Is using MAC filtering good enough for anything?

My uncle doesn't want to get a wireless router because we mainly only have desktops in our house (and I'm the only one that would have used wireless, so he wrote it off as an unneeded expense). Alright sure.

So I ended up finding a way to hack the driver for my Nintendo Wi-Fi USB connector I bought a few years ago so it would work with more than just the DS and Wii. That works via USB through my desktop on a network bridge which goes to the router and eventually through the cable modem and out.

He then complained that I needed to use a password for it, but the DS only works with WEP security, and I never really thought about trying to remember a hex code for it, so I just use MAC filtering and I don't have a password on it at all.

So exactly how bad is this?

 

MAC filtering is a very good form of security IMO. I would say it's just as good as WPA in securing a network from the typical intruder.
But IMHO you most likely wouldn't; ok, shouldn't have to worry about any one spoofing their MAC address to try and get on your network. But yes MAC filtering is more than good enough for securing your network, at least from the average piggy back intruder.

 

It's not a bad piece of security. It isn't as flexible as other ideas, but it will be enough to keep 99% of freeloaders off your network.

 

I think most of the people I live around don't even know what a MAC address is, and I don't even have the SSID broadcasted, so no one really knows it exists other than me. Plus trying to find a MAC address through wireless is a pain to begin with.

I should try figuring out if I could make the SSID hiragana~

Now I can show him this thread and he'll leave me alone :3

 

I had to edit a couple of posts here
It's a thin line sometimes between being helpful and staying within NBR rules
Forum rule •Discussion of cracking passwords or bypassing security measures. apply's


Alex

 

id say not broad casting SSID + mac filtering + WPA security will keep away about 99.9% of people trying to access your network , the other 0.1% left will access your network whatever you do ( professional hackers ), so just don't get the professionals after ya , they won't go through all that just to browse freely or look up through ur stuff , u got to have something important

 

MAC addresses transmit in the clear from the NIC to the router.. so they don't represent a strong defense mechanism alone. The MAC can be easily captured and users can spoof a MAC address by changing the actual MAC address on their computer to a MAC address that has access to the wireless network. I agree with it's effectiveness against casual eavesdropping, but its not effective against determined adversaries.

 

Yes, Mac filtering is a good security measure in your network. It is more accurate than IP filter. Highly recommended.

 

I completely agree.
WEP is considered insufficient security measure for quite a while and now you guys just reinvent wireless security by saying you don’t need WEP, let alone WPA or WPA2 (contrary to experts opinions off course).
Assuming your neighbors don’t know what MAC is is quite bold. How come you know that and they don’t? You’re making yourself an easy target assuming that no one would want to use your network anyway or they wouldn’t know how to do it. If you can- at least set the WEP passphrase.

Best regards

 

Thread Closed

I am getting tired of editing out info on cracking or bypassing network security


Alex