I think my neighbor's stealing my wifi...

Our neighbor's son is home from college. At the same time, I've noticed the wireless connection has suddenly halved in speed. When the study was turned into the nursery, I had to abandon the use of a wired connection for my wife's computer and bought a wireless PCI card and a Linksys WRT54G router. I set it up, wrote down the user name and password, and filed it away. Now I can't find the card anywhere, so I can't log into the router's control panel to find out if any additional IP addresses are present.

Any suggestions? I'm okay with hardware, but haven't bothered to learn networking stuff. I can follow directions pretty well, though. Didn't have much time to dink around with it like I would have wanted, what with all the wet diapers and screaming.

Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

--KK

 

I moved this to N/W because you'll ge more help.

If it was me, I would unplug the router for around 30 seconds and it should do a hard reset (some routers do have hard reset buttons also). After you plug the router back in, use an ethernet cable to connect your laptop to the router. If a disc came with the router, you can use that or go to your router's ISP address. (usually 192.168.x.x). Enter in the default username and password which is normally Admin and password, respectively.

This should log you into your router. Once you are log in, you'll have to enable wireless, and change the password to log in to your router. I also strongely suggest making your network secure.

What router do you have? We can give you more directions for your specific router.

 

any type of security should work.

1. change your SSID and don't broadcast it

and/or

2. filter out unwanted MAC addresses

and/or

3. enable WEP/WPA/etc. and set a password

you can reset the router usually by holding the reset button down for 30 seconds or something (it may be another key combination). this will take it back to the factory state with the factory IP and login.

 

You can type Net View in command prompt and it will show you who is on your subnet.

 

First things first; reset your router and start from scratch here's a good guide that walks you through:

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wirelesssecurity/tp/wifisecurity.htm

Also, a web search on wireless network security will get you even more guides but be aware, some are easier to follow than others.

 

Ok, if you have a LInksys WRT router, on the back, there is a reset button. Hold it down for 12 secconds or so, or untill you see the lights on the front reset. Then, the SSID will defualt to "linksys" connect to it. Open up your internet browser, and in the adress bar type in: 192.168.1.1
A promt will come up asking for the username and password
username is: "" (no username)
password is: "admin"
go to the wireless tab
then you have basic wireless settings for SSID, SSID broadcast, network mode, and channel
Underneath the wireless tab, you have options for "Wireless Security" "Wireless MAC filter" and "Advanced wireless settings" under wireless security, it would be a good idea to enable WPA security because WEP can be cracked..it's not very hard to if you have the know-how and right equipment.
Then, if you would like, you can set MAC filtering to permit only the PC's listed. To find out the MAC adress of your computer, go to start>run then type in "cmd" then enter "ipconfig/all" and it will say "physical adress" under the wireless network card.

Once you're done w/ all that, be sure to go back to the "Administration" tab and type in a new router password. That will be the password you type in next time you do the 192.168.1.1 thing to get into the settings.

Also, everytime you change something, be sure to click "save changes" once you have everything set. Once you save, you may loose your connection. Just go back to the wireless connection manager and reconnect to your network (or the one you just renamed) and do the 192.168.1.1 thing over.

 

Thank you all for your help!

The router is a WRT54G, but the firmware is 1.0. Do I need to upgrade it? As it stands now, it has WEP encryption only.

I reset the router, and logged in as admin. I then ran "net view" as zazonz suggested, and there was only my computer listed. Went upstairs, got a drink of water (with just a little scotch in it, I promise), and came back downstairs and ran "net view" again. There was another name listed, but I can't post what it was 'cause it wasn't decent.

Logged back in, enabled encryption. It's only WEP, though, so would a firmware upgrade help that or is it something that's hardwired into the router?

You guys/gals rock! Rep points all around!

 

You really can't be too safe.

 

You can download your router's latest firmware from Linksys. Make sure you get the version for your hardware version. That will enable WPA/PSK.

In the meantime, make sure you visit your neighbor's kid and smack him in the back of the head, and tell him all about the man in Florida who was arrested for stealing wi-fi.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/07/tech/main707361.shtml

 

Yea, a firmware upgrade is always a good idea...it usually adds some cool features too!

