Unsecured Wireless Network

[apetley]

Hi, I have always received invaluable help on Thaivisa so heres another question.

I have just got TT&T's wireless ADSL installed.

When I go online in the Wireless Network Connection box it informs me that I am using an unsecured wireless network.

As this is what I am assuming stops me logging on to a couple of financial sites I use how can I secure my network?

I already use a firewall and spyware.

Any advice please?

I am assuming that I can just change some settings somewhere in my notebook right?

Thanks for reading, Andy.

[monty]

Nope, you have to change some settings in your wireless router (I guess provided by TT&T), involving activating encryption and entering a passphrase.

Then after you try to connect with your laptop, instead of giving the "unsecured connection" warning, it'll ask for the passphrase as entered in the wireless router.

Difficult to give more details without knowing the exact model of wireless router TT&T supplied you with...

I doubt however that the financial site are refusing access because of the insecure wifi connection, I'm not sure how they would know that your wifi is not secured, let alone even know you are connected using wireless!

[apetley]

Thanks for the quick reply.

The router has @BELL as a name, made by XAVi Technologies Corporation.

It strange that I can connect with the websites using my aircard but not using my wireless connection.

[apetley]

Just been on the phone to Barclays Stockbrokers and they were unhelpful.

Anyone know the reason I can connect with them using my very slow aircard but not with my ADSL?

Connects with other websites in and outside of Thailand fine.

[apetley]

The saga continues, just been chatting with someone and he said that if I can access other sites then Barclays Stockbrokers may be being blocked for some reason. Unlikely? But......

He suggested access via a proxy.

Being a novice on all things proxy any advice in this direction.

[tingtong]

just like to confirm that financial sites should nothing to do with secured or unsecured wireless network.

when i travel I often use those unsecured networks, to access my bank or broker.

it means only that if your network is unsecured, then your neighbor might connect to the net with it too.

one thing that might help to add their site to your trusted sites.

that is tools-internet optios-security-trusted sites...and there you can add sites.

also might help sometimes that you delete the temporary files, and cookies.

the route is: tools-internet options, and there on the middle of the window: temporary files; delete cookies, delete files.

dont hurt trying.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Not only connect to the net with it, but also monitor your Internet traffic and in some cases take control of your computer.

For financial transactions, I would use an Ethernet connection, but if you have to use a Wireless connection, forget about WEP and go straight to WPA/PSK for security.

Use: https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm to generate a very high security password.

[wpcoe]

Andy, depending how new your notebook computer's WiFi hardware is, you probably have a choice of two basic types of encryption: WEP (older) and WPA (newer).

If both the ISP-provided modem/access point and your notebook give you both options, go with Jiu-Jitsu's suggestion of WPA. If you only have the choice of WEP, it is better than nothing, but can be rather easily cracked by someone intent on doing so. WEP keeps honest people honest. WPA keeps most everybody at bay.

Now, if you find WPA available on both devides (modem/access point and notebook) check further to see if you can enable WPA2. That is currently the most secure encryption.

So, check your modem and notebook, and enable (in order of increasing security): WEP, WPA (WPA-PSK), or WPA (WPA2-PSK).

[apetley]

Thanks everyone for reading and the advice, I appreciate it.

As for not being able to access the Barclays Stockbrokers website it appears ok so far this morning.

It was strange that both myself and a friend just a few hundred metres away had problems accessing this one site.

All other international connectivity was/is fine.

I could access using my aircard no problem and a call to Barclays confirmed the website was operational but little else.

A call to TT&T yesterday evening solicited the response that they were having problems with international traffic. Ha, hopefully not a sign of things to come!!!

[apetley]

Guess what? Start of the trading day and Barclays Stockbrokers is the only site that I cannot access using TT&T, that goes for Thai and international sites.

Conspiracy or what?

Opens fine if slow using my aircard.

Another call to their service line coming up.

[Rice_King]

Sounds like a classic DNS issue. Check to see what DNS servers that your (aircard) network connection is using and then try the same settings on the wireless connection.

