is
a secured connection, how does it work and how can we prevent this from over
riding our wireless?  Any information would be helpful on this matter.

Barbara wrote:
The hardware used for wireless networking is just a radio.  Just as you
can pick up the same commercial radio station as your neighbor can,
anyone with a wireless network adapter in their computer can pick up all
of the wireless networks within range (the range for wireless networks
is much less than commercial AM/FM radio stations, but as you've
discovered, it extends for at least a couple of houses).

All of the following changes are made by connecting to your router with
one of your computers -- connected, at least temporarily, with an
Ethernet cable -- and accessing the router's configuration utility.
Read your router's User Guide for directions, or give the make/model of
your router in your next post.

Because it is undesirable to let strangers have access to your wireless
network (in addition to using your Internet connection, they may be able
to access/change the files on your computer), you should "secure" your
wireless network by enabling the encryption capability built in to your
wireless router and wireless access points.  There are 3 "flavors" of
encryption commonly available on home routers/home computers: WEP, WPA,
and WPA2.  WEP is now easily crackable, so you shouldn't use it.  If all
of your equipment is capable of WPA2, use that; otherwise, use WPA.  You
will want to use WPA/WPA2 - PSK or WPA/WPA2 - Personal.  If given the
choice, use AES.

After you add encryption to the router, you will also have make
corresponding changes in each of your computers.

Just like commercial radio stations, wireless networking equipment uses
different channels, except there aren't very many.  In the US, there are
11, but for practical purposes, only channels 1, 6, and 11 are far
enough apart to make a difference.  Most home routers default to channel
6.  If you are experiencing interference from a nearby wireless network,
change your router to use

channel 1 or 11.  Your computers will detect the change automatically.

Also like commercial radio stations, each wireless router has its own
"name" or "call sign."  In the context of wireless networking, this is
called the SSID.  You should set the SSID in your router to something
unique that is not your name or address.

Here's some reading:
Wireless - Basic Configuration -
http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Config.html

Wireless - Basic Security -  http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html

MVP Barb Bowman on wireless security - http://tinyurl.com/56fc5

Tom's Hardware Wireless Security FAQs
http://www.tomsnetworking.com/2006/06/30/wireless_faq_security/index.html

On Thu, 1 Nov 2007 05:45:01 -0700, Barbara <Barb***@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote:

Barbara,

Depending upon the WiFi client that you're using, you should have a selection
for "Preferred Connections".  Make sure that you select Preferred Connections,
and that the other connection is NOT in the list.  And make sure that you have a
unique SSID, and that you are broadcasting the SSID.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/11/make-your-wireless-computer-connect.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/11/make-your-wireless-computer-connect.html

Chuck and Lem,

Thank you both for responding so fast to my inquiry.  I am not sure about
doing what you all suggested but I will contact a neighbor who set up our
wireless connection and see if he can secure our computers.  I am new to
wireless so feel inadequate on attempting to solve the problem.  Again thank
you!

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On Thu, 1 Nov 2007 18:46:01 -0700, Barbara <Barb***@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote:

Barbara,

Computers will do that to everybody.  I say that if you don't feel inadequate,
you're not doing all that you can.  I am highly inadequate, frequently, and I'll
bet that a few others here would say the same.

Come back here anytime, and ask more questions.  We'll be here.

I just don't want to mess up the computers.  The brand of the wireless is:
Linksys-Compact B WRT54GC.  Is there a simple and easy way that I can make
our wireless connection secured?

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Barbara wrote:
It's not too hard, but you would do well to read the User Guide.  It
should be on the CD that came with your router (in pdf form) or download
it from this page: http://tinyurl.com/36956c  Read Chapter 5.

Basically, what you do is to connect a computer to the router using an
Ethernet cable (this is temporary; you can go back to your wireless
connection when you're done).  Then, open a browser (IE or FireFox) and
enter the router's address (192.168.1.1).  This will take you to the
router's log-in screen, and assuming that your neighbor didn't change
the username/password, leave the User Name field blank and enter "admin"
(without quotes) as the password.

Click the "wireless" tab.  On this page, you can set the SSID or the
name for your wireless netowrk (see post from Pavel A.).  Then click
"wireless security."  This is where you set the kind of encryption you
will use (WEP/WPA/WPA2; see post from Jack) and the passphrase.  Use
WPA2-Personal (with AES) if the wifi adapter on both of your computers
will support that or WPA-Personal (with AES).

Or, as Pavel suggested, ask your neighbor to come back and set up
encryption for you.

Barbara,

It is normal and expected that your neigbor's network is visible in the scan list -
that you call "toolbar".
Wi-fi is just a radio - as Lem wrote  - so it can pick everything that floats in the ether.
Some people, however, are amazingly creative in choosing names for their
wireless networks... Hope it is not your case :))

Your neigbor has a secured connection - this also is normal and expected.
This means that connection to their network is possible only to those who
has some kind of password. This is like everybody can see
your house, but need a key to enter. In fact, every owner of a wi-fi network
should lock it *well*,  to avoid a lot of mutual issues between themselves
and the neigbors.

So now you can just proceed to securing your own wi-fi network and set
your computers to work in it...

Again, as others wrote, this may be pretty complex even for a pro.
You are welcome to read the directions that come with your wi-fi router
and adapters; tutorials kindly provided by members of this community.
Or  maybe your neigbor can just come over to help :)

Regards,
--PA

Hi
From the weakest to the strongest, Wireless security capacity is.

No Security
MAC______(Band Aid if nothing else is available).
WEP64____(Easy, to "Brake" by knowledgeable people).
WEP128___(A little Harder, but "Hackable" too).
WPA-PSK__(Very Hard to Brake ).
WPA-AES__(Not functionally Breakable)
WPA2____ (Not functionally Breakable).

Note 1: WPA-AES the the current entry level rendition of WPA2.

Note 2: If you use WinXP and did not updated it you would have to download
the WPA2 patch from Microsoft. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893357

The documentation of your Wireless devices (Wireless Router, and Wireless
Computer's Card) should state the type of security that is available with
your Wireless hardware.

All devices MUST be set to the same security level using the same pass
phrase.

Therefore the security must be set according what ever is the best possible
of one of the Wireless devices.

I.e. even if most of your system might be capable to be configured to the
max. with WPA2, but one device is only capable to be configured to max . of
WEP, to whole system must be configured to WEP.

If you need more good security and one device (like a Wireless card that can
do WEP only) is holding better security for the whole Network, replace the
device with a better one.

Setting Wireless Security - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html

Jack (MVP-Networking).

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