Re: [gentoo-user] Locking down a wireless network

[Paul Hartman <paul.hartman+gentoo@gmail.com>]

On Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 2:39 PM, Grant <emailgrant@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> My Gentoo router's wireless network is encrypted via WPA and doesn't
>>> DHCP.  I'd like to take this a step further in case my WPA key gets
>>> hacked.  Can I issue only certain IPs to certain MAC addresses?
>>>
>>> Does WPA2 require hardware support?
>>
>> I don't think so. It should just be a driver/firmware update if you've
>> got some device that supports WPA and not WPA2. The AES encryption of
>> WPA2 requires a little more hardware power than WEP or WPA normally
>> uses, but I don't think it needs any special chip or anything like
>> that.
>>
>> You can also do VPN over your wifi connection, and require it for
>> access to the rest of your network or the internet. At least then if
>> someone hacks your wireless key, they still can't do anything without
>> having your VPN certificate.
>
> Actually, VPN would rule out my wifi cell phone I bet.

Maybe not -- I don't know what kind of phone you've got. I have a
Nokia N95 which runs Symbian OS 9 and there are 3 VPN clients that I
know of (and the first one is free):

http://www.businesssoftware.nokia.com/mobile_vpn_downloads.php
http://www.ncp-e.com/en/vpn-szenarien-produkte/vpn-produkte/secure-entry-client.html
http://www.symvpn.com/Products/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductId=17

I believe Windows Mobile devices have VPN support built in, but I've
never tried it. For iPhone or other phone OS i have no idea as I've
never actually used them.

Paul