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wireless on ship?

sha88

By sha88,
in Royal Caribbean International

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PelicanBill

PelicanBill

Posted
Posted

Hi,

If you mean #5 Disable Broadcast SSID look in your manual for your wireless switch. Hopefully, that is the language they use. There will be some radio button on the configuration screen that you access to administer it.

 

If you meant disable file & print sharing, you need to access each share that is turned through right click, sharing tab, and disable the share.

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NormanW

NormanW

Posted
Posted
I am a network engineer and wireless is one of my specialties... Terp gave a great start... mostly for doing wireless at home... I will add

5. Disable "broadcast SSID"

6. Use a good antivirus program and keep it up to date daily

7. Use a firewall and be suspicious if any new programs suddenly want to talk out to the Internet

8. Scan your PC for adware and spyware with the free programs Lavasoft Ad-Aware and Spybot Search & Destroy or buy a good one that updates itself or get the Microsoft beta which they promise will be free to licensed Windows users

9. Don't install or run peer to peer file/music/etc sharing

10. Don't install or run remote control programs

11. Don't turn on file & print sharing from your computer unless you know what you are doing and password protect everything

12. Back up your important files

13. Back up your important files

14. Back up your important files

15. Did I mention back up your important files?

 

"Always use VPN or SSL" - if accessing a workplace you probably are required to do this. Don't give personal data unless you trust the web site AND the SSL lock is showing. Otherwise, you will be browsing web sites as usual, and there is really no risk to browse to web sites you trust, such as cruisecritic!

 

Get a copy of this month's Consumer Reports for comprehensive PC security product ratings.

 

For Public Wireless hotspots:

 

1. From above, keep your patches up to date, and AV up to date

2. Run a Firewall - VERY IMPORTANT

3. Browse only trusted web sites

4. Give personal data only to sites you trust AND with the SSL lock lit up

5. If you did turn on file & print sharing, DISABLE it while on public hotspots

 

 

It is estimated 90% of home PCs have an unwanted adware or spyware program.

 

If you want to eliminate spyware try using a browser that cannot get it in the first place. Mozilla and Opera are excellent alternatives. Mozilla Firefox is free and is compatible with 98% of the sites (including CC) and has extension configuration like no other. You will never get a pop up and when using the adblock extension with popular scripts never see ads as well!

 

Disabling broadcast SSID does *NOTHING* to protect you. I can find any AP with its SSID disabled. That's a big myth about wireless and provides as much "security" as using MAC filtering. If you're really concerned about security on your home network, forget wireless altogether or this is not feasible insist on using hardware and software that supports WPA MINIMUM.

 

File and print sharing services whether enabled or not will not allow a person to connect unless your system is grossly misconfigured. The default NT SAM has the guest account disabled always. If you're running windows 9x you should really consider moving to 2000 at the minimum!

 

All "security" gets thrown out the door with public access since there is no encryption used. If IPSEC is not permitted and your VPN server you're calling isn't configured to use a more compatible protocol such as SSL over port 443 there is no alternative. There are many ways people use such as VNC/PC Anywhere/ RDP (these are painfully slow on sat connections too!) and are generally "safe" however getting the creds through the wireless connection is rather easy.

 

IF there happens to be a perp on the ship (I will not use the term "hacker" as a true hacker WILL get your information and root your machine given the average user base - the ones that believe the windows firewall is safe!) IMO the biggest concern here is for them to sniff packets to get your creds and steal wireless access which of course will be billed to your account!

 

Above all people... Relax, make sure your PC is not infected with worms and spyware and if you use your own notebook, rent a wireless card (use wireless access with your shipboard account) be sure to watch your useage! Document times you are actually connected to avoid a big surprise.

 

Cheers,

 

Norman

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pcur

pcur

Posted
Posted

You know, I was going to use my laptop on board the Brilliance this October to check email, upload pics from our digital camera, and check my banking......BUT, this scarey stuff is making me think I'll pass on the banking stuff :eek: :eek:

 

Thanks for all the good info.......now, if someone would just pop on in this thread and tell us WHERE THE HOTSPOTS ARE on the Radiance class ships, we would be very, very happy cruisers. Terpnut is leaving on Tuesday!

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Terpnut

Terpnut

Posted
Posted
You know, I was going to use my laptop on board the Brilliance this October to check email, upload pics from our digital camera, and check my banking......BUT, this scarey stuff is making me think I'll pass on the banking stuff :eek: :eek:
You can do your best to protect yourself but ultimately, the only way to be completely secure a computer is to not install any software on it and to disconnect it from ALL networks, including the Internet. Now, is that really realistic? So, I say "stay aware of best practices, do the best you can, and relax but be diligent"! ;)
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Terpnut

Terpnut

Posted
Posted
Thanks for all the good info.......now, if someone would just pop on in this thread and tell us WHERE THE HOTSPOTS ARE on the Radiance class ships, we would be very, very happy cruisers. Terpnut is leaving on Tuesday!
Yes, now back to our regularly scheduled programming. Where are all the Radiance-class cruisers who've used the wireless network? :D
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PelicanBill

PelicanBill

Posted
Posted

As you will see even experts don't always agree on what is effective and considered best practice.

 

I agree with Norman's suggestions to use a different browser; I use Firefox for most browsing and switch to IE only when I have to.

 

I also agree to relax - most of what we discussed here is technical and if you do most of it you are far ahead of average.

 

I respectfully disagree with disabling broadcast SSID - it's not an esential thing and people with discovery tools can find your network but your nosely next door neighbor's teen ager may be kept at a distance. MAC filtering can also be effective but is a pain to configure, but it takes hacker tools to get around so again your neighbor will be kept off your wireless... but the essential thing is to configure security using the WPA key on your wireless switch and your wireless PCs.

 

I also respectully disagree about file & print sharing - I don't know anybody who configure passwords properly and if you have these on, and don't run a firewall, you are available for discovery and people can connect to your files.

 

I respectully disagree with "all security gets thrown out the door with public access..." IPSEC or SSL VPNs are for accessing your employer's network. For public access, you must run a firewall, have patching up to date, and have AV update to date.. that's your basic security. When doing anything with private information, you should be accessing a site with SSL turned on (the lock is visible.)

 

I absolutely agree you should not still be on Windows 95 or Windows 98... get to Windows XP now!

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TexasDH

TexasDH

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* Disclaimer: While I know a thing or two about IT matters, I am not a network engineer, and the above written off the top of my head in less than 90 seconds, and I did not have time to refer to my wireless network "best practices" guide to write it. :)

 

It is appreciated, nonetheless!

 

PelicanBill -- thank you for the added information!

 

Thankfully, all I plan to do is download my digital photos and possibly email a couple home! Here's hoping THAT is safe! :)

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Terpnut

Terpnut

Posted
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Shoot, I thought with 3 whole cruises before me that there would've been SOMEONE on these boards with ANY information on Serenade's wireless network! :rolleyes: Yes, I'll definitely give you an update on internet access options while onboard! Less than 16 hours until our flight leaves...

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Terpnut

Terpnut

Posted
Posted

Sorry all, but I won't be contributing much to this topic after all. We cancelled the cruise and came home upon the death of my father-in-law early this morning. Got within a 1/2 mile of Serenade but never got to board. Well, hope you all enjoy your cruise!

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pcur

pcur

Posted
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Sorry all, but I won't be contributing much to this topic after all. We cancelled the cruise and came home upon the death of my father-in-law early this morning. Got within a 1/2 mile of Serenade but never got to board. Well, hope you all enjoy your cruise!

 

 

Aw, Terpnut, I'm so very, very sorry about your FIL. I lost mine about 18 months ago, and it's a sad, sad time. Hope you can go on your cruise later.

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