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Libra
Premium Member
join:2003-08-06
USA

Libra to Dream Killer

Premium Member

to Dream Killer

Re: Actiontec MI424WR FIOS N Router REV. I

said by Dream Killer:


i would wager it's new. verizon routers will always default to a random ssid and wpa2 key indicated on the sticker. it's to make sure people don't simply steal your internet.

Did I do something wrong? I changed the SSID and WPA2 key to something I can remember. The new key has symbols and letters (12 characters). They recommend 16.

Dream Killer
Graveyard Shift
Premium Member
join:2002-08-09
Forest Hills, NY

Dream Killer

Premium Member

said by Libra:

said by Dream Killer:


i would wager it's new. verizon routers will always default to a random ssid and wpa2 key indicated on the sticker. it's to make sure people don't simply steal your internet.

Did I do something wrong? I changed the SSID and WPA2 key to something I can remember. The new key has symbols and letters (12 characters). They recommend 16.

no. keys that incorporate letters (upper and lower case), numbers, and symbols will be very hard to crack. just make sure the encryption setting is on WPA2-AES only and not TKIP+AES or TKIP.

i only use the minimum eight characters for my key. no one goes around hacking people's wifi.

birdfeedr
MVM
join:2001-08-11
Warwick, RI

birdfeedr

MVM

said by Dream Killer:

just make sure the encryption setting is on WPA2-AES only and not TKIP+AES or TKIP.

Unless you have a device that can't handle AES only. In which case TKIP is better than WEP only.
tnsprin
join:2003-07-23
Bradenton, FL

1 edit

tnsprin to Dream Killer

Member

to Dream Killer
said by Dream Killer:

said by Libra:

said by Dream Killer:


i would wager it's new. verizon routers will always default to a random ssid and wpa2 key indicated on the sticker. it's to make sure people don't simply steal your internet.

Did I do something wrong? I changed the SSID and WPA2 key to something I can remember. The new key has symbols and letters (12 characters). They recommend 16. If you have something like excel, their are simple random generators for a nice random passphrase. And I know its a pain but consider it every 6 months to a year.

no. keys that incorporate letters (upper and lower case), numbers, and symbols will be very hard to crack. just make sure the encryption setting is on WPA2-AES only and not TKIP+AES or TKIP.

i only use the minimum eight characters for my key. no one goes around hacking people's wifi.

Want to bet. How about a million dollars. All right I won't take your many as some people are out there doing it. suggest 16-24 minimum as mentioned. Preferably not rememberable which suggests guessable.

Technically these are not keys. The keys are 64 hex characters. What you usually are entering our passphrases. (1-63 "printable" ascii characters)
Libra
Premium Member
join:2003-08-06
USA

1 recommendation

Libra to Dream Killer

Premium Member

to Dream Killer
Thank you very much. It is definitely set to WPA-2.

Sincerely, Libra
TreeTops3
join:2008-11-23
97742

TreeTops3

Member

Thanks to all for the very informative thread! Is there any easy way to determine If I am using AES encryption? I have logged into the router and I know I am using WPA-2. If I look at my connection in the Network Connection dialog in ubuntu 12.04 I had to use the WPA2 Key to set it up but there is no indication of encryption method. Thanks, J

More Fiber
MVM
join:2005-09-26
Cape Coral, FL

More Fiber

MVM

said by TreeTops3:

Is there any easy way to determine If I am using AES encryption?

Click on the Wireless settings icon
Select Advanced Security Settings from the left menu
Select the WPA2 radio button
The WPA2 page should appear.
On the third line you should see Encryption Algorithm with a pull down. The pulldown has TKIP+AES and AES options.

Dream Killer
Graveyard Shift
Premium Member
join:2002-08-09
Forest Hills, NY

1 edit

1 recommendation

Dream Killer to tnsprin

Premium Member

to tnsprin
said by tnsprin:

Want to bet. How about a million dollars. All right I won't take your many as some people are out there doing it. suggest 16-24 minimum as mentioned. Preferably not rememberable which suggests guessable.

Technically these are not keys. The keys are 64 hex characters. What you usually are entering our passphrases. (1-63 "printable" ascii characters)

i'm not important enough to have computing resources dedicated in attacking my wpa2 key.
TreeTops3
join:2008-11-23
97742

TreeTops3

Member

Thanks a lot More Fiber, I see I have AES, don't know how I missed that. I recently set the firewall to Max Security and have not been able to login. (it said 404 not found) Is that the way this router works? I did a reset, the security went back to Medium (Typical) and now I can login.
~~~ Dream killer you must not have any members of Anonymous living close by LOL

Dream Killer
Graveyard Shift
Premium Member
join:2002-08-09
Forest Hills, NY

Dream Killer

Premium Member

Leave the firewall at Medium. If you set it to Maximum, every type of traffic will need to be explicitly allowed. This wont fit into most networks because a large portion of outbound traffic is a random high port.
TreeTops3
join:2008-11-23
97742

TreeTops3

Member

^^^^ Thanks again Dream Killer, I also found out if you disable JAVA script in FireFox 15 (Ubuntu 12.04) you will not be able to login to the router , you will see 404 not found message.
Sorry to ask so much but I have a new teenage neighbor that is very good with computers/networks and spends all his spare time in his room on the computer.
tnsprin
join:2003-07-23
Bradenton, FL

tnsprin to Dream Killer

Member

to Dream Killer
said by Dream Killer:

i'm not important enough to have computing resources dedicated in attacking my wpa2 key.

That will not stop those who are trying from doing so. Some literally drive around looking for any systems to crack. Hopefully you don't have anything important on your system when they break in. Good news your neighbor's system has only WEP security so they broke into in 20 seconds and are emptying his accounts instead of yours.

Yankees2012
@myvzw.com

Yankees2012

Anon

The range on the RevI isn't the greatest....is it possible to upgrade the 2 dbi antennas to something like 2 7dbi antennas for better range and coverage?

Smith6612
MVM
join:2008-02-01
North Tonawanda, NY

Smith6612

MVM

It is possible. Some folks to get better range out of it have been swapping out the Rev. I's antennas with antennas from previous revisions and it's given a good boost.