Wireless Security.

So I bought a Wireless Adapter - but it is a 11MBPS and with WEP encryption. I don't know whether it could do with WPA - since if I buy a new Wireless Router I could be in big trouble because the network adapter doesn't support WPA.

I heard that Windows has software based WPA for wireless adapters without WPA. Is that true?

And in Wireless network system, with two computers and one server - could these wireless intruders outside enter the two client computers, or the server or both? If I have a good router, will it prevent the intruders from breaking into the system?

 

Yeah, the most they would do are delete all your pink stuffs, mp3s, your projects and your Windows directory.

 

Most wireless adapters you buy today should have support for WPA, but I guess you lucked out and got something pretty old. You don't have to use WPA but it can be quite a bit more secure than WEP.
A good router won't really help. If you're in a home environment and your neighbours aren't out to get you, you should be ok with WEP only. Of course if you're in a densely populated urban area with plenty of geeks, rethink your move .

 

The Wireless Networking radius is all in my house and no further than that. I don't know how big is that radius for a simple 11MBPS wireless adapter, but I afraid that my next door neighbours could pick up my area as well. I don't know - I used WEP codes, but for every client I logged in, they already filled up the WEP code box. I thought I have to key in the WEP number everytime I access my network? They suddenly did that automatically.

 

whether a router gets break in will depend on your setup.

just buy the new routers available, it's not a problem. if your adapter doesn't support, then can always use WEP.

but my Linksys 802.11b PCMCIA adapter and my Netgear 802.11b USB adapter worked well with my Linksys WRT54G on WPA signals.

 

Well, it's all a matter of what your ultimate goal is. Do you just want to stop the casual freeloader from using your 'net connection, or are you trying to keep your network data away from prying eyes? MAC address filtering will do the former, but is pretty horrible at doing the latter. If I were determined and had a little time to spare I could run a wireless card in promiscous mode and start analysing the packets it picks up being broadcast out of your AP/PC to learn the MAC address of your PC. All I have to do then is change the MAC of my adapter and and I'll be allowed on your network .