[P1] Disabling WEP wheb Adding a Dell Laptop to My Airport Network

[Brian Pearce]

> I was able to get the Dell working on my Snow Airport network but it 
> required turning off encryption.  My questions:  how exposed am I with 
> encryption off?  Should I return the Dell and get a different Windoze 
> laptop?  I don't do my online banking using the Airport - I do it on 
> the iMac attached to the Airport by ethernet.  I live in apartment 
> building so neighbors will be able to use my bandwidth.  Is that the 
> only downside?  I use the network for home e-mail and web surfing.

If you weren't living in an apartment building, I'd be much less 
concerned about this...

I'd consider (assuming you can do so) buying a WiFi PC Card that *will* 
allow you to use encryption...it strikes me as a little silly that 
Dell's product doesn't offer this feature. (I'm not sure I buy the 
inference that this level of security isn't part of the 802.11 
specifications.) It doesn't seem like an urgent need, from what you've 
described, but something to look into.

BRIAN/bpearce at cloud9.net
http://www.redjacketpress.com