Why You Should Consider Using a DD-WRT Router

December 23, 2013 by Jim Lastinger 4 Comments

DD-WRT is third-party firmware designed to upgrade and enhance the functionality of OE wireless internet routers by replacing the router’s original, integrated firmware. The big question is, “Why would you want to replace the original firmware?”

The problem with the original firmware is that router manufacturers often intentionally limit their product’s full capabilities. The limitations are designed into the preinstalled firmware. DD-WRT does not impose those limitations, allowing your router to become powerful enough to rival those used in enterprise IT environments. Using a DD-WRT router unleashes a variety of ways to realize enhanced performance and functionality. Even better, it doesn’t cost you a dime.

Benefits of Using DD-WRT

It’s one thing to have expanded power, but the real benefits are derived from knowing how to harness it for your benefit.

If we were to list all the benefits you can enjoy from using DD-WRT, the list would be longer – much longer than we have space or time to list here. So, is a short list of what we consider the top features and benefits of DD-WRT:

IPv6 support. With IPv4 addresses becoming increasingly scarce, you’ll appreciate DD-WRT’s built-in IPv6 support.
Advanced Quality of Service controls are available on some DD-WRT builds.
A highly configurable and very powerful firewall that is based on iptables firewall construction. You can easily edit the iptables firewall via DD-WRT’s interface.
DNS controls such as DNSmasq, which allows simplified DNS configuration behind the firewall and makes host-name lookup faster. You also get support for DNS providers such as No-IP, TZo, DynDNS and others.
The access point is visible only to your wireless clients, preventing inadvertently giving access to each client’s shared files.
Easy access to multiple source access-control solutions such as WiFiDog, HotSpot System, ChilliSpot and others.
Extensions, extensions, and more extensions. You can add functionality far beyond the original limitations of the router, such as external USB connectors.
DD-WRT plays well with VPN. Instead of configuring each of your devices to connect to a VPN (*ahem* Ghost Path) you can configure the router itself to connect over VPN, protecting all devices on your network.

The best thing is that DD-WRT is FREE! Well, at least for now.

Securing Your Entire Home

Because your home network gains the power of an enterprise-level router, you also get better security. No more neighbors stealing your Wi-Fi connection!

For one, DD-WRT ignores unrequested packets that go through your WAN port, making it difficult for a hacker to even know that you have a network there. It even provides better protection against Trojans, which do not pass through your Internet connection, hence, bypassing your firewall.

You gain a range of security protocols to make your Wi-Fi secure. There’s WPA that even supports RADIUS, there’s TKIP, AES and a combination of both. There’s WPA2 and WEP. You can choose the safest options: WPA + AES, WPA + TKIP + AES. Or, if you are feeling generous, you can disable these protocols and give Wi-Fi access to those who can see your network. Setting up security for your DD-WRT router is very easy, using its Web-based interface.

Again, DD-WRT’s built-in VPN connectivity allows you to automatically send all your network traffic over the VPN, greatly increasing security.

Need to Know

There are some things that you should know before trying, installing and using DD-WRT firmware for your router. First, using DD-WRT invalidates the manufacturer’s warranty support for your router. This is no different than what typically happens when you make performance-enhancing changes to your car. You will not be able to call Linksys, D-Link, NETGEAR, and others, if something were to go wrong with your router. Be sure to research the ramifications as well as the benefits before you modify your stock firmware with DD-WRT.

Second, it is entirely possible that your router will be bricked, turning it into a lovely paperweight. As with modifying anything, there is always the potential for suffering other unintended consequences. So, again, do your homework and weigh the risks before installing DD-WRT.

Third, manufacturers aim to make it easier for non-technical users (un-geeks and anyone over 55) to tinker with and install their routers.

The grass may be greener on the DD-WRT side of the fence. Just be cautious when scaling the top of the fence and be especially careful of what you land in.

Analyzing the 1000 Most Common Wi-Fi Network Names

December 18, 2013 by Jim Lastinger 4 Comments

I recently came across a list of the 1000 most commonly used SSID’s and thought it would be fun take a quick look at it. If you didn’t already know, SSID is the technical term for the name of your wireless network.

