|Montana Bengal| Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 So last night I browsed into my wireless router and noticed that someone was attached to it for a brief moment. Of course I have it set so any user has to enter a passkey to connect. My question is this: Do you think if this person tried to connect (but didn't have a passkey) they would they show up as connected for a moment? Or would they actually have to enter that information in first (meaning sniffed my passkey or something)? I'm asking because I checked the log and didn't notice any traffic coming from a different IP address. I know there are a number of wireless routers and I'm wondering if this was a fluke deal? I did quick make sure that I restricted the MAC addresses that could connect to my router. I guess I'm just a little paranoid. Suggestions for tracking this a little closer? (I'm not sure how much information is listed in the log (meaning is seems like after 50 entries the least current thing is deleted) Does that make sense? Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 Are you broadcasting your SSID? Unless you have good reason to do so I wouldnt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Montana Bengal| Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 [quote name='Jamie_B' post='642620' date='Mar 11 2008, 02:54 PM']Are you broadcasting your SSID? Unless you have good reason to do so I wouldnt.[/quote] Yeah, I'll make sure I turn it off this eve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 [quote name='Montana Bengal' post='642623' date='Mar 11 2008, 05:57 PM']Yeah, I'll make sure I turn it off this eve.[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Montana Bengal| Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 [quote name='Jamie_B' post='642625' date='Mar 11 2008, 03:00 PM'][/quote] Well, I'm not at home....and I'm still curious about weather a machine would look like it might be connected, even if it couldn't. On a side note, I used to have an old wireless router pugged in just for the hell of it (totally open, but no internet or machine connection ). I wonder how often someone tried to use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted March 11, 2008 Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 [quote name='Montana Bengal' post='642626' date='Mar 11 2008, 06:02 PM']Well, I'm not at home....and I'm still curious about weather a machine would look like it might be connected, even if it couldn't. On a side note, I used to have an old wireless router pugged in just for the hell of it (totally open, but no internet or machine connection ). I wonder how often someone tried to use it.[/quote] No idea on either front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Montana Bengal| Posted March 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2008 [quote name='Jamie_B' post='642631' date='Mar 11 2008, 04:06 PM']No idea on either front.[/quote] I think I may just have to find that old notebook I have and give it a test to see....later tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Bengal Migration| Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 [quote name='Jamie_B' post='642620' date='Mar 12 2008, 08:54 AM']Are you broadcasting your SSID? Unless you have good reason to do so I wouldnt.[/quote] Can you explain? I've turned it off myself on this advice, but I'd like to understand why I did it Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Montana Bengal| Posted March 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 [quote name='KangarWhoDey' post='642671' date='Mar 11 2008, 06:28 PM']Can you explain? I've turned it off myself on this advice, but I'd like to understand why I did it Thanks.[/quote] Other people can't see it (for the most part), but you know it is there and can connect to it. If they can't see it they are less likely to try to try to hack into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-GoBengals- Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 yes, if someone is TRYING to connet, they show up under attached devices. as they are currently attached, just not verified. i tried it with my wifes PDA wifi .. funny story side note a few weeks ago i had it unsecured, as everyone here has a wireless network and never had any problems and when friends come over with notebook or sister in law its a pain to get the key and blah balh. so my net was going crazy slow. so i looked at attched devices.. and winhusen078 was attached and sucking my bandwidth. so i set the security and booted him, then i renamed my network, previously called "TROJAN VIRUS - AVOID!!!" to "Win Husen steals internet, apt #103 THEIF!" which i find to be hilarious.. figured id share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Montana Bengal| Posted March 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 [quote name='GoBengals' post='642679' date='Mar 11 2008, 07:03 PM']yes, if someone is TRYING to connet, they show up under attached devices. as they are currently attached, just not verified. i tried it with my wifes PDA wifi .. funny story side note a few weeks ago i had it unsecured, as everyone here has a wireless network and never had any problems and when friends come over with notebook or sister in law its a pain to get the key and blah balh. so my net was going crazy slow. so i looked at attched devices.. and winhusen078 was attached and sucking my bandwidth. so i set the security and booted him, then i renamed my network, previously called "TROJAN VIRUS - AVOID!!!" to "Win Husen steals internet, apt #103 THEIF!" which i find to be hilarious.. figured id share.[/quote] Thanks Go, my old notebook is being a pain in the ass and wasn't connecting at all. Looks like I may be wiping it and installing Ubuntu. We live in a four plex with other similar buildings close by. I wish I could figure out who was attempting to do it so I could list something like you did. Pretty funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 [quote name='KangarWhoDey' post='642671' date='Mar 11 2008, 07:28 PM']Can you explain? I've turned it off myself on this advice, but I'd like to understand why I did it Thanks.[/quote] [quote name='Montana Bengal' post='642673' date='Mar 11 2008, 07:32 PM']Other people can't see it (for the most part), but you know it is there and can connect to it. If they can't see it they are less likely to try to try to hack into it.[/quote] What he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalsOwn Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 [quote name='GoBengals' post='642679' date='Mar 11 2008, 08:03 PM']yes, if someone is TRYING to connet, they show up under attached devices. as they are currently attached, just not verified. i tried it with my wifes PDA wifi .. funny story side note a few weeks ago i had it unsecured, as everyone here has a wireless network and never had any problems and when friends come over with notebook or sister in law its a pain to get the key and blah balh. so my net was going crazy slow. so i looked at attched devices.. and winhusen078 was attached and sucking my bandwidth. so i set the security and booted him, then i renamed my network, previously called "TROJAN VIRUS - AVOID!!!" to "Win Husen steals internet, apt #103 THEIF!" which i find to be hilarious.. figured id share.[/quote] That's awesome. I'm going to change my SSID to something witty now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LudwigVan Kubrick Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 and please tell me you aren't using WEP. That can be cracked in under 5 minutes. At bare minimum, WPA it or you are wide open spaces my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go Tory Go! Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 You could also go bang on their front door, then run out behind their apartment and start screaming at them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie_B Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 [quote name='Go Tory Go!' post='642842' date='Mar 12 2008, 02:24 PM']You could also go bang on their front door, then run out behind their apartment and start screaming at them. [/quote] seems like a logical response Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Bengal Migration| Posted March 12, 2008 Report Share Posted March 12, 2008 [quote name='LudwigVan Kubrick' post='642782' date='Mar 13 2008, 12:40 AM']and please tell me you aren't using WEP. That can be cracked in under 5 