Are we being hacked? network acting very funny...

[bob]

We have a linksys router wired to an xp tower and a wireless laptop.
Last week the network stopped working between the computers. Internet
was mostly fine on both (except usenet wouldn't work on the laptop
oddly) but they couldn't see each other on the network. I discovered
that the router which had been left with the default "admin" passwork
had some changes in the set up. I made a password and nothing has been
changed in there sinse and we thought everything was fine.
But now it seems like this person is still cruising on our network
because we keep getting ip conflict errors, the computers can't see
each other and the ipconfig on the tower has correct dns suffix of
bc.hsia.telus.net (we are on telus...) but the ipconfig on the laptop
has the dns suffix of vc.shawcable.net (a nasty local rival ;-)
Usenet still doesn't work on the laptop when that dns is different by
the way. Is someone using our connection? We're using WEP, but don't
really have anything to hide. It just seems that this person can just
use the connection and screw up our network whenever they want to. The
computers are running slower we can't use our network and windows (not
internet) explorer keeps crashing.... What should I be doing
differently? Thanks for any help!!! sorry if this is the wrong place,
but it seems right...

bob

 

[bob]

for those who care (all minus 1 of you ;-) it seems that i'm even
dumber than i thought.... it seems that i am stealing bandwidth from
my neighbour... our networks are conflicting and i have no idea what
to do about it. i renamed them and released and renewed but the
wireless laptop is still picking up the signal from next door and
through a different provider..... we must be using the same router. i
still can't see my network from each computer, but i can access the
internet via their cable connection on the laptop and via my conection
on my desktop.... very weird... what to do?

bob

 

[Quaoar]

for those who care (all minus 1 of you ;-) it seems that i'm even
dumber than i thought.... it seems that i am stealing bandwidth from
my neighbour... our networks are conflicting and i have no idea what
to do about it. i renamed them and released and renewed but the
wireless laptop is still picking up the signal from next door and
through a different provider..... we must be using the same router. i
still can't see my network from each computer, but i can access the
internet via their cable connection on the laptop and via my conection
on my desktop.... very weird... what to do?

bob

Set up your wireless as 'infrastructure'. When connected, you should
see your and the neighbor's networks in the Preferred Networks. Select
the neighbor's, remove it from preferred networks, then check the box
"connect to preferred networks only". Then, I believe it will help to
enable WEP with a Passphrase and it's corresponding key.

Q