Recommended (OpenDNS) DNS Servers: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220

More info at OpenDNS.

[apetley]

RK, thanks for the reply.

At the risk of being labelled a dunce, too late I fear, how do I check which DNS server my network is using?

[Rice_King]

RK, thanks for the reply.

At the risk of being labelled a dunce, too late I fear, how do I check which DNS server my network is using?

1. Click on Start button > Settings > Network connections
   
2. Double click on your connection (Local Area Connection, AirCard, Wireless, etc..)
   
3. Click on Properties button
   
4. Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
   
5. Click on Properties button and Look for Preferred DNS Server:
   

More thorough instructions can be found here.

[apetley]

RK, thanks very much for the info.

[Rice_King]

You're quite welcome.

Did that procedure correct the (not being able to access the Barclays Stockbrokers website) issue for you?

[apetley]

I tried it today and unfortunately I am still unable to connect using my ADSL.

Every other site I regularly access, Thai or Worldwide connects very quickly so its very frustrating.

I can access using a proxy no problem but I am loathe to log on to a financial website using a proxy server for the obvious reasons.

A call to TT&T tomorrow I think and if there is no joy there I think TOT do a similar package.

Thanks again for your interest.

[Rice_King]

If possible, please let us know how the issue was resolved. I would enjoy knowing the outcome.

[apetley]

Well www.stockbrokers.barclays.co.uk finally seems to be working for me today, 10 days too late mind and after I have lost my gains on the stockmarket I made the last couple of months.

Cest la vie!!!

After a visit to the TT&T office, a visit from an engineer, countless phone calls to the Maxnet helpline when of course its always denied that there is a problem their end I finally got them to admit it this morning and lo and behold I can connect this afternoon.

My wife knows absolutely nothing about anything technical but says that the Maxnet engineer on the phone this morning says 'there is a problem with the settings, not working correct'.

Well hopefully it is sorted for the forseeable future, what do you think?

Thanks again those who contributed.

[gzu88bv]

Well www.stockbrokers.barclays.co.uk finally seems to be working for me today, 10 days too late mind and after I have lost my gains on the stockmarket I made the last couple of months.

Cest la vie!!!

That is really bad to hear, but why the hel_l did you not visit to an Internet shop or ask a friend to let you use his computer to ascertain those gains???

[apetley]

Well www.stockbrokers.barclays.co.uk finally seems to be working for me today, 10 days too late mind and after I have lost my gains on the stockmarket I made the last couple of months.

Cest la vie!!!

That is really bad to hear, but why the hel_l did you not visit to an Internet shop or ask a friend to let you use his computer to ascertain those gains???

I am loathe to use any internet cafes here because of the security implications and sods law means that all my friends locally with a fast internet connection(2 of them, drawback of village life) are all on Maxnet too so it was impossible to access my stockbroker through them too.

Its not as bad as it sounds as I am not down, just back where I was a couple of months ago.

[Farma]

I wonder if your problems have something to do with Barclays own security settings.

From the Middle East some colleagues using HSPDA connections with or without proxies are finding they can’t access their Barclay and Lloyd accounts. If they revert to dialup they can.

From reports of the guys using this HSPDA system it appears the only UK bank easily accessed is HSBC.

[apetley]

I wonder if your problems have something to do with Barclays own security settings.

From the Middle East some colleagues using HSPDA connections with or without proxies are finding they can’t access their Barclay and Lloyd accounts. If they revert to dialup they can.

From reports of the guys using this HSPDA system it appears the only UK bank easily accessed is HSBC.

I wondered that too initially, thats why I asked about my wireless network.

I can access via aircard, AIS 12Call and can even access on ADSL using a proxy website so that makes me doubt Barclays are blocking me on security issues.

After what an 'engineer' told my wife yesterday when he admiited to 'bad settings' I really am inclined to believe TT&T are the root of the problem.

Last night I could use most of the time so they seem to have changed something!!!!