Yes, your 'router' (with built-in modem) is indeed the gateway. And yes, an
intelligent switch is effectively a localised LAN router of sorts (a switch
is better than a dumb hub as it stops 'man-in-the-middle' and some other
types of attacks).
If I wanted to utilise wireless, I think I'd employ a 'bridge' to a wireless
network rather than enable wireless on my router/gateway - the bridge itself
would itself offer some additional degree of security. I have a wireless
card that I bought with my wireless router - but I haven't put in my PC
since at the moment there's no need to.
My approach to security is, partly, simply to minimise as far as possible,
points which hackers can attempt to gain access and to guard those points as
much as possible. And to exercise some common sense regarding where I
browse, who has access to my network (i.e. pcs on my network - I don't allow
ANY external access and have made sure that no remote control
procedures/protocols/software are active or even installed and I certainly
wouldn't entertain things like VNC - even though VNC is a pretty secure
connection).
Any services I don't need or use are disabled or uninstalled - e.g. telnet,
DCOM, etc.
I'm always watchful on what software is running and what files are d/l -
even to the point of sometimes pissing off friends who I occasionally (as in
rarely) let use PCs on my network. With well over 100 Gb of data at stake on
my personal PC, they understand (I hope!) At least my friends know that I am
security conscious and are used to it.
I once emailed my old ISP and asked why their chief engineer's IP kept
showing up in my logs (I did an IP trace-route on it and discovered who he
was, where he lived, his tel no and personal email address and what his job
was). BTW, I always ascertain the IP of my net provider as a matter of
course. Funnily enough, his IP rarely showed up on any of my logs after I
emailed him personally and the ISP company - I bet he got a shock when I
emailed him on his personal email account and asked him what he was doing!!!
I still switched to another ISP promptly though!
Allan
PS No trees were harmed in the sending of this message and a very large
number of electrons were asked their permission to be terribly
inconvenienced. (And threw a party for them afterwards for being really cool
about it).
Disrupting the unnatural balance that you, as a conscious human being and a
confused mass of energy, have created.
-Disturb the mind -
>From: Chris Barker <ftog@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxx
>To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [OM] Re: Wireless router
>Date: Sun, 10 Dec 2006 12:38:25 +0000
>
>
>I think that most people use a complete gateway, Allan. The use of
>the word "router" is now meant to mean a gateway, I think. And, from
>my limited education and experience, I think that an "intelligent
>switch" is a router.
>
>I spent around 45 minutes yesterday trying to help a friend get his
>wireless network up and running. The gateway worked, his PC worked
>and the Ethernet connection was good. My little MacBook made its
>connection at the second attempt (probably got the password wrong the
>first time), but his poor little Toshiba laptop connected once then
>wandered off into the ether. I left him trying to remember how he
>had disabled DHCP ...
>
>Chris
>
>On 10 Dec 2006, at 02:28, Allan Mee wrote:
>
> > All you need for a wired conncetion is one ethernet cable going to
> > wherever
> > your router is. You should have at least one PC directly wired to
> > the router
> > (for security reasons).
> > I personally use an intelligent 16 port switch (which is more
> > secure than a
> > mindless hub) to connect up to 15 pcs at once (if need be) and have
> > disabled
> > wireless - I have less faith in wireless security than I do in
> > security on a
> > hard-wired LAN.
> > Allan
>
>
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