Wireless questions, please offer advice...

[edwelly]

I am going to be purchasing a new router. I currently have a 2wire Home Portal that I do like. However, when an app states that it needs a specific port opened, I cannot get the firewall to open it up in a timely fashion. It usually works a week or so later. Anyway, have decided to buy a new router. Looking at wireless vs. wired. I would only use the wireless router for my laptop, everything else would be a wired connection. If I coose wireless, I would setup a VPN from the laptop to the router, 128 bit WEP and use MAC address filtering. However, does this leave my network open? If so, how much more than not using the wireless router?

Thanks…

[edwelly]

anybody...?

[blackwatch]

id wait for 802.11a better security built in. thats what im doing anyway.

[Mntsnow]

I'm sorry Ed. I was hoping others who were actually using wireless would weight in on this question as I run all "hardwired"

[smokin]

Sorry here too..I run all hard wired as well, and will not use wireless until I can't hack it..and it is pretty easy right now
:(

[jadison]

I would definitely consider wireless, it's easy to use and setup. As far as leaving ur network open, the best thing to do is make sure you've setup the Wireless Encryption Protocol properly. The network bandwidth that's left open is moreso using a wireless router = quite more than if you went hardwired. In the end, it's all about ease of installation and use, and how secure you want ur network.

[edwelly]

HERE (http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid7_gci846091,00.html)
is a good article to read on this subject...

[Mntsnow]

So what have you decided to do?

[Axel]

please make sure to use data encryption when you set up your wireless - otherwise you might be lending band width to your neighbors or to any hacker scanning for unencrypted wireless hackers...... and also granting access to anyone who wants into your stuff.