Catching a hacker?

Question

How to catch a hacker?
Somebody is using my unsecured network for free.
I have the name of the PC & MAC#. How can I catch him?
Can my provider spots and found out in what apartment that hacker is? I live in an apartment complex. I am planning to change to a new router soon

Answer 1

First of all he is not a hacker. You stated that you have an "unsecured" network. So technically he hasnt broken into your network. You are broadcasting into the apartment complex. Most computers, when turned on, will automatically connect to the first open wireless network it finds without the operator even knowing it. So you are not only going to have to prove he was steeling it knowingly but also find him. I have a better suggestion for you. Your router has features on it that will make it to where no one can get on it that you dont want. This is called encryption. So rather than spending the hours on end finding a guy using your "unsecured" wireless spend 5 minutes putting in a password. ALL ROUTERS have this ability. Its easy if you just do a little research. If you were to contact the police in order to get to this guy the first thing any semi computer savi person will say is, "why dont you have it encrypted". Its really easy to do. If you need help with it i can walk you through it. Just email me. I hope this helped and please take the path of least resistance and make it easiest on yourself. Best of luck.

Answer 2

It is pretty hard to do unless you get a search warrent to search all area pcs and to match MAC addresses. I doubt any court will give you a search warrant.

Do not replace your router. Secure it. One security step is MAC address validation. Activate this and enter in the router's accepted MAC address list only the MAC addresses of your wireless pcs (not the wired ports, only the wireless ones). The router will admit ONLY those with the accepted MAC addresses.

If you do not know your pc wireless MAC address, open command prompt (start, run - type in cmd and hit enter). In command prompt type "ipconfig /all" without quotes and hit enter. It will show you all your network devices on your pc and their MAC addresses (it calls them physical addresses but they are the MACs). Some router MAC acceptable list may want you to put a : between each pair of MAC characters and others do not accept nor want the : entered so watch this carefully.

I would also invoke encryption if the router supports it. This has to be done carefully but it is not all that hard provided you are not rushed.

I further suggest you check with your router maker's web site to see if he has a newer firmware for your router. If newer firmware is available, install it. Carefully read and understand how this is done and note also whether you will lose the config file on the router (some lose config, others do not; some allow you to copy the config to your pc and reload it after firmware upgrade, others do not; read carefully and follow directions to the letter). Often a firmware upgrade is all you need. Even a newly bought router may have newer firmware available and firmware upgrades need be checked periodically.

Finally whenever configuring, firmware upgrading, or addressing anything on your router be sure to use a wired connection, not a wireless connection. Many people foul things up trying to use a wireless connection when setting the wireless up or changing it.

Answer 3

You can report this to the police, but why bother, set encrytpion on your router and shut them out. You need to have a computer death wish to run it unsecured. Apart from the risk of some local user accessing child porn through your connection (the authorities will confiscate ALL your equipment if this happens) anybody can read all your transactions including passwords and personal info.