How do you know if someone is stealing internet signals from your wireless router?

Question

because my network has been getting kind of slow over the past few days and i guess maybe i might be sharing my internet

Answer 1

If you don't even know how to lock down your wireless internet, you are in no condition to track a leech.

Answer 2

Steve P has it correct. You need to login to the router's admin interface (most default to http://192.168.1.1) and from there, you can check what devices are connected to your router. The page should list the hardware addresses of all systems connected as well as the IP addresses the router assigned to those devices. If you see more than the systems you own connected, you have someone that is using your wireless access point without your permission. Check your routers documentation (go to the vendor site and download a soft copy if you lost the documentation that came with your device). Basically look to lockdown the following:

- Change the default SSID (name of your router)
- Disable SSID broadcast. (people won't see it as an available wireless network without knowing the name in advance)
- Change the admin password on the router from the default (very easy to find the default vendor passwords on the web). Consider changing the admin account name too.
- Enable WEP or better security (users will need to know a "key" before connecting). Change the default key to something unique.
- Optionally configure the router to only accept the MAC addresses of the hardware on your devices (a unique alphanumeric ID on network devices). NOTE: MAC addresses can be "spoofed", but it isn't typical. They'd still need the WEP key too.

You may also want to enable logging for your router to see what sites have been visited. Generally the number of entries is pretty limited on the device but you can often forward them to an email address or one of the system on the network.

Another quick check to see what devices are connected is to run a command from MS-DOS (Start->All Programs->Accessories->MS DOS) called "arp".

arp -a

This will return information about systems on your network.

Answer 3

Even extra desirable than allowing encryption is employing a MAC clear out to permit in basic terms your guy or woman MAC addresses. every person with a MAC handle which you haven't any longer your self typed in a itemizing on your router would be denied get admission to. it fairly is for specific the main secure thank you to apply a on the spot router.

Answer 4

You have to get inside the router via the browser and check out logs of people who have connected to the network. You should see a client list or somethin along those lines in the router's settings.

Answer 5

Employ proper security measures and you won't need to worry about it.

Lock down your wireless router to only allow MAC addresses (unique to each wireless network card) you choose to connect to your router. It's the best way to ensure that nobody uses your bandwidth.

Answer 6

U NEED Trend Micro Internet Security Pro

http://us.trendmicro.com/us/home/home-user/

Answer 7

You have to have a third party software to see who's connected anyways unless you're running Vista. Vista will tell you who else is connected to your network. First things first, enable wireless security on your router and you won't have to worry about because somebody else won't be able to use it without you givin them the security key.

Answer 8

turn off the wireless,hook the ethernet cable up to your system,see if that sloves the problem,then you will know if someone is using your 'stuff',myseld will not run wireless,i only run ethernet or usb,that way NO one can get in