This status page is shown by default when you enter your router’s IP address into your web browser.  Information included on this page is the WAN IP address of your router, the MAC addresses of your LAN, WAN, and Wireless connections, router memory usage, and partial MAC addresses of client users (which have been hidden by default.)

If you are looking to add some extra security to your DD-WRT enabled network, consider password protecting the status page.

How to Password Protect The DD-WRT Status Page

Step 1: Log-in to your DD-WRT enabled router by entering it’s IP address in your web browser (usually http://192.168.1.1).

Step 2: Click on the Administration tab.

Step 3:  Scroll down to the Web Access section.

Step 4: Check the Info Site Password Protect box, as shown below.

Step 5: Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Apply Settings.

Once the settings have been saved, close your web browser, re-open it, and return to your router’s IP address.  You are now presented with a box to enter your router’s username and password.  Entering this information will allow you to login and see your router’s status page.

Do you use the DD-WRT firmware on your router and have any tips for securing your network?  If so, share them in the comments below!

The post DD-WRT: Password Protect Your Status Page To Increase Network Security first appeared on Techerator.

In the previous guide, any devices connected as clients to the wireless router adapter would use Network Address Translation (NAT). (If you’re not up-to-speed on networking terminology, HowStuffWorks has a great explanation of NAT.) While the NAT adds an extra layer of security, it also adds an extra layer of complexity if you need to do any port forwarding to the clients of the wireless router adapter.

In this guide I’ll show you how to use an old wireless router and the same DD-WRT firmware as before to create a wireless bridge between two wireless routers and remove the NAT layer created by the DD-WRT Client Mode.

Configure the Router and Wireless Bridge

Step 1: Start by checking if you router supports a 3rd party firmware. (For this guide, I am using the free DD-WRT firmware).

Step 2: Download and install the firmware according to the instructions for your router model.

Step 3: Once you have the DD-WRT firmware installed on your router, connect an ethernet cable from your computer to a LAN port on the router.

Step 4: Enter the local address of your router, typically http://192.168.1.1, into your browser and log in using the default credentials. The default credentials are usually root for the username and admin for the password.

Step 5: When you are logged into the router, navigate to the Wireless tab and select Wireless Security. Select your current wireless security settings and enter your wireless encryption key that you use to access your wireless network.  Click Apply Settings.

Step 6: Navigate to the Wireless tab and select Basic Settings.  Select Client Bridge from the Wireless Mode drop down.

Step 7: Enter the name of your wireless network into the Wireless Network Name (SSID) box.  Note: This is case-sensitive! Click Apply Settings.

Step 8: Select the Setup tab, select Advanced Routing.  Change the Operating Mode to Router and click Apply Settings.

Step 9: Navigate to the Security tab and select Firewall.  Disable the SPI Firewall by checking the Disable button and clicking Apply Settings at the bottom of the page.

Step 10: Navigate to the Setup tab and select Basic Settings.   Here is where you give your wireless bridge router its new local IP address other than the default.  My main router has an IP address of 192.168.1.1, so I set my wireless bridge router to have an IP address of 192.168.1.2.  Basically make this anything other than your main router IP address or anything that falls within your DHCP pool.

Enter the Gateway and Subnet Mask of your wireless network next. You can find this information under Default Gateway and Subnet Mask by entering ipconfig in the command prompt on a computer already connected to your wireless network.  Click Apply Settings when the settings have been entered.

Step 11: At this point you will lose the connection to the web interface of the wireless bridge router since the IP address has now changed.  If you need to reconnect to the wireless bridge, simply enter the new IP address from Step 10  into your web browser.

Step 12: (optional) Click the Setup tab and select Basic Setup. Under WAN Port, check the box to Assign WAN Port to Switch. This will add the WAN port to the 4 port switch, giving you 5 ports to share the wireless connection.

Once the above steps have been completed, your router with DD-WRT firmware will connect to your wireless network as a client bridge just as if you connected to the same wireless network with a laptop.  Any devices that are connected to the 4/5 port switch has network connectivity and IP information that is handled by your main router, removing the NAT.

The post How To Use A Router as a Wireless Adapter Without NAT first appeared on Techerator.

Techerator team:

My (techie) husband mentioned that he can track the location of our laptop with a “dynamic DNS”.  He also said something about being able to remotely connect to it with this tool.  Should I be worried? Is this spyware?

The service he is referring to is indeed called dynamic DNS.  This service can tell you a computer’s IP address wherever it goes (as long as it is connected to the internet), but it doesn’t necessarily mean somebody knows where you are geographically.  You can only tell so much from an IP address, and even less if the person is behind a router (i.e. if they’re on a wireless connection in a public place).

So why use dynamic DNS?

