Securing my broadband on OSX?

[gabi]

So I come home tonight, and theres some guy on the doorstep next door with his laptop. Connected to some kind of device hes got in a plastic bag a few feet from him...

Bit dodgy - I go inside, turn on the mac, start dloading some tunes and its really slow. So, I switch off the BT homehub while lookin out the window at him from behind the curtains, and sure enough he starts messing with his device straight away. So I go out and rumble him, he promises to leave my one alone in future, but its runnin like a stoned slug once again so i reckon hes about somewhere.

I had thought I was secure, but clearly this dude was piggybackin on my shit - I'm not very techie, anyone know how I lock this down on OSX? Tis BT homehub as i say...

thanks for any help anyway..

 

[Crispy]

Your BT homehub has WEP encryption by default. This is an old method and a modern computer can break it in a minute or two. Far better is WPA.

Go to http://bthomehub.home/ and, if you're not already, switch users to admin (i'm going on a website's info here, so tell me if it's all wrong)

You then need to find the wireless configuration and find the encryption settings. If you're lucky, http://bthomehub.home/cgi/b/_wli_/cfg/?ce=1&be=1&l0=4&l1=1 will take you right there.

You want to have a nice long pass key, with a mix of numbers and letters. Make sure you write it down. http://www.kurtm.net/wpa-pskgen/ will generate super-secure keys for you.

Once you're set, disconnect and reconnect your mac to the network, and enter the key when asked. All should be fine, and your hacker friend will be screwed.

 

[gabi]

Cool thanks crispy - im gonna get a techie friend over to try that for me.

Last time i tried to be clever like that on the homehub i ended up having to call the helpdesk in bangalore every night for two weeks. Which almost resulted in me being sectioned. And decimated the love I used to feel for India..

 

[gabi]

Go to http://bthomehub.home/ and, if you're not already, switch users to admin (i'm going on a website's info here, so tell me if it's all wrong)

Cant see how to switch users?

oh im an idiot, ok im already admin...

That links asking me for username and p/w... this is doomed i know, ill wait till my IT mates are back from their geekfest next week

 

[Radar]

Just ran a quick test on my own unused HH. (Firmware M)

You need to log in as Administrator, not admin (You need to be an Administrator, not a Super-User)

Then its home network from the side menu, followed by interfaces. Then select the wifi interface called BTHomeHub-XXXX.

You then click configure and you can now change wep to WPA. You have two versions available WPA_PSK & WPA2_PSK (PSK=Pre shared key) It can support one, the other or both. WPA2 on its own is better if your laptop supports it, but WPA itself will do you fine. Use crispys url to generate a nice random PSK, C&P it into the PSK field, submit the page and you should be laughing. I doubt yer man outside will be Then change your laptop over to use the same encryption method and PSK

To be on the safe side, generate your new PSK and save it locally before you start messing with your crypto settings (you might lock yourself out and lose net connectivity)

 

[Radar]

Cant see how to switch users?

oh im an idiot, ok im already admin...

That links asking me for username and p/w... this is doomed i know, ill wait till my IT mates are back from their geekfest next week

Username Administrator, no password worked on mine

 

[gabi]

Just ran a quick test on my own unused HH. (Firmware M)

You need to log in as Administrator, not admin (You need to be an Administrator, not a Super-User)

Then its home network from the side menu, followed by interfaces. Then select the wifi interface called BTHomeHub-XXXX.

You then click configure and you can now change wep to WPA. You have two versions available WPA_PSK & WPA2_PSK (PSK=Pre shared key) It can support one, the other or both. WPA2 on its own is better if your laptop supports it, but WPA itself will do you fine. Use crispys url to generate a nice random PSK, C&P it into the PSK field, submit the page and you should be laughing. I doubt yer man outside will be Then change your laptop over to use the same encryption method and PSK
To be on the safe side, generate your new PSK and save it locally before you start messing with your crypto settings (you might lock yourself out and lose net connectivity)

think im on a diff version of os x (10.4.9) - dont have those options. ive found in airport where i can change to WPA but theres about 8 different types of WPA. all a wee bit risky here i feel. i can only cock this up

 

[Crispy]

Wait for your techy to turn up - show him this thread and he'll know what to do.

Gross apologies to the techy if it's a lady, but they usually aren't

 

[cybertect]

Bizarrely, seconds before I read this thread, my gf and I were discussing BBC Radio news advising people to secure their wireless networks so that hijackers couldn't put you in the frame for downloading kiddie porn or planning the next big terrorist atrocity...

 

[Radar]

think im on a diff version of os x (10.4.9) - dont have those options. ive found in airport where i can change to WPA but theres about 8 different types of WPA. all a wee bit risky here i feel. i can only cock this up

Just to clarify, I was talking abut changing the Home Hubs settings via a browser.

Wait for your mate if you're not sure,,

 

[gabi]

Just to clarify, I was talking abut changing the Home Hubs settings via a browser.

Wait for your mate if you're not sure,,

Ah ok i understand sorry - ok, so back to trying to get into the advanced section of http://bthomehub.home/ - where i assume the options u speak of are located..

Username Administrator doesn't work - any idea of how I find out what the login details should be?

sorry for being so dim, im your stereotypical mac user i guess

 

[Radar]

Ah ok i understand sorry - ok, so back to trying to get into the advanced section of http://bthomehub.home/ - where i assume the options u speak of are located

Yep!.. If you haven't run any local installation, you might not have the bthomehub.home hostname defined locally. http://192.168.1.254 should also work (assuming you haven't readdressed your LAN)

Username Administrator doesn't work - any idea of how I find out what the login details should be?

Hmm, default admin HH credentials are admin/admin. I'd try an empty password for the Administrator account myself, or perhaps password, admin or administrator ? According to the web, and based on what I've seen myself with my own HH, the Administrator account should have a blank/empty password by default.

sorry for being so dim, im your stereotypical mac user i guess

Hey, asking questions is the only way you're going to pick up stuff And the HH is a bewildering peice of shite to navigate around anyway! It took me 5 minutes last night to remember how to change crypto settings, it was only the vague recollection that you have to be logged on as Administrator, not admin, that finally let me manage it