how to find out if theres someone stealing my wifi?

[sbs99]

hi guys..

i am experiencing a very very slow internet connection recently.. it has been happening since a week ago i guess, before it was fine.. i am afraid if there is someone stealing my wifi and taking most of the bandwith there.. :dunno: is there anyway to find out about that?? btw my wifi isnt encrypted actually since i dont know how to do that ;p

thx

Gather some of your tech-saavy friends go to your place to help set up the security, worst come to the worse ask the service provider to send someone down to help u set it up. Worst case scenario which you wouldn't want to spend a cent, or want friends to laugh at you, then learn how to do it yourself by reading up on the net...confirm alot of info to teach you how to.

"i dun know" is not the excuse not to lock up, and then complain people are tapping your network. Responsibility starts with the owner.

:nono:

 

[Paul_Yeo]

hi guys..

i am experiencing a very very slow internet connection recently.. it has been happening since a week ago i guess, before it was fine.. i am afraid if there is someone stealing my wifi and taking most of the bandwith there.. :dunno: is there anyway to find out about that?? btw my wifi isnt encrypted actually since i dont know how to do that ;p

thx

u know someone is using your WiFi if you have named your SSID as wireless@sg :bsmilie:

 

[raincool2005]

i lived in an area where old folks lived.

confirmed no one wants my Wifi.:lovegrin:

 

[Paul_Yeo]

stop all your surfing, then use ethereal to sniff, see if got packets? by right should have only system packets right? i am still learning , pardon my dumb dumb :embrass:

 

[ah.zeep]

I use Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security (anti-virus) and it has a feature to detect which unknown computers are using the network. Maybe you might find it somewhere in your anti-virus too.

(What, no security key and no antivirus??)

 

[weeguy]

The simplest way would be to check the DHCP table in your router first to see how many DHCP addresses were "handed" out by the router.

 

[raincool2005]

your router application should be able to show who is using it.

in the past...i can see foreign MAC addresses... i copied and paste into my denied access list. :devil:

 

[mervlam]

thanks guy for your replies.. ill be trying deadpixel suggestion to turn off the comps and see wheter any data transfered.. anyway i tried to encrypt it, i followed the method in the user manual, then after that i even couldnt get myself to connect to my wifi :cry: :cry: so i resetted the router to the factory setting that has no encryption..

that is because you need to configure ur PCs as well

leaving ur network unsecured is as good as leaving ur house doors open. it's ur responsibility to secure it

 

[mervlam]

Instead of encrpyting you can also try mac address filtering and hiding your wireless network name broadcast.

it is not totally secure. mac addresses can be spoofed and hidden SSIDs can be broken with dictionary attacks if the SSID is a common English word

 

[mervlam]

Ethereal cannot sniff 802.11 packets. -_-
Anyway, you shouldn't use Ethereal. Wireshark is better.

stop all your surfing, then use ethereal to sniff, see if got packets? by right should have only system packets right? i am still learning , pardon my dumb dumb :embrass:

 

[Astin]

Why dont they make wireless like TV license? Every hosuehold just pay $110 per year and use the money to wireless up the whole Singapore, so no one need to "steal" the bandwidth.

 

[nottipiglet]

it is not totally secure. mac addresses can be spoofed and hidden SSIDs can be broken with dictionary attacks if the SSID is a common English word

No security measure is foolproof. We padlock the doors outside our house even though we know that someone can just bring a big clipper and cut it. But we padlock it anyway.

Internet access is so common that most people will not waste time to hack into your network just for that. But if you leave your door wide open... and if someone goes into your house and eat your food... even if you are not the one committing the crime, you look a little foolish.

 

[togu]

I hide my SSID, enabled both encryption and Mac control. :embrass:

 

[nottipiglet]

Why dont they make wireless like TV license? Every hosuehold just pay $110 per year and use the money to wireless up the whole Singapore, so no one need to "steal" the bandwidth.

Excellent idea. I think the wireless@sg network may eventually create the necessary infrastructure for that.

 

[ST1100]

hi guys..

i am experiencing a very very slow internet connection recently.. it has been happening since a week ago i guess, before it was fine.. i am afraid if there is someone stealing my wifi and taking most of the bandwith there.. :dunno: is there anyway to find out about that?? btw my wifi isnt encrypted actually since i dont know how to do that ;p

thx

i'm more curious to know if you do find someone stealing your bandwidth, are you going to take any action against him?

 

[nottipiglet]

I enabled both encryption and Mac control. :embrass:

That's very secure. Unfortunately, this approach can be a bit inconvenient if you have friends/relatives who come from time to time to use your network. For every additional wireless device, you need to go into the wireless router to add the mac address.

For myself, I just use SSID. I just use 64bit, which is not even super secure. But for 64bit, I only need to remember a 10 character string to add new devices.

I live on the top floor of my apartment building. So, there are not many households that can steal my bandwidth. I know that some people make super antennaes with pringle cans to tap into other people's networks... but if they want my bandwidth so badly, they can have it.

 

[nottipiglet]

i'm more curious to know if you do find someone stealing your bandwidth, are you going to take any action against him?

Yah... ban him from internet gaming for 18 months.... a fate worse than death! :bsmilie:

 

[ah.zeep]

Hi,

That's very secure. Unfortunately, this approach can be a bit inconvenient if you have friends/relatives who come from time to time to use your network. For every additional wireless device, you need to go into the wireless router to add the mac address.

For myself, I just use SSID. I just use 64bit, which is not even super secure. But for 64bit, I only need to remember a 10 character string to add new devices.

I live on the top floor of my apartment building. So, there are not many households that can steal my bandwidth. I know that some people make super antennaes with pringle cans to tap into other people's networks... but if they want my bandwidth so badly, they can have it.

My 2c view: stealing of bandwidth is the least of your problems when your network is accessible by others. The rogue could (a) hack into your PC(s), copy your files, install trojans, steal bank passwords, etc, or even attempt to (b) sniff all your network transactions over the air. At the very least, an accessible network could cause someone else's PC to infect your PC's with viruses, whether intentionally or not.

 

[leyo04]

The simplest is the MAC address. Get your PC's IP by typing in MS-DOS "ipconfig /all". Get your PC's MAC Address and add that to your routers list of allowede MAC address. Nevermind the WEP thing. But can can add, but an overkill.

 

[dot1q]

thanks guy for your replies.. ill be trying deadpixel suggestion to turn off the comps and see wheter any data transfered.. anyway i tried to encrypt it, i followed the method in the user manual, then after that i even couldnt get myself to connect to my wifi :cry: :cry: so i resetted the router to the factory setting that has no encryption..

You just missed one more step... Once you enabled the router encryption, it will give you 6 or 12 digit "alpha numeric Key" (or depends on what encryption you use). You need to enable/activate this on your PC so that your PC is in sync with your router.