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Wifi password security & elderly

Discussion in 'Techno-Magic' started by SlickRCBD, Apr 11, 2016.

  1. SlickRCBD Gems: 29/31
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    I've just been given an old Linksys WRT54G wifi-router with 4-ports because the previous owener is upgrading from Fast Ethernet to gigabit. I haven't had much of a need for one as I can hook my phone up with USB, and I rarely use a laptop. When I do use one at home, it is often to play a single-player game, read a fanfic, or watch a DVD on the porch.

    However, since it was free, and I sometimes did wish I could do my job search on the porch, I thought why not take it and hook it up?

    Now on the subject of the wifi-password that needs to be shared. How important is it to have a hard to remember and hard to guess password in a suburban home? What about one that might be easy to guess if you know my online name, but not if you only know my real name? True, it probably would be easier to crack with a dictionary attack, and the Linksys just doesn't have the sophisticated protections to defend against that.

    My mother is having health problems and I had to move back in with her last year when she had a knee injury. Then I lost my job and had to stay until I get a permanent job instead of these short-term temp jobs or worse the part-time one I have now.
    She won't remember a complicated password, and would just write it down and leave it in an insecure place. So I have to work around her or tell her she can't use the laptop and the wifi, she'll have to keep using the desktop. Then she'll ask what that device I got was for if I can't use it.

    That, and I sometimes have visitors that want to use the internet. Before, I'd offer the end of a long CAT5e patch cable I made as a field service technician from some scrap we were going to throw away, but it would be nice if I could give them a simple answer to the wifi password that is easy to communicate verbally.

    I know what they teach in school, but what is the real risk vs practicality?
     
  2. Keneth Gems: 29/31
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    Complicated and secure are two completely different things. You can have an incredibly simple password that is virtually impossible to crack.

    There are quite a few different methodologies to creating such passwords, but for the sake of simplicity, the xkcd comic on password strength is always a good starting point.

    [​IMG]
     
  3. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Make it as complicated as you want. You only have to enter it one into each device when you configure the WiFi connection. You can enter it for your Mom's laptop yourself and she won't even have to know what it is.

    More important is to turn off SSID broadcasting so you don't give away your WiFi connection name to everyone nearby.
     
  4. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    Making it complicated isn't that much of a problem as far as sharing when needed goes -- just write it down clearly on a piece of paper and save it securely and whenever anyone else needs access just give them the paper and tell them to copy it exactly. Most people manage it. :D
     
  5. henkie

    henkie Hammertime Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    Since I saw that comic, that has been my base for Wifi passwords.
     
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