Securing your wireless network is a simple process, which generally does not require a lot of time. Please follow these instructions to secure your wireless network.

WRT54G

Before you begin, please try to configure the WRT54G from a hardwired PC for simplicity. Whenever security is changed you’ll need to change the settings on all wireless units so it’s a good rule of thumb to do security changes from a hardwired PC if possible.

Accessing the Router

1. Go to your desktop and double click on Internet Explorer (Located on the Start Menu in Windows XP)

2. When "Internet Explorer" opens type the routers IP address into the "Address" bar and hit the [Enter] key (The Wireless routers default IP address is http://192.168.1.1)

3. The "Enter Network Password" window will appear.

4. Skip user name and type in your password (admin is the default password), and click OK

Setup Page Security Options

When you arrive at the Setup page, you'll see the bulk of your wireless security features. There are three things you're going to want to set on this page:

1. SSID

a) Delete linksys from the "SSID" field

b) Input your own unique SSID. We general recommend something easy to remember, but secure enough to where people would not be able to guess it easily. Sometimes your best bet is to use your last name and add some numbers, in this example we’re using linksys12345678910.

c) Click Apply then Continue

2. SSID Broadcast

SSID broadcasts allows other 802.11b and 802.11g users to see your Access Points SSID, by disabling this option is similar to closing your binds and not letting people see through. If you have Windows XP computer(s), do this step last.

a) Select Disable on the “SSID Broadcast”.

b) Click Apply then Continue

3. WEP

a) Set “Wireless Security” to Enable.

b) Click the Edit Security Settings button.

c) A window will appear prompting you “Do you want to enable the Security Encryption?” click OK.

d) When the "Security Settings" Window appears, set the “Security Mode” to WEP*. Then set the “WEP Encryption” to the 128 bits 26 hex digits option.
NOTE: 128 bit WEP may not work on non-Linksys products due to its lack of an IEEE standard

e) Enter a passphrase** that is different from the SSID. Try to make it alphanumeric; instead of just security, use security12345, then click the Generate button.

f) After the key has been generated copy the key into a notepad document and copy that file onto a floppy.
*NOTE: There are other security options, which the WRT54G uses, however, not all wireless adapter currently support security implementations such WPA and 802.1x. Most wireless adapters support either 64-bit WEP or 128-bit WEP, so Linksys recommends using WEP unless you know that all of your wireless adapters support WPA.

**NOTE: The passphrase will not work with non-Linksys products, so you will need to use the 1^st key that you copied onto floppy. You will also need the key, not the passphrase for using Linksys products under Windows XP

g) Click Apply then Continue

h) Close the window

i) Click Apply then Continue on the setup page.

Note: If you need help setting up WEP on your wireless NIC’s, please see Answer ID 749

Setting up Wireless MAC Filtering

The Wireless MAC Filtering option is a very good security feature. This option either allows or denies access to all wireless clients that are listed. The best security is for you to only allow those whom are listed. To setup Wireless MAC Filtering, have all of your wireless PC’s online wirelessly and follow these instructions:

1. From the "Setup" page, click the Advanced tab.

2. When you arrive at the “Advanced Wireless” section, set the “Wireless MAC Filter” option to Enable.

3. Set the option under “Wireless MAC Filter to Permit only, then click the Edit MAC Filter List button.

4. When the “MAC Address Filter List” window appears, click the Wireless MAC List button.

5. The “Wireless Active Client MAC List” window will open, when it does check the box under Enable MAC Filter for each of your PC’s that are listed under “Active PC”. After you do this, click the Update Filter List button.

6. After you click the “Update Filter List” button, you should be back at the “MAC Address Filter List” window, and each of the MAC Addresses will be input into their own space. Scroll to the bottom of the list and click the Apply button.

7. If the “MAC Address Filter List” window is still active, close it and click the Apply button on the “Advanced Wireless” page.

BEFW11S4

Before you begin, please try to configure the BEFW11S4 from a hardwired PC for simplicity. Whenever security is changed you’ll need to change the settings on all wireless units so it’s a good rule of thumb to do security changes from a hardwired PC if possible.

Accessing the Router

Go to your desktop and double click on Internet Explorer (Located on the Start Menu in Windows XP)
When "Internet Explorer" opens type the routers IP address into the "Address" bar and hit the [Enter] key (The Wireless routers default IP address is http://192.168.1.1)
The "Enter Network Password" window will appear.
Skip user name and type in your password (admin is the default password), and click OK

Setup Page Security Options

When you arrive at the Setup page, you'll see the bulk of your wireless security features. There are three things you're going to want to set on this page:

1. SSID

d) Delete linksys from the "SSID" field

e) Input your own unique SSID. We general recommend something easy to remember, but secure enough to where people would not be able to guess it easily. Sometimes your best bet is to use your last name and add some numbers, however for this example we’re using KB1234.

f) Click Apply then Continue

SSID Broadcast (Firmware 1.42.7 and above only)

SSID broadcasts allows other 802.11b and 802.11g users to see your Access Points SSID, by disabling this option is similar to closing your binds and not letting people see through.

c) Click No on the Allow "Broadcast" SSID to associate?

d) Click Apply then Continue

WEP

b) Click Mandatory for the "WEP" Option

j) Click the WEP Key Settings button

k) A window will appear prompting you to change “WEP to Mandatory”, click Yes.

l) When the "Wep Key Settings" Window appears, change the option from 64 to 128*
NOTE: 128 bit WEP may not work on non-Linksys products due to its lack of an IEEE standard

m) Enter a passphrase** that is different from the SSID. Try to make it alphanumeric; instead of password, use password5532, then click Generate.

n) After the key has been Generated copy the key into a notepad document and copy that file onto a floppy.

**NOTE: The passphrase will not work with non-Linksys products, so you will need to use the passphrase that you copied onto floppy.

o) Click Apply then Continue

p) Close the window

q) Click Apply then Continue on the setup page.

Note: If you need help setting up WEP on your NIC, please see Answer ID 749

Setting up Station MAC Filter

The Station MAC Filter option is a very good security feature that has been added to Firmware 1.42.7 and above. This option denies all wireless clients except those listed. To implement this feature please follow these instructions:

8. From the "Setup" page, click Advanced

9. When the "Filters" page opens, click on the Wireless tab

10. Make sure all wireless computers are setup to the router, and are currently able to access the internet. Once this is done, click on the Active MAC Table button.

11. Move the "Wireless Active MAC Table" window and click on Edit MAC Filter Settings on the main window.

12. When the "Wireless Group MAC Table" opens, go to the task bar and click on the Wireless Active MAC Table so that window appears.

13. With the two windows side by side enter the MAC Addresses from the "Wireless Active MAC Table" window into the Wireless Group MAC Table.

- NOTE: When you enter the MAC Addresses do not include the dashes, and do not click "Filter"

14. Click Apply then Continue in the "Wireless Group MAC Table" window.

15. Close the "Wireless Group MAC Table" window and the "Wireless Active MAC Table" window

16. On the Main window Enable the “Station MAC Filter setting”.

WAP11

Before you begin, please try to configure the WAP11 from a hardwired PC for simplicity. Whenever security is changed you’ll need to change the settings on all wireless units so it’s a good rule of thumb to do security changes from a hardwired PC if possible.

Accessing the WAP11’s Configuration

1. Go to your desktop and double click on Internet Explorer (Located on the Start Menu in Windows XP)

2. When "Internet Explorer" opens type the WAP11’s IP address into the "Address" bar and hit the [Enter] key (Note: The WAP11’s default IP address is http://192.168.1.251)

3. The "Enter Network Password" window will appear.

4. Skip user name and type in your password (admin is the default password), and click OK

Setting up MAC Filtering

The Station MAC Filter option is a very good security feature. This option denies all wireless clients except those listed. To implement this feature please follow these instructions:

Before proceeding, please make sure that all the wireless computers are turned off.

1. From the "Setup" page, on the Log tab.

2. When the “Log” area loads, make sure that the “Access Log” is set to Enable, if it is not, then click on Enable, then click Apply.

3. Click on the View Log button, and a new window, “View Log”, will appear. Click on the Clear Log button, then turn on all the wireless PC’s.

4. After the Wireless PC’s have started and are logged onto the WAP11, click on the Refresh button. You should see all your wireless stations under the “Message” column. Leave this window open and proceed step.

5. Click on the Advanced Tab.

6. After the “Filters” area loads, set the “Filtered MAC Address” option to Enable, then make sure the option for “Only allow PCs with MAC listed below to access device” is selected.

7. After doing that input the numbers after “Wireless PC connected” from the “View Log” window, however do not put the dashes. After you do that your window should look similar to this:

8. Click Apply then Continue.

Disabling SSID Broadcast

SSID broadcasts allows other 802.11b and 802.11g users to see your Access Points SSID, by disabling this option is similar to closing your binds and not letting people see through.

1. From the “Filters” tab in the “Advanced” section of the WAP11’s setup, click on the Wireless tab.

2. When you arrive at the “Wireless” tab, you’ll notice the last option is called “SSID Broadcast”, by default the option is set to Enable, however to secure your network, click on the Disable option, then click Apply, then Continue.

Setup Page Security Options

These are basic functions found under the “Setup” tab. It’s recommended to utilize the features here after you’ve secured your network by filtering MAC Addresses and disabling the SSID Broadcast.

1. SSID

a) Delete linksys from the "SSID" field

2. WEP

a) Click Mandatory for the "WEP" Option

b) Click the WEP Key Settings button

c) When the "Wep Key Settings" Window appears, change the option from 64 to 128*
NOTE: 128 bit WEP may not work on non-Linksys products due to its lack of an IEEE standard

d) Enter a passphrase** that is different from the SSID. Try to make it alphanumeric; for example instead of just password, use password5532, then click Generate.

e) After the key has been Generated copy the key into a notepad document and copy that file onto a floppy. Make sure to copy the keys side by side.

**NOTE: The passphrase will not work with non-Linksys products, so you will need to use the passphrase that you copied onto floppy.

f) Click Apply then close the window

g) Click Apply then Continue on the “Setup” page.

Note: If you need help setting up WEP on your NIC, please see Answer ID 749