Wireless router and sombody else connected???

Hi guys

Well I've ventured into the wireless game (belkin wireless router) and all
has been well for the past few weeks. But today, it seems that somebody else
is connected to my wireless router. Is this possible. I've got a 1mb line
and can only get anywhere between 250 and 500 on a speed test. just
disconnected everything and all four lights on the router were solid! has
somebody connected to it? If so is there anything I can do to prevent this
happening?

TIA

Pete

PeteIvy wrote:
> Hi guys
>
> Well I've ventured into the wireless game (belkin wireless router)
> and all has been well for the past few weeks. But today, it seems
> that somebody else is connected to my wireless router. Is this
> possible. I've got a 1mb line and can only get anywhere between 250
> and 500 on a speed test. just disconnected everything and all four
> lights on the router were solid! has somebody connected to it? If so
> is there anything I can do to prevent this happening?
>
> TIA
>
> Pete

Firstly you can check thru your router diagnostics to see who's connected..

Secondly if you are using the wifi then set up some type of security on the
link, either a shared WEP key or WPA (I've forgotten which is available with
that kit).

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
PeteIvy <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Hi guys
>
> Well I've ventured into the wireless game (belkin wireless router)
> and all has been well for the past few weeks. But today, it seems
> that somebody else is connected to my wireless router. Is this
> possible. I've got a 1mb line and can only get anywhere between 250
> and 500 on a speed test. just disconnected everything and all four
> lights on the router were solid! has somebody connected to it? If so
> is there anything I can do to prevent this happening?
>
> TIA
>
> Pete

There are various reasons why your connection make appear to have slowed
down - including the possibility that someone is sharing your bandwidth.

What security measures are you taking to prevent anyone from hacking into
your wireless network?

What level of encyption (if any!) are you using?
Have you changed the SSID name to something other than the default, and
turned off SSID broadcasting?
Have you implemented MAC address filtering so that only specified computers
can connect?

If none of this means anything to you, you'd better take a crash course in
wireless network security - and disable your wireless network until you've
done so!
--
Cheers,
Tim
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

PeteIvy brought next idea :
> Hi guys
>
> Well I've ventured into the wireless game (belkin wireless router) and all
> has been well for the past few weeks. But today, it seems that somebody else
> is connected to my wireless router. Is this possible. I've got a 1mb line and
> can only get anywhere between 250 and 500 on a speed test. just disconnected
> everything and all four lights on the router were solid! has somebody
> connected to it? If so is there anything I can do to prevent this happening?

I would have thought the lights would flash if data was being moved via
the wireless link?

Somewhere in your Belkin menu system will be a method for setting up
MAC addresses and to enable MAC checking, before allowing a connection.
On each network card you will find a series of unique numbers called
the MAC address. Type these into your router, then ONLY those cards
which have a matching MAC in the list will be allowed to connect. You
are best doing this via a wired connection, just in case you get it
wrong. Its not fool proof, as it is still possible for someone to spoof
the MAC address if they are sufficiently determined. Something else you
could do is turn off the SSID. The SSID 'advertises' your access point.

For an even more secure WiFi network, you can set up encrypted access
on both the access point and the card end of the link.

To see if there is anyone using WiFi within range, try Network
Stumbler. It works with Belkin WiFi cards.

If you think someone is using your access point, an easy way to check
is to watch the amount of data totting up on the access points
diagnostic page. A small regular small amount of of data is normal, but
large amounts if you are not using it someone else must be.

--


--

Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.org

"Harry Bloomfield" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> PeteIvy brought next idea :
>> Hi guys
>>
>> Well I've ventured into the wireless game (belkin wireless router) and
>> all has been well for the past few weeks. But today, it seems that
>> somebody else is connected to my wireless router. Is this possible. I've
>> got a 1mb line and can only get anywhere between 250 and 500 on a speed
>> test. just disconnected everything and all four lights on the router were
>> solid! has somebody connected to it? If so is there anything I can do to
>> prevent this happening?
>
> I would have thought the lights would flash if data was being moved via
> the wireless link?
>
> Somewhere in your Belkin menu system will be a method for setting up MAC
> addresses and to enable MAC checking, before allowing a connection. On
> each network card you will find a series of unique numbers called the MAC
> address. Type these into your router, then ONLY those cards which have a
> matching MAC in the list will be allowed to connect. You are best doing
> this via a wired connection, just in case you get it wrong. Its not fool
> proof, as it is still possible for someone to spoof the MAC address if
> they are sufficiently determined. Something else you could do is turn off
> the SSID. The SSID 'advertises' your access point.
>
> For an even more secure WiFi network, you can set up encrypted access on
> both the access point and the card end of the link.
>
> To see if there is anyone using WiFi within range, try Network Stumbler.
> It works with Belkin WiFi cards.
>
> If you think someone is using your access point, an easy way to check is
> to watch the amount of data totting up on the access points diagnostic
> page. A small regular small amount of of data is normal, but large amounts
> if you are not using it someone else must be.
>

