Is MAC address filtering safe?

Q I am in the process of setting up wireless security on a friend's new Netgear DG834G router.

I have been advised to use MAC address filtering to restrict the computers that can connect to the network.

This sounds like a good idea, but the relevant chapter in the router manual states: “MAC address filtering adds an obstacle against unwanted access to your network, but the data broadcast over the wireless link is fully exposed.”

The last part of that sentence worries me. Does this simply that the network will be somehow less secure by enabling MAC address filtering?
Steve Johnson

A This is a case of poor presentation in Netgear’s documentation.

The product manual presents several possible security options ranging from ‘no security’ to WPA encryption, explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each one.

However, the way that the options are listed suggests that they’re mutually exclusive. Of course, this is true for some of the options – it would obviously be impossible to run with ‘no security’ and WPA at the same time, for instance – but enabling MAC filtering is intended to offer additional security to any chosen encryption method and is not to be used as the sole security measure.

If you relied only on MAC filtering, then the data broadcast over the wireless network would indeed be fully exposed.

Netgear’s manual doesn’t make it clear that MAC filtering can be used in conjunction with encryption. So, if you want to switch on MAC filtering, you can proceed without having to worry.

However, don’t forget to enable the encryption: WPA is the best option.

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