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Network Security in a Hotel Setting?

post #1 of 7
6/13/10 at 2:16pm
Thread Starter 

My family and I are staying in an extended stay hotel while we are moving. The hotel has free but unsecured wired and wireless internet access. I checked it out, and sure enough, it's basically like connecting to an insecure, open LAN. I was able to see about fifty guest computers on the network--unbelievable (I didn't click through, of course).

 

Even with file sharing turned off and other security features enabled (we are using a combination of Windows 7 netbooks and Macbook Pros), I wasn't comfortable with the security posture of the hotel network, so, I installed a configured a wired/wireless router combination (D-Link DIR-655) to put between our machines and the hotel network, but still be able to use the provided internet connection.

 

The internet port on the router is connected to the wired network port in the room. I set up WPA2 encryption for the wireless feature of the router, but am not clear on just how much security the router might be offering from a wired perspective.

 

Would be interested to know how much security this router might offer if we are connected (with the router in the middle) using Cat6 patch cables.  Would it be safer to stick with the wireless function versus wired, given I am positive there is (WPA2) encryption?

 

By the way, this is one of those hotel networks that somehow invokes a redirect to their own website each time you connect, then one can surf freely.


Edited by Robert Linthicum - 6/13/10 at 2:27pm
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post #2 of 7
6/13/10 at 2:48pm

I'm no expert, but I'd treat it like any other unsecured/public network.

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post #3 of 7
6/13/10 at 2:57pm
Thread Starter 

Indeed.  What is the wired portion of the router doing for us (if anything) from a security perspective?  It's not just a dumb hub, after all.


Edited by Robert Linthicum - 6/13/10 at 3:13pm
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post #4 of 7
6/14/10 at 9:34am
Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Linthicum View Post

 

The internet port on the router is connected to the wired network port in the room. I set up WPA2 encryption for the wireless feature of the router, but am not clear on just how much security the router might be offering from a wired perspective.

 

Would be interested to know how much security this router might offer if we are connected (with the router in the middle) using Cat6 patch cables.  Would it be safer to stick with the wireless function versus wired, given I am positive there is (WPA2) encryption?


WPA2/Wireless doesn't gain you any security over wired Ethernet in this case. The encryption is stripped out by your router before it sends it down the line.

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post #5 of 7
6/14/10 at 4:14pm

The best you can do is use a software firewall and there are a few good free ones. I use Comodo Firewall which seems to do an effective job. And don't stay online too long either of course.


Edited by Asr - 6/14/10 at 4:17pm
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post #6 of 7
6/14/10 at 4:33pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks. Since I have the Cat6 cable connected to the internet port on the router and not one of the LAN connections on the router, I am guessing that the rest of the users of the hotel LAN aren't able to see into our own little LAN here in the room, due to the presence of the router?  (If it were a hub, I am positive they would be able to do so.)

 

Is the wired portion of the router functioning as a hardware firewall in this configuration?


Edited by Robert Linthicum - 6/14/10 at 4:35pm
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post #7 of 7
6/15/10 at 2:59am

Even if you have a firewall installed and are running a "private lan"with the D-Link DIR-655, everybody else on the hotel LAN can see all the traffic on the LAN.

So I would recommend something like http://www.vpnywhere.com/.

 

This way al the traffice from one of you're computer onto the hotel LAN is encrypted.

You don't have to worry about the LAN itself not being secured, because you're connection is.


Edited by Lord.Warlock - 6/15/10 at 5:51am
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