wi-fi security?

[Steven Susbauer]

On Aug 6, 2009, at 3:02 AM, Raseel Bhagat wrote:

>
>
> On Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 1:24 PM, Sandy Harris  
> <sandyinchina at gmail.com> wrote:
> Zachary Uram<netrek at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > 2) How do I make my laptop more secure so others on wifi network  
> can't
> > steal or sniff my packets?
> >
> > I heard many people using free wifi get heir passwords sniffed, etc.
>
> The encryption built into the 802.11 WiFi standard is called WEP,
> for "Wired Equivalent Privacy". Its design goal was ONLY to be
> as secure as an unencrypted ethernet, where anyone who
> can plug in can sniff your packets. That is of course an utterly
> bone-headed design goal for a wireless system.
>
> In short, WEP is broken. So if you actually want a secure
> wireless network, you have to use some other protocol,
> SSH or IPsec, to protect that connection.
>
> Your correct about WEP being insecure. However, it is better than no  
> security.
>
> And the alternative to WEP would be security modes WPA-PSK (or WPA  
> Personal) and WPA-Enterprise.

Neither WEP or WPA will likely be employed at a public connection such  
as the OP was talking about.