Every time you connect to the internet, your computer gets assigned unique IP address.  If I’m at home, my address might be 218.20.34.10, and if I’m at a coffee shop it could be something completely random – so I have no idea what it is for sure.  IP addresses can also change over time, so you can’t assume your home IP address will remain the same.

The solution to this ever-changing IP address problem is to use a Dynamic DNS.  In common terms, it’s a special domain name that you can assign to a computer, and the computer will tell that domain name what its IP address is on a regular basis. For example, I could make a custom address like myhomecomputer.dnsalias.org, which I could set my computer to update.  If I was at work and wanted to connect to my home computer, I could just connect to “myhomecomputer.dnsalias.org” instead of trying to figure out its unique IP address.

So is it harmful?

Dynamic DNS isn’t exactly what I’d call spyware, but if somebody is using it for deliberate tracking or monitoring then yes, it could be.  I harmlessly use Dynamic DNS all the time to manage my computers – I have it installed on my laptops, desktops, and even my mom’s computer for when she needs remote computer assistance.

Knowing the Dynamic DNS/IP address doesn’t exactly tell you personal information about a person, but if a remote support application was installed (like VNC, which is free remote desktop software), you could easily log into, monitor, and control the computer.

What should I do?

If Dynamic DNS is installed, it should be easy to remove because it isn’t intended to be a virus.  You could look in the Start Menu for anything that says “Dynamic DNS” to see if it is present, or check the Control Panel under Add/Remove Programs.  It is also a possibility to install Dynamic DNS as a Windows Service (meaning it doesn’t necessarily have an application entry you can find in the Start Menu, it’s a utility that runs in the background of Windows) but that is fairly easy to remove as well.

DynDNS is one of the most popular dynamic DNS services, so check their site if you want to verify an application you found.

There are lots of ways your privacy can be compromised on a computer, especially with “key logger” programs.  These program simply monitor all input from a keyboard and save it in a file – this file can also be uploaded to a server so somebody else can watch it.  This makes it very difficult to protect yourself by changing your passwords, because they’ll know the new password as soon as you create it.

If the goal is to protect yourself from eavesdropping, these are the things I would do:

1. Try to find any Dynamic DNS software and remove it.  Like I said, these typically aren’t viruses, so they can be easily removed.
2. Install and run Malwarebytes which might pick up any malicious software, and remove anything it finds.
3. Install and run Microsoft Security Essentials.  This is free security software from Microsoft and will scan your computer for malicious software.
4. Install ZoneAlarm, this is a firewall with a free personal edition.  A firewall basically blocks almost all connections made to your computer, allowing you to only let in connections you truly trust.  This can be a HUGE pain because you’ll have to manually allow a lot of normal, benign connections access to your computer, but if you’re concerned about somebody else accessing your computer, this is the best way to block them.
5. Change all passwords. Why last? Because you want to make sure an intruder has no access to your computer when you re-secure your accounts.

Final Thoughts

Aside from all those things, it never hurts to have a little old fashioned verbal communication if you think your privacy is being compromised.  If somebody you know is purposefully spying on you, it might be best to sit down and discuss why that is and perhaps find a compromise that works best for everyone.  In my opinion, doing things like spying on people just undermines their trust in you, which is more damaging than anything they were probably doing in the first place.

P.S. I should say that if you aren’t sure if something “spyware-ish” is installed, you could always press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC to bring up your task manager and take a screen shot (or write down) the applications that are currently running in the Processes tab.  That list will contain every application that is currently in memory.  You could then search Google for anything you found or ask someone who is familiar with these types of things.

Images courtesy: kodomut, Jose Goulao, Tam Tam

The post Ask Techerator: I Think I’m Being Spied on with Dynamic DNS, What Should I Do? first appeared on Techerator.

1. Right-click the NetworkManager icon in the Gnome Panel and left-click Edit Connections… If you do not have this icon, navigate to System > Preferences > Network Connections.

2. When the Network Connections window is shown, click the wired port that you wish to share the wireless connection with and click Edit…

3. Click the IPV4 Settings tab and select Shared to other computers from the Method drop down.

4. Click Apply… and enter the root password when prompted.

Once the above steps are complete, anything connected to the wired port will be sharing an internet connection with the wireless card of the computer.

The post How to Setup Internet Connection Sharing in Fedora 12 first appeared on Techerator.

Connecting from Windows XP/Vista/7

1. Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > Remote Desktop Connection.
2. In the window, enter the IP address of the computer you are connecting to the IP address text field, as shown below.





3. Once the IP address has been entered, click Connect.
4. When prompted, enter your username and password to connect to the remote computer.
5. To disconnect from the session and leave it running, click Start > Disconnect.
6. To logoff the session, click Start > Log Off.

