Internet

[rguterm]

I have the SMC modem from Rogers and sometimes, maybe it's ESP, I go into Control panel and look at my Network and Sharing Centre. (Windows 7)

Under Computer I see my laptop which is fine ... but under Network Infrastructure I see two devices, my SMC modem and a Belkin modem. I can't see any properties on the Belkin modem when I right-click. And then, as it did this evening, the Belkin router is suddenly gone off the screen and only my SMC modem is there. 

Daily usage isn't unreasonable so if someone is pirating my signal, they're prudent about it. They're not downloading gigs and gigs per day which would certainly have tipped me off by now.

I should also mention that I live in a high-rise and can see ~35 wireless networks on my list. So the signal strength in this building is quite good and with the strength of Rogers' signal, my network must be visible to a lot of people!

How can I tell if I have an unwanted guest user? What can I do to get rid of them if there is one? Reset my modem, rename the network? and/or will a new super-strength network password do the trick? Could they have set up their own access to my SMC router?

I guess the easiest way to figure it out is to stay off the Internet completely one day and see if there is any usage. i might try that but if there is a pirate, it'd be great to find out exactly who it is.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Chris]

I'm not sure about what you are seeing. Sounds like it's someone else.

What I would do to fix this is to go into your gateway webpage and change the password used to log into it.

Then I would change the wireless security to be WPA or WPA2. Set a different passcode for the WPA wireless key. WPA is currently pretty secure I think you need a day and about 30 PS3's running to **bleep** into it. If your using WEP it takes only 30 seconds or so to **bleep** in. If your using no security or the default passwords it takes no time for someone to get in.

[skutflut]

I am not familiar with the SMC router but i'm sure there must a log section in there someplace.  Take a look at that log and see if you can find traces of another computer using an IP address with the same first 3 sections as yours, and a different last section. (last three digits).  The wireless section should also show you what IP addresses are currently connected to your router.  If you find one other than the one assigned to your computer,  then you have a visitor.

Setting up the WEP or WPA encryption  and perhaps turning off the broadcast function on the router should keep you secure.  That way, your router won't appear on everybody elses laptop in the building. Only a computer with access to your router and WEP/WPA key  will know about your router.  Your computer will try the "invisible" connection first .

My Dlink  router also lets you set a list of computers by MAC address so that only the ones you put on the list will be allowed access, even if they were to hack your WEP/WPA key.

Frankley, I would prefer that rogers let people pick their own router and not force the SMC gateway on them.  Motorola has a perfectly good DOCSIS 3 model only but its not approved.,  Until they offer a modem only option, I cannot take advantage of the new higher speed and bandwidth tier.

[Chris]

The only problem with wep is it is trivial to hack.. I would stick with wpa or wpa2...

I used to do the mac filtering as well but sadly this is also very easy to fake a proper one given some time...

[Peter1992]

Hi rguterm.

I suggest you change the Network Name, make it wpa2 security, make a strong password and if the option hide network name is there USE IT! no one can see it unless they use a program (Not sayen) but the chances are slim lol.
Then after you have done that your fine!

~Peter

[RogersReggie]

Hi everyone,

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

@rguterm If you found any of these suggestions helpful, please feel free to click "Accept as Solution" under the one that helped you the most so that other community members can find the answer you did.

Thanks!
RR

[Jeffrey]

Hello rguterm!

I can't say for sure whether or not someone is tapping into your network.

Try logging into you router and look around (maybe under administration) for "logging". Some routers maintain a inbound and outbound log of traffic. Assuming that you are using the factory settings you would see that only "192.168.0.2" is surfing the net. This would be your computer. If you see a secondary ip address such as "192.168.0.3" then this would mean that there is another user or computer using your network to access the internet.

Here's a good read and walkthrough on this process.

http://www.watchingthenet.com/how-to-identify-if-someone-is-on-your-wireless-home-network.html

For added security you could try hiding you SSID, this way others cannot see your wirless network show up in their list.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2148472_hide-ssid-service-set-identifier.html

Best of luck!