2 wireless connections showing?

[Kenny]

Advent laptop connected wirelessly to 3com wireless modem/router.
It shows 2 x 3com connections, one as being WPA-SK and passworded which is
how I set it up but it the other as being open and unprotected.
The only other option to change it is to WEP.
It also shows signal strength as a bit lower on this so I'm assuming it's
someone in the vicinity also with a 3com connection.
I would like to warn them but how can I find out more without maybe breaking
the law?
Replies appreciated.

 

[Pavel A.]

Advent laptop connected wirelessly to 3com wireless modem/router.
It shows 2 x 3com connections, one as being WPA-SK and passworded which is
how I set it up but it the other as being open and unprotected.
The only other option to change it is to WEP.
It also shows signal strength as a bit lower on this so I'm assuming it's
someone in the vicinity also with a 3com connection.
I would like to warn them but how can I find out more without maybe breaking
the law?

Install another router (not connected to anything)
and set it's ssid as smth. like "HEY NEIHGBOR I CAN GET YA!"
Hope they'll notice it.
(yep I've actually seen people doing this

--pa

 

[Jack \(MVP-Networking\).]

Hi
Q: Why I see Wireless connections that are not mine in my Wireless Network
display?
A: http://www.ezlan.net/faq.html#signal
As for you own security.
From the weakest to the strongest, Wireless security capacity is.
No Security
MAC______(Band Aid if nothing else is available).
WEP64____(Easy, to "Break" by knowledgeable people).
WEP128___(A little Harder, but "Hackable" too).
WPA-PSK__(Very Hard to Break).
WPA-AES__(Not functionally Breakable)
WPA2____ (Not functionally Breakable).
Note 1: WPA-AES the the current entry level rendition of WPA2.
Note 2: If you use WinXP and did not updated it you would have to download
the WPA2 patch from Microsoft. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893357
The documentation of your Wireless devices (Wireless Router, and Wireless
Computer's Card) should state the type of security that is available with
your Wireless hardware.
All devices MUST be set to the same security level using the same pass
phrase.
Therefore the security must be set according what ever is the best possible
of one of the Wireless devices.
I.e. even if most of your system might be capable to be configured to the
max. with WPA2, but one device is only capable to be configured to max . of
WEP, to whole system must be configured to WEP.
If you need more good security and one device (like a Wireless card that can
do WEP only) is holding better security for the whole Network, replace the
device with a better one.
Setting Wireless Security - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html
The Core differences between WEP, WPA, and WPA2 -
http://www.ezlan.net/wpa_wep.html
Jack (MVP-Networking).

 

[Kenny]

Thanks for the reply and the links.