Cheers guys. All sorted now. The neighbour has gone wireless as well and
came round asking if we had it as he was connected via somebody!!! Am now
off to read up on wireless networks etc.
Thanks again

Pete

kraftee wrote:
> PeteIvy wrote:
>
>>Hi guys
>>
>>Well I've ventured into the wireless game (belkin wireless router)
>>and all has been well for the past few weeks. But today, it seems
>>that somebody else is connected to my wireless router. Is this
>>possible. I've got a 1mb line and can only get anywhere between 250
>>and 500 on a speed test. just disconnected everything and all four
>>lights on the router were solid! has somebody connected to it? If so
>>is there anything I can do to prevent this happening?
>>
>>TIA
>>
>>Pete
>
>
> Firstly you can check thru your router diagnostics to see who's connected..
>
> Secondly if you are using the wifi then set up some type of security on the
> link, either a shared WEP key or WPA (I've forgotten which is available with
> that kit).
>
>

download and install Ethereal on your wireless computer and use it to
monitor traffic. It will tell you which wireless diveices it is talking
to and whet they are doing - if you monitor for a while I'm sure you
will see some logins & passwords, perhaps for emails. When/if you find
their address send them an email for a monthly bill for internet access
- oooooo I can see hours of fun for you )

PeteIvy wrote:

> "Harry Bloomfield" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>>PeteIvy brought next idea :
>>
>>>Hi guys
>>>
>>>Well I've ventured into the wireless game (belkin wireless router) and
>>>all has been well for the past few weeks. But today, it seems that
>>>somebody else is connected to my wireless router. Is this possible. I've
>>>got a 1mb line and can only get anywhere between 250 and 500 on a speed
>>>test. just disconnected everything and all four lights on the router were
>>>solid! has somebody connected to it? If so is there anything I can do to
>>>prevent this happening?
>>
>>I would have thought the lights would flash if data was being moved via
>>the wireless link?
>>
>>Somewhere in your Belkin menu system will be a method for setting up MAC
>>addresses and to enable MAC checking, before allowing a connection. On
>>each network card you will find a series of unique numbers called the MAC
>>address. Type these into your router, then ONLY those cards which have a
>>matching MAC in the list will be allowed to connect. You are best doing
>>this via a wired connection, just in case you get it wrong. Its not fool
>>proof, as it is still possible for someone to spoof the MAC address if
>>they are sufficiently determined. Something else you could do is turn off
>>the SSID. The SSID 'advertises' your access point.
>>
>>For an even more secure WiFi network, you can set up encrypted access on
>>both the access point and the card end of the link.
>>
>>To see if there is anyone using WiFi within range, try Network Stumbler.
>>It works with Belkin WiFi cards.
>>
>>If you think someone is using your access point, an easy way to check is
>>to watch the amount of data totting up on the access points diagnostic
>>page. A small regular small amount of of data is normal, but large amounts
>>if you are not using it someone else must be.
>>
>
>
> Cheers guys. All sorted now. The neighbour has gone wireless as well and
> came round asking if we had it as he was connected via somebody!!! Am now
> off to read up on wireless networks etc.
> Thanks again
>
> Pete
>
>
>

ahh bugger, replied b4 I read this.

ok cancel your broadband and use his 'freeband' instead!

johnydeath wrote:

> download and install Ethereal on your wireless computer and use it to
> monitor traffic.

Would need WinPcap too

> It will tell you which wireless diveices it is talking
> to and whet they are doing

Not necessarily, some wifi cards don't support promiscuous/monitor mode
so can only see traffic to/from themselves and broadcasts.