Anyway, here you go:
http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Sate...579357&pagename=Linksys/Common/VisitorWrapper

 

wasn't aware of the Net View command. nice. gotta remember that one.

 

Yea, same here, great one to know.

 

Not sure if your router supports it, but you might be able to use MAC addressed connections. Basically, in addition to using your encrypted key, tell the router to only accept wireless connections from your laptop and whatever else u need.

 

I would have a word to this kids parents to, i hate kids...who steal

 

yeah... time for a total lockdown.

don't broadcast your SSID for one, get the latest firmware to enable WPA/PSK, and also go for MAC filtering too.

 

Thanks, y'all. I'm planning on having a word with the parents on this. Don't want to accuse, but to make them understand that I'm not going to just let someone steal my access. I did stupid stuff in college, too, but I'm over that now.

 

Unless you are absolutely sure of this, once you have everything locked down and the SSID is disabled - change the name before you disable it - don't you think it would be more diplomatic if you simply said nothing to the neighbour? What if the parents don't care or think it's cute that their son knows how to do this? And what about your relationship with the neighbour, is it likely to be strained if you mention it to them?

And you do admit to doing "stupid" stuff at that age, as most college kids do.

As Kenny says, "You gotta know when to fold 'em ... "

Just my 2 cents.

 

lol, that would be my parents...except they wouldn't quite say "cute" per say...lol

Anyway, I suppose you know your neighbor better than we do, so If you think talking to the kids parents will help then great, otherwise, it may be a good idea just to drop it as chutsman said......or mess w/ the kid's computer...

 

Before you go grump at the kid for using your unsecured network, look at it this way.
You are sending your unprotected signal over to his (well, his parent's) home. He didn't ask you to do that. You did that all on your own. You shouldn't be surprised or upset that he was using your internet. Just lock it down, realize you goofed and be done.

EDIT:

I never intended to justify the kid's behavior. I merely wished to suggest that kansa_killa shouldn't go be upset and angry with the kid. Certainly, it might be good to tell the kid that he could get arrested for that kind of thing, as happened in florida. People seemed to take what I said the wrong way, probably because I wasn't clear enough.

Thanks.
Noah

 

What he said. You fragged up. Move on.

 

:::

It's your network problem, Not the next door kid.
If you have poper WiFi setting, It will not happen.
Normal people can't get into a well setup wireless network.
Unless your next door family are come from outer space!

:::

 

hey, let's not blame the guy because someone decided to STEAL from him. the turd next door obviously knows that the network connection he's been using doesn't belong to him or his parents, so he's leeching off of his neighbour. yes, blame the victim for the dishonesty of others.

it's probably not worth the trouble to go over there and pummel the kid's skull, as satisfying as it would be. maybe get a network throughput monitor and wait until the kid is downloading a large file, let it get pretty high up there and then kill the router or I think you could kick him off the DHCP list. just a thought...

 

If you already lock it and he hacks, then u can whack him.

 

Agreed...Admit the fact that it was your fault for not securing it considering all the stuff you hear about on the tv, internet etc and considering how easy it us and best of all the router's manual says it (to put a password on the connection).

Just put one and move on... ...

P.S - I wouldnt go tell the neigbhors.

 

Yes, he should've secured his wireless network. Should he talk to the son? Absolutely. Here's an anology: I left my car window down, my neighbor's son comes along, pops the hood, connects jumper cables to my battery, and uses it to power his car's electrical system. Would you hold him accountable for that? Of course you would. The same priciple holds true for his unauthorized use of someone else's network. This kid should most definitely be sat down and told what he was doing is wrong, even though he probably already knows that.

I'm not talking about an interrogation. Just a friendly chat explaining it's not right to use someone else's network without approval, and don't do it again. After all, would you want to be the person authorities visit because some nasty DDoS was traced back to your IP address?

 

Yep, the network should have been secured...

Look at it this way, if you leave your car unlocked in a large parking lot with the keys in the drive, is it not your fault if it got stolen when you didn't think it would?

 

Ok, i'm closing this thread because, for some reason, these threads always turn into "stealing wifi is OK" versus "stealing wifi is not OK". i will save everybody the trouble of endless lame analogies by saying this...

Logging into an unsecured private wireless network is illegal just like taking anything, no matter how easy, that doesn't belong to you, is illegal.

The End.