Attach secure network to unsecured network?

[yourbeliefs]

My wife and I are moving into graduate housing at my wife's college. They provide us with wireless internet service, but basically it's a cable/U-Verse connection attached to a Linksys router. Worst off, the wireless networks are open and not secured at all.

Obviously I'm not exactly shot in the ass about my stuff being unsecured and being in a very obvious spot that a hijacker or wi-fi squatter could go. They also don't seem very shot in the ass of allowing me access to that router's firmware and securing it (as well as opening up a few ports.)

There are a few plugs in the house that can be connected to the router instead of using the wireless. Can any real security benefits be achieved by connecting a secure router to this unsecure network and running our internet stuff off of that wirelessly, or is it a moot point since the router's internet source itself is not secure?

 

[8bitbytes]

You can create your own secure network by plugging a router into one of the jacks in your home. Once your network traffic moves onto the college net, it will be just like any traffic on the internet.

Just make sure all your stuff connects to your router.

 

[Foxbat]

You might run into problems if you need to set up a VPN through two NAT devices. Also, you should set up your router to use OpenDNS instead of trusting the suspect ISP.

 

[8bitbytes]

You might run into problems if you need to set up a VPN through two NAT devices. Also, you should set up your router to use OpenDNS instead of trusting the suspect ISP.

Good point about the DNS - I never use the ISP DNS.

 

[yourbeliefs]

Good point about the DNS - I never use the ISP DNS.

I forgot about that. I'll change that later today in the main router.

An update and clarification on my situation: Our neighbors upstairs took it upon themselves to secure the router, which effectively knocked off all the losers leeching off the connection. The issue now though is that I still can't hook up my linksys router to the main linksys router and use the internet off of it. It'll connect, but it's a "Local Only" connection. I heard you have to do some things like turn off DHCP and things like that, but that didn't work either. I'm sure there's just something I'm missing and that this probably can be achieved. Although security is not an issue, I'd like to be able to hook up to my own router so that I'm not bogging down the wireless component of the main router with my 3 computers and 3 wireless gaming devices. Any suggestions?

 

[8bitbytes]

I forgot about that. I'll change that later today in the main router.

An update and clarification on my situation: Our neighbors upstairs took it upon themselves to secure the router, which effectively knocked off all the losers leeching off the connection. The issue now though is that I still can't hook up my linksys router to the main linksys router and use the internet off of it. It'll connect, but it's a "Local Only" connection. I heard you have to do some things like turn off DHCP and things like that, but that didn't work either. I'm sure there's just something I'm missing and that this probably can be achieved. Although security is not an issue, I'd like to be able to hook up to my own router so that I'm not bogging down the wireless component of the main router with my 3 computers and 3 wireless gaming devices. Any suggestions?

The main router may be configured to use a MAC address filter. You would need to have your MAC added to the list on the main router and then you can link through. You should still be able to use your own dhcp and lan configuration inside your router.

Also: Make sure your router is using a different IP scheme than the main router.

eg... If the main router is using 192.168.0.xxx then set yours to be 192.168.8.xxx

 

[yourbeliefs]

The main router may be configured to use a MAC address filter. You would need to have your MAC added to the list on the main router and then you can link through. You should still be able to use your own dhcp and lan configuration inside your router.

Also: Make sure your router is using a different IP scheme than the main router.

eg... If the main router is using 192.168.0.xxx then set yours to be 192.168.8.xxx

There isn't a MAC filter being used since I was able to get on with multiple other devices (and I looked in the settings and I didn't see one set up.)

I had modified the IP scheme, but I don't think I did it properly. I'll work on that when I get home. I put in OpenDNS though and that is working great.