Home hubs for internet (Secure?)

[Oldun]

The problem could be the BT WiFi finder app for mobile phones. When we first got the app (don't use it now) it would identify up to 7 WiFi Hotspots in our street in a sleepy market town surrounded by open country. Then it would connect us to one of them. They just had to be neighbours home internet hubs which were not password protected.

Our BT hub can only be used by others if they have the security password/number. Without this it is totally secure'

Roger

[ParkeNd]

The problem could be the BT WiFi finder app for mobile phones. When we first got the app (don't use it now) it would identify up to 7 WiFi Hotspots in our street in a sleepy market town surrounded by open country. Then it would connect us to one of them. They just had to be neighbours home internet hubs which were not password protected.

Our BT hub can only be used by others if they have the security password/number. Without this it is totally secure'

Roger

Ours too. But you would be surprised how many WiFi Hotspots it finds that aren't secure. Anything commercial like Waitrose and M&S Simply Food are a mile away and out of range so they have to be at private houses.

[petercharlesfagg]

Peter,

Are you running Windows 7 or Windows 8. If its 8, go to the bottom right and the bar
will appear where you normally turn off on settings. On settings you will also find the
part listed (in my case) 'Network 2'. Click on that and it will show a list of WiFi connections,
one of which will be yours. (Normally top of the list). If there is a shield with a ! in it, the
message will say, Other people may be able to see information over this network.

HTH

Roger

Neither of those, my stepson loaded XP since he had the disc and the licence!

Thanks anyway, Peter

[MJKERR]

Download a program called SSID
You can then compare your own WiFi signal to those also within transmission area
If there is overlap, consider changing the router channel number, this very often improves performance

Next, once you are logged into the router
Take a look at all the connected devices
If you see any suspicious MAC addresses and/or device ID, then change the password

I recently performed this for a relative, as there were about 40 routers all within the transmission area
The change of channel number was a vast improvement, equally it showed many people were using the default settings
Changing the password also stopped someone we suspected of visiting the property and copying the password (printed on the side of the device)

[Steven B]

Sorry to put a spanner in the works but I've always been told that performance is significantly better if the hub is left on permanently.

Not true from my experience. I'm with Plusnet and turn off my router/access point when it's not in use and have had no change in performance. The same's true for a friends Virgin box.

Happy modelling.

Steven B.

[EtchedPixels]

Shouldn't make any difference really. The routers do have to tune to the ADSL line properties but that doesn't normally take very long.

If it's showing lots of traffic when you are not using it then it may well just be your PC or other devices doing background updates.

Alan

[Luke Piewalker]

Issues of router security usually seem to be mostly based on people keeping default settings for admin passwords, wireless passwords and other settings which makes life easier for someone wanting to sneak in.

My router has a setting to switch of the wireless between set times, or you can easily do it yourself whenever you want.

[petercharlesfagg]

Friends,

I have spent some time on the blower to BT and after being sent to 8 different people (Most of whom I understood, strange that!) I can rest assured that my home hub is NOT being used by a third party!

I became heated, just a little, and eventually spoke to a gentleman of English extraction who guided me through a password configuration that guarantees the security.

My warmest thanks and regards for all the comments etc.

Peter.

[Luke Piewalker]

Guarantees is a bit strong.... but it'll ward off any casual leechers.

[ParkeNd]

I have just read a crime thriller where the initial main suspect sits outside the same persons house every night in a van. Turns out he was not trying to abduct anyone - he was just sitting with his laptop using the householders WiFi connection.

[NeilWhite]

If you are still concerned about this you should be able to enter a list of MAC (Media Access Control) numbers for your own computer(s) into your modem/router and set the modem/router so that it will ONLY communicate with computers whose MAC numbers are on this list.

Each computer has a unique MAC number.

Having said that I think this is a bit over the top - just make sure you have a good password.

Neil

[MikeDunn]

Passwords can be broken; and it's not too difficult.

You're best off hiding the SSID, using the highest level encryption your systems can use, changing the password on a regular basis, and setting up MAC addressing only.  Few people bother with all this, however ...

Over the top ?  Depends on whether you want to give free internet access away or not - especially as you are responsible for anything d/loaded on the connection ...

[Bealman]

But is it so much of a problem? Anybody with a 'mobile device' walking past my place is only gonna pick up one thing....

[ParkeNd]

But is it some much of a problem? Anybody with a 'mobile device' walking past my place is only gonna pick up one thing....

The hubs are multi-user devices. I can be on the internet on the iMac whilst my wife is looking at BBC News on her iPhone. Anyone connecting to the internet via your hub can be watching porn videos in HD and blow your 10 Gb limit on your broadband leaving you to either increase your monthly charges or get blocked until the next month starts.

The "intruder" is not just watching what you are watching.

[Bealman]

Shows ya what a boring neighbourhood I live in, then.