How many users on your network?

[Anonymouse]

That is: if you're using a wireless router which isn't secured (in which case you deserve everything you get, you dork!), can you tell if anyone other than you is accessing it? If so, how?

I ask because a friend of mine has a laptop which, as is typical of Vista, insists on being connected to the Internet unless he disables the wireless LAN card - and it keeps picking up on a number of wireless networks, some of which aren't secured. I did point out that this is - I think - illegal, so he asked me if it's possible to tell.

Since I'm not sure, I'm now asking you guys.

[AbyssUnderground]

Yes it is possible to tell. The owner of the wireless point only has to look at the logs or a DHCP list to tell if someone else is using it.

In reply to how many users are on your network, at the moment, 12 LAN Party Usually only 4.

[Druchii]

Just the one, and it's not wireless.

[bopdude]

Originally Posted by AbyssUnderground

Yes it is possible to tell. The owner of the wireless point only has to look at the logs or a DHCP list to tell if someone else is using it.

In reply to how many users are on your network, at the moment, 12 LAN Party Usually only 4.

I think if the owner of the net connection was savvy enough to look at the logs, he would have his network locked down

And what games are you playing at your LAN, and where was the invite

[Gareth]

As already said... it is possible to tell, but like Bop says, usually if you know what to look for you also know how to prevent unauthorised access (unless we're talking about Fon users, which is gonna be the exception to the rule).

Just for info, connecting to a network without authorisation itself isn't committing a crime, it's only when you use that network that you're guilty of committing a crime (usually you'd get charged with unlawfully obtaining a service)

[Anonymouse]

Originally Posted by bopdude

I think if the owner of the net connection was savvy enough to look at the logs, he would have his network locked down

True.

But it's not as if it's difficult to secure a wireless network; you don't need much tech savvy. All you need to know is in the manual for the card, or in the help files. Oh, of course - no-one ever reads them, do they?

It's just lazy IMO, and if someone hijacks their network as a result, it's their own fault.

Having said that, is there any sort of software you can run in the background to tell you how many (I can't believe I typed 'manu' in the title and didn't spot it!) users are logged on, and/or if someone has just logged on?



---------- Post added at 14:53 ---------- Previous post was at 14:50 ----------

Originally Posted by Gareth

Just for info, connecting to a network without authorisation itself isn't committing a crime, it's only when you use that network that you're guilty of committing a crime (usually you'd get charged with unlawfully obtaining a service)

Ah, right. I stand corrected. Actually, it's not just my mate this happens to; my new laptop does it as well when I'm at home. Oddly, though, there are times when it doesn't want to connect to my router, but prefers someone else's network, even though my router's only in the next room. What's that about?

[AbyssUnderground]

Originally Posted by bopdude

I think if the owner of the net connection was savvy enough to look at the logs, he would have his network locked down

And what games are you playing at your LAN, and where was the invite

Well, its a combination of wired and wireless, and it was secured and he owned it

[Leeds_Tykes_RFU]

Originally Posted by Anonymouse

True.

But it's not as if it's difficult to secure a wireless network; you don't need much tech savvy. All you need to know is in the manual for the card, or in the help files. Oh, of course - no-one ever reads them, do they?

It's not difficult at all - even I can do it, and I'm about the least computer-savvy person in the northern hemisphere!

[Stuart]

2 People. I have the wireless secured, and check the logs (we have a carpark out back, so I tend to assume people will park up and use my connect, which did happen when I did have the network unsecured for a while).

One thing I've always wondered. Bluetooth is a lot slower and has a lower range than WiFi (not counting Bluetooth 2), but security is enabled by default. With Wifi, it isn't..

[Toto]

Originally Posted by Stuart C

2 People. I have the wireless secured, and check the logs (we have a carpark out back, so I tend to assume people will park up and use my connect, which did happen when I did have the network unsecured for a while).

One thing I've always wondered. Bluetooth is a lot slower and has a lower range than WiFi (not counting Bluetooth 2), but security is enabled by default. With Wifi, it isn't..

Yes, its always amazed me that WiFi routers do not have security enabled as default. I've also yet to see any clear paper based alert inside the packaging telling the person to enable wireless security.

The WEP protocol isn't too secure. It can be breached remotely.

[iJord]

My wireless has no security

[Graham M]

Originally Posted by iJord

My wireless has no security

Umm good for you, I hope you don't mind your neighbours borrowing your bandwidth now and again (this DOES happen!)

[Anonymouse]

Originally Posted by iJord

My wireless has no security

What do you mean? That security isn't enabled, or it has no security facility at all? If the latter, you really should upgrade it if possible, or replace it if not. A wireless setup is pretty cheap these days, to the point where wireless capabilities are now standard features on a laptop, whereas a year or two ago wireless was an optional extra.

You should go for any wireless setup that offers WPA2-PSK encryption, as that's the latest standard, or at least WPA-PSK - not WEP, as I think I read somewhere it has vulnerabilities. Let us know how you get on!

[Stuart W]

Where I work there are no less than 35 active WiFi AP's, 12 of which are totaly open 24/7 and give world readable IP addresses.

Connected to my network right now, there are just over 650 PC's, 26 Switches, 4 Core switches and 2 routers.

(yes, I work in a data centre)