Here are some of the most interesting things I gleaned from the list. The percentages below represent how often the SSID shows up in the total list of SSID names survey, not just the top 1000 SSID’s.

No name, or a hidden name, is really popular. Over 2.3% of the SSID’s examined had no name, a hidden name, or something similar.
Routers that come with a predefined network are popular. AT&T’s Uverse routers are a good example and come with a pre-defined wireless network that includes a name like “2WIRE199”.
Netgear also sells routers that come with predefined network names. “NETGEAR00” through “NETGEAR99” are all names that make it into the top 1000.
“default” (0.6%) and “home” (0.3%) are used quite commonly
Hotels, such as “Marriott_Guest” (0.01%), “Hyatt” (0.01%), “hhonors” (0.06%), and “laQuinta” (0.01%) make the top 1000.
Among SSID’s named after people, “Alex”, “David”, “Mike”, and “John” lead the way.
My personal favorites from the top 1000: “pretty fly for a wifi”, “skynet”. “boobs” was not in the top 1000, sadly.

Why You Shouldn’t Be Using a Common SSID

If I can find a list of the 1000 most commonly used network names then I know that the bad guys can too. Most of the time people allow network names to be broadcasted from the router, but a higher-security option is to not broadcast the name and require that users connecting be able to specify the network’s name and key. If you don’t broadcast your SSID then you certainly wouldn’t want to compromise that bit of security by using a frequently used SSID.

Now, let’s talk about Uverse for a second. People know how Uverse routers are setup generally. They know the number of characters in the network key and the character-set. Knowing these details makes it fairly easy to brute-force guess the network key. I believe that Uverse routers use only numeric characters in the network key… how much simpler could it get? If you use Uverse at home then you should immediately change your SSID and network key away from the defaults. It’s not hard to do and will greatly increase your security at home.

Photo Credit: woodleywonderworks via Compfight cc

Looking Under the Hood of Privacy Statements

December 18, 2013 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

Do you remember how it felt the first time you bought a car? Do you recall the excitement of just looking? Do you remember when you first saw the one you just had to have? You loved the color. You loved the style. You loved the interior. And you especially loved the audio system!

If you are a parent, you probably don’t get that excited any more … about cars that is. The truth is that you almost certainly do feel that same way when you see something new from the field of technology, whether it is the latest in computers, mobile devices, or TVs. We can’t stand the idea of not having the latest-greatest-up-to-datest device or deal, even though it will be virtually obsolete before we get it home. Now do you remember the feeling? Of course you do. It’s just directed at different objects than it was before.

Now that you recall the feeling, do you also recall what your father said to you while you were in your original automobile ecstasy? I remember it as clear as if it were yesterday: “Don’t forget to look under the hood.” Not that I knew what I was looking at, but it sure did scare some salesmen. The practice also kept me from buying cars that I would have been a sucker for otherwise.

If you thought that this article was about internet security, you are right. I’m here to warn you to take heed to your father’s advice – “Don’t forget to look under the hood.”

With the proliferation of mobile devices, smartphones and smart TVs, and “the cloud,” our senses are being flooded with a plethora of things that we think we need because they provide more entertainment experiences, connectivity, and ability to do things like we have never been able to do before. But what do we know about how all this new technology is invading our privacy? Better look under the hood.

Asking a vendor about security, whether you are about to buy a product or a service, will always get you exactly the same thing that every waitress tells you when you ask if the restaurant makes a good hamburger: “It’s awesome!” Unfortunately, the waitress sometimes can’t tell hamburger from humbug. Did you really expect her to say, “Not so good?”

Visit any internet service site and you will see a statement that says that they would like to collect your user information in order to serve you better. You start to wonder if that could be a problem, but the site directs you to their privacy statement, and now you feel comfortable. That’s about as useful as the car salesman offering to throw in a set of floor mats. And, oh, by the way, if you are buying a product or service in person and you ask about the privacy and security of your personal information, what do you think they’re going to tell you? You are talking to a SALES person, not an internet security specialist!

Do you really believe that your information is safe in a cloud that you can’t even see? That is accessible by everyone else on the planet, including some rather nefarious individuals and the NSA? You may even think that GPS is pretty cool. I personally don’t want to have everyplace I go and everything I do, physical or cyber, tracked and saved for future information. Do you really want strangers to know your purchasing habits or viewing choices? Or your children’s? Think of the Security Policy statement as the hood. Lift it up. Examine what it really says, and think about what this latest-greatest thing has the potential to expose about your personal life and your family’s personal life, to anyone with a corrupt mind and a keyboard. Know what you are really getting into. The life and the identity you save may be your own. Or your family’s.

How to Keep Your Children Safe Online

December 5, 2013 by Jim Lastinger Leave a comment

The Internet is an information playground. All we need is a click or two here and there to get any information we need. But it is more than just a source of information. It is an open source of information. The information is out there where anyone who wants to can access anything they want to at any time they want to. That is precisely why the internet can be dangerous, especially for your children. Without proper guidance and supervision, they can be exposed to all forms of online danger.

The Growing Problem of Child Identity Theft

Over the years, there has been a significant increase in the number of children who have fallen prey to online predators. We don’t have to be shown studies; we only need to watch the news. There’s always news about a teen or two committing suicide because of cyber bullies, or children being victimized by sexual predators. What’s just as alarming, however, is the increase in child identity theft.

Identity theft is an issue we usually associate with people who have fat bank accounts and high-paying jobs. Many fail to realize, though, that children are prime targets for identity theft because it is easy to obtain their Social Security numbers without being detected for months (and even years). Children use their iPads, mobile phones and other digital devices so frequently that it makes them easy prey for thieves trying to access and use their personal information. According to a recent report, the incidence of child identity theft is now 51 times higher than that of adults.

The heart of the matter is “What can you, as a parent, do to protect your children?”

Protecting Your Children Online

One of your primary responsibilities is to keep your children out of harm’s way. You would do anything and everything necessary to make sure that your child is safe in all situations. Here are things that you can do to safeguard your child’s safety online.

Know what personal information your children have with them. Guide your children until they become familiar with every detail. Then make sure that you keep that personal information in a safe place. The best way to secure personal information is to memorize it. Both you and your children should know their personal information by heart.

Constant reminders will help. Continually remind your child about the dangers of giving personal information to strangers. Train your child to give personal information only to people both of you know personally.

Social network and download warnings. Warn your children of the dangers of posting personal information (especially their Social Security number, contact information and location) on social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Online file sharing (like music) and downloading of free games can also post dangers because of embedded malware used to grab private information.

In school: Be aware of how your child’s personal information is used. Talk to the principal and your children’s teachers. Ask them how, and for what purposes, students’ personal information is used. Who has access to those files? How does the school maintained and disposed of their files? When you ask these questions, be wise enough not to accept answers like “Only their teacher sees their information.” Be persistent. Also, do not attach personal data like Social Security numbers to school forms unless absolutely necessary.

Be aware of your child’s online activities. This doesn’t mean you need to spy on your child! Just be sure that you get involved with whatever it is that he or she does online. Ask about online activities or updates about his or her Facebook or Twitter friends. Tell your children about online privacy, the need to have strong usernames and passwords, and the problems with spam, malware and inappropriate content. Encourage your children to be open with you, especially when there are suspicious messages or content in their email or social networking accounts. Illustrate using specific examples to help your children understand better.

Implement strict rules. Compose a list of rules that your children have to follow. Set a specific number of hours for online usage. Enumerate sites to which they are allowed to go. You might list examples of suspicious messages and content. You should also consider blocking some websites. Your list of rules should be posted somewhere near the computers your children use.

Use software or tools you have installed on your computer. Both PC and Mac computers have built-in tools that can protect your children when they are online. In PCs, you can enable “Family Safety.” Depending on your operating system, go to Control Panel and click Family Safety (Windows 8). For Macs, you can use “Parental Controls” (go to System Preferences and click Accounts).

Set an example to follow. Practice what you preach. They are watching you, and they will more likely do what you say, when they know that you do what you say.

Keeping your child safe online requires a lot of resolve and persistence. This shouldn’t be a problem for any caring parent. Prevent your children’s futures from going down the drain. Start protecting them now.