router help?

Question

I have 4 computers on my wireless router.is it possible that another user has made there computer number one on the network? what I'm trying to ask if they can set it up so there getting data before me and if they are how are they doing this. thanks

Answer 1

If you have no encryption or security on your router, then it is quite possible that someone has connected to it. Typicallly routers can have up to 254 computers connected, so 4 or 5 is no problem for the router.

To improve your security:
Change the default SSID
Change the default password.
Set up WPA or WEP encryption on the router and your computers.
If you want to button it down further:
set up MAC filtering (ipconfig /all at a C:> will give you that machine's MAC address)
change the router's LAN IP address from 192.168.1.1 to 192.168.xxx.1 where 1 Turn on the WAN ping blocking.
Hide the SSID. (But this is a pain if you fail to connect.)

This will make it much harder for people to borrow your Wi-Fi, and much harder for people to hack into your network.


I do not believe that the router gives priority to any one connection, so someone borrowing your Wi-Fi does not get stuff before you. However they will suck up some of the bandwidth limit whenever they pull or push data across your network, so you may see your transfer rate drop because of this.

Answer 2

This site might answer your questions :

http://searchwindowssecurity.techtarget.com/general/0,295582,sid45_gci1148686,00.html

Because you are on a wireless router its easy for someone to go into the main setup and change their computer to 1. All they have to do is "wifi sniff" your passwords and all your information to change it. Radio waves are impossible to encrypt, because they are broadcasted over a wide range. Whoever is listening for those waves will get everything you ever put into your PC!

Answer 3

You have to use the privacy settings to protect your router from being used by others.