Is someone accessing my wireless network?

[Mongrel]

Evening all
I've recently set up my home network, and it's working quite well, but I have a couple of issues - any help greatly appreciated.

1 - I suspect that someone may be accessing my wireless network. How can I check this?


(I suspect this because when both computers in my flat are turned off, the ACT light on my router flashes sometimes. In the manual it states this means data is being transferred between the router and the internet - this should be impossible if both our computers are switched off, shouldn't it?)

I've just altered the settings on my router to only accept the MAC addresses of both our machines, so this might help, but I'd like to find out for sure...I tried to use the Airsnare utitlity, but this didn't work because I connect to the router through an ethernet card, not a wireless one.


2 - We can't transfer files between our computers.

I use a PC connected to the router via ethernet - she uses a mac connected to the router wirelessly. I can't seem to find her computer on the network and vice versa, even though I've done everything I can think of to identify my computer on the network.

Thanks in advance
Mongrel

 

[muckshifter]

err, what Router?

In the manual it states this means data is being transferred between the router and the Internet - this should be impossible if both our computers are switched off, shouldn't it?

Nope ... my Router will "talk" to the Internet all by itself ... especially for updates ... don't need a PC turned on.

We can't transfer files between our computers.

That's not unusual for Windows, but have you "shared" anything yet? ... is the Firewall doing its proper job?

If you have access to the Router you should 'see' who is connected wirelessly, if anyone at all. On mine I set it to ... New stations are allowed (via registration) and WPA-PSK security mode ... in other words, you don't get in without me giving you access.

I must admit, it was set to ... New stations are allowed (automatically) ... but you would still need a key.

 

[blakey]

hi our student house has the problem of having an unwanted neighbour "housemates evil nextdoor girlfriend" on our wireless nextwork. We have the bt home hub how could we block her as she has our wep key. Easy enough to change that but we want to make sure 100% she can't get on it again.


I've tried changing the settings to New connections are allowed (via registration) but that automatically just disconnects me from the internet. how can i configure bt's rubbish router to stop her from connecting??? or better yet allow me to control who can access our internet.

I was thinking of using the firewall settings to block her i.p but it's a new one every 24 hours.

 

[Me__2001]

how about MAC address filtering ?

 

[blakey]

hmm don't know much about that could you explain more?

 

[Me__2001]

each computer has its own MAC address that is unique to it, if you set up an access list with the addresses of the allowed computers nothing else can connect to the network unless they are really determined and know what they are doing

also changing the SSID name and turning off the broadcast would make it slightly harder as well as doing what muckshifter said

Edit: BTW its best to start a new thread when posting a problem