[cornerwelt]

I have a Wi-Fi card on my new laptop which can support both IPv4 and IPv6 however my wireless router connected to the internet currently uses IPv4. Now the IPv6 is free and not being used. Can someone who has another laptop with a wi-fi card take advantage of my ipv6 to access my computer or the internet in some way.

[TOGG]

It's not a 'service' as such and I assume it's only mentioned because your card can support both types of IPA.

Here's some explanatory stuff from IANA;http://www.iana.org/numbers/

[cornerwelt]

yes i have already tried searching a bit about IPv6 to know that it's just a protocol to give longer ip addresses since IPV4 ips will soon become saturated, however when i go into the network connections properties i can clearly see that the router is assigning an ip address to the ipv6 protocol automically. now this makes me wonder if anyone can use this protocol not to access the internet, but to make a network connection to my computer. By the way i have a home network spanning 4 computers at home. My worry is that since they are interconnected i don't want anyone accessing the data on the other computers from an unsecure source (connecting to the laptop through the IPv6 ip).

Don't know if I made my point (worry) clear? or confused you more?

[TOGG]

I think I understand your point, but I'm afraid I can't be much help as I have no knowledge, or experience, of networking, wireless or otherwise.

From what you say it appears that the router is providing your computer (or network) with an IPV 6 address so that it is ready to receive input from similarly enabled computers (but that could be a completely wrong assumption on my part).

Apart from the already known weaknesses of inadequately protected wireless connections, I have no idea if this behaviour adds a further opportunity for a would be hacker. Does the routers Help file, or the makers website, offer any clarification?

[lunarlander]

The key to wireless security is enable encryption. If your router supports WPA2, then thats the best one to use. You would need to prepare a passphrase ( called a preshared key) that has to be entered into the router and all your PCs. That way, only those computers that has the passphrase can enter your network or use your router or access your PCs.

See also if there is a way to turn off ipv6 on your router, since you're not using it, might as well turn it off.

What is the brand and model of your router?

[calvin-c]

One thing you might do is disable your PC's ability to support ad hoc connections, i.e. those which don't go thru a router.

[speed_hog]

And change the default password on your router it takes less than 10 minutes to hack into a router with the default password.
use a password like this and copy and paste it into word and print it out and save it
crEhu6EsAs2e!h!S?ARubE#8
3a$EP4swa+Ubad78uj+8asuv
baVejat8AWrewu?hetHe!EBR
I used this site to create them;
http://www.pctools.com/guides/password/
below are some good security setup links;
http://www.google.com/search?q=route...ient=firefox-a