Read Ultimate router settings - Don't Comprehend

[glennc]

Hello,
I am, at the advice of some of the forum's members, for the first time, attempting to tighten my router settings for ultimate security, within reason. If that makes sense.
I posted a question in another thread on some router setting, but no one decided to reply.
My setup is 2 computers wired to the router and one wireless laptop.
I have set up WPA2 with appropriate difficulty password, mac filtering, set the only firewall settings I could find according to the manual correctly, changed the SSID, made it hidden, am using only G mode at the moment with auto channel select??!?!!
NetStumbler should be run on the wireless computer or can I on my main wired? It didn't seem to function on the main computer when a scan was attempted to find a more empty channel.
I have read the Ultimate router settings guide and unfortunately find parts of it incomprehensible. So I am hoping one of you brave lads or ladies will please assist me in understanding and then making the correct choice.
The area I became completely lost was at port forwarding, TCP & UDP Port, Inbound Filter and Universal Plug & Play. I don't know if I need port forwarding or whatever follows. I don't have VOIP or Bitorrent. So do I need these things and if so what or why? It mentioned something about the Plug and Play being a bad thing. I am adrift on the ocean of computer technology and there is a heavy mist and it is night and cloudy with no moon.
Oh and the router's manual has all the wrong information on where to log into the online setup and other problems, their CS rep confirmed that. I did get in though.
Will anyone please assist. Thanks in advance.
glennc

 

[Petey7]

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

99% of anything you want to know can be found there. If a statement has the words "no citation" or something similar next to it, don't automatically accept it as true. Everything else is usually very accurate. Just type what your looking for into the search bar and let the learning begin.

 

[chev65]

Hello,
I am, at the advice of some of the forum's members, for the first time, attempting to tighten my router settings for ultimate security, within reason. If that makes sense.
I posted a question in another thread on some router setting, but no one decided to reply.
My setup is 2 computers wired to the router and one wireless laptop.
I have set up WPA2 with appropriate difficulty password, mac filtering, set the only firewall settings I could find according to the manual correctly, changed the SSID, made it hidden, am using only G mode at the moment with auto channel select??!?!!
NetStumbler should be run on the wireless computer or can I on my main wired? It didn't seem to function on the main computer when a scan was attempted to find a more empty channel.
I have read the Ultimate router settings guide and unfortunately find parts of it incomprehensible. So I am hoping one of you brave lads or ladies will please assist me in understanding and then making the correct choice.
The area I became completely lost was at port forwarding, TCP & UDP Port, Inbound Filter and Universal Plug & Play. I don't know if I need port forwarding or whatever follows. I don't have VOIP or Bitorrent. So do I need these things and if so what or why? It mentioned something about the Plug and Play being a bad thing. I am adrift on the ocean of computer technology and there is a heavy mist and it is night and cloudy with no moon.
Oh and the router's manual has all the wrong information on where to log into the online setup and other problems, their CS rep confirmed that. I did get in though.
Will anyone please assist. Thanks in advance.
glennc

Your wireless connection is more than secure because of the mac filtering and no SSID broadcasting. No need to worrie about your wireless security anymore.

As for which channel to use, those channel scanners need a wireless adaptor in order to scan so it's only going to work on machines with a wireless adaptor like your laptop. Just use a channel that isn't in use in your area which is info you can get using programs like Xirrus Wifi scanner in the link below. The channels are only used for your wireless connection.
Xirrus: The Leader in High Performance Wi-Fi - Advanced IT Wi-Fi Networking Tools

You do not need to open ports unless you have a program that requires you to do so.

 

[glennc]

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

99% of anything you want to know can be found there. If a statement has the words "no citation" or something similar next to it, don't automatically accept it as true. Everything else is usually very accurate. Just type what your looking for into the search bar and let the learning begin.

Hello Petey7,
Thanks for jumping in. I'll definitely look into it.
glennc

 

[glennc]

Hello,
I am, at the advice of some of the forum's members, for the first time, attempting to tighten my router settings for ultimate security, within reason. If that makes sense.
I posted a question in another thread on some router setting, but no one decided to reply.
My setup is 2 computers wired to the router and one wireless laptop.
I have set up WPA2 with appropriate difficulty password, mac filtering, set the only firewall settings I could find according to the manual correctly, changed the SSID, made it hidden, am using only G mode at the moment with auto channel select??!?!!
NetStumbler should be run on the wireless computer or can I on my main wired? It didn't seem to function on the main computer when a scan was attempted to find a more empty channel.
I have read the Ultimate router settings guide and unfortunately find parts of it incomprehensible. So I am hoping one of you brave lads or ladies will please assist me in understanding and then making the correct choice.
The area I became completely lost was at port forwarding, TCP & UDP Port, Inbound Filter and Universal Plug & Play. I don't know if I need port forwarding or whatever follows. I don't have VOIP or Bitorrent. So do I need these things and if so what or why? It mentioned something about the Plug and Play being a bad thing. I am adrift on the ocean of computer technology and there is a heavy mist and it is night and cloudy with no moon.
Oh and the router's manual has all the wrong information on where to log into the online setup and other problems, their CS rep confirmed that. I did get in though.
Will anyone please assist. Thanks in advance.
glennc

Your wireless connection is more than secure because of the mac filtering and no SSID broadcasting. No need to worrie about your wireless security anymore.

As for which channel to use, those channel scanners need a wireless adaptor in order to scan so it's only going to work on machines with a wireless adaptor like your laptop. Just use a channel that isn't in use in your area which is info you can get using programs like Xirrus Wifi scanner in the link below. The channels are only used for your wireless connection.
Xirrus: The Leader in High Performance Wi-Fi - Advanced IT Wi-Fi Networking Tools

You do not need to open ports unless you have a program that requires you to do so.

Hello chev65,
Thank you much for your time and information. I feel more secure already .
This may be a stupid question but, I got the idea that some programs need a port to communicate for say upgrades, new definitions, drivers or who knows what else.
Is this a wrong assumption. Basically I want to know if I should enable or disable the Plug and Play and the UDP tcp ports.
Also and I just recalled it, this router can block sites, URLs and services. I told it to block PING and any sites with porn in the name and such. No specific URLs. And the list of services is beyond my understanding like http, https, ftp, and 3 or 4 more.
Anyway thanks again for the link and the info. Please feel free to clarify, elaborate, ramble on or anything about those issues.
glennc

 

[glennc]

Well Petey7,
No luck, Wikipedea was written more technical than this sites guides. So I'm still without a clue.

Hello chev65,
Thanks for that Xirrus Utility. Worked great and found all the close Wireless transmitter close to me and I was on a different channel. So that is taken care of by your help. Somebody told me I could change the Plug and Play and see if there were any problems. Not very helpful or informative but the guy tried. So I guess I won't worry about it until someone cares to explain in slow plain English what they do.
Thanks again.
glennc