Connecting from OS X

1. Mac OS X version 10.4.9 (Tiger) or a later version of Mac OS is required to install the software.
   
2. Download the Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac from Microsoft.
3. Double-click the file that you downloaded to place the Remote Desktop Connection volume on your desktop.
4. In the Remote Desktop Connection volume window, double-click the Remote Desktop Connection.mpkg application to start the installation process, and then follow the instructions on the screen.
5. To disconnect from the session and leave it running, click Start > Disconnect.
6. To logoff the session, click Start > Log Off.

The post How to Connect to a Windows Remote Desktop first appeared on Techerator.

What’s the purpose of this, you might ask?  In my case, I can connect to several wireless networks in my bedroom where my PC is located.  Unfortunately, I can’t access those networks in my living room where my Xbox 360 is located.  The technique presented in this guide allowed me to use my PC to pick up a wireless signal, share it with my PC’s Ethernet connection, and then rebroadcast it with a router.

What You’ll Need:

• A working wireless connection
• A computer running Windows XP, Vista, or 7 with an unused Ethernet port
• A configured wireless router set to DHCP mode (I’ll be using a WRT54GL with Tomato firmware, but anything will work).  Every router is different, so make sure you configure your router’s settings (SSID, security, etc) before you begin this guide.
• An Ethernet cable

Windows XP

1. Connect your wireless router to your PC’s unused Ethernet port with an Ethernet cable.  Make sure to connect the cable to the source or internet port on your router, not one of the numbered outputs.
   
2. Power the wireless router.
3. In Windows, right click the Network icon in the system tray and select Open Network Connections.
   
4. Right click your wireless connection and select Properties.
5. Click the Advanced tab and select “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection”.  This will allow your computer’s Ethernet port to access your wireless internet connection.  Click OK.
   
   1. If you don’t see an option for sharing your connection, verify that you have a second connection enabled on your computer.
6. You now need to give your Ethernet connection a static IP address.  In the Network Connections window again, right click your Local Area Connection and select Properties.
7. Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click the Properties button.
   
8. Select Use the following IP address: and provide an address.  I arbitrarily used 192.168.137.1.  Set ‘Subnet Mask:’ to 255.255.255.0.  Leave the DNS settings blank and click OK.
   
9. Your rebroadcasted wireless network will now be up and running!

Windows Vista

1. Connect your wireless router to your PC’s unused Ethernet port with an Ethernet cable.  Make sure to connect the cable to the source or internet port on your router, not one of the numbered outputs.
   
2. Power the wireless router.
3. In Windows, right click the Network icon in the system tray and select Network and Sharing Center.
   
4. Click Manage network connections on the left side of the window.
   
5. Right click your wireless connection and select Properties.
6. Click the Sharing tab and select “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection”.  This will allow your computer’s Ethernet port to access your wireless internet connection.  Click OK.
   
   1. If you don’t see an option for sharing your connection, verify that you have a second connection enabled on your computer.
7. You now need to give your Ethernet connection a static IP address.  In the Network Connections window again, right click your Local Area Connection and select Properties.
8. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click the Properties button.
   
9. Select Use the following IP address: and provide an address.  I arbitrarily used 192.168.137.1.  Set ‘Subnet Mask:’ to 255.255.255.0.  Leave the DNS settings blank and click OK.
   
10. Your rebroadcasted wireless network will now be up and running!

Windows 7

1. Connect your wireless router to your PC’s unused Ethernet port with an Ethernet cable.  Make sure to connect the cable to the source or internet port on your router, not one of the numbered outputs.
   
2. Power the wireless router.
3. In Windows, click the Network icon in the system tray and select Open Network and Sharing Center.
   
4. Click Change adapter settings on the left side of the screen.
   
5. Right click your wireless connection and select Properties.
6. Click the Sharing tab and select “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection”.  This will allow your computer’s Ethernet port to access your wireless internet connection.  Click OK.
   
   1. If you don’t see an option for sharing your connection, verify that you have a second connection enabled on your computer.
7. You now need to give your Ethernet connection a static IP address.  In the Network Connections window again, right click your Local Area Connection and select Properties.
8. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click the Properties button.
   
9. Select Use the following IP address: and provide an address.  I arbitrarily used 192.168.137.1.  Set ‘Subnet Mask:’ to 255.255.255.0.  Leave the DNS settings blank and click OK.
   
10. Your rebroadcasted wireless network will now be up and running!

While rebroadcasting a weak signal does give you better access to a wireless network, it does have some inherent disadvantages.  Port forwarding will now be twice as complex, and there will most likely be a high amount of network latency induced.  That being said, I didn’t personally notice much of a difference browsing the internet on my laptop or using Xbox Live.

Have any other ideas for accessing wifi on the cheap?  Let us know in the comments.

The post How to Rebroadcast a Weak Wifi Signal first appeared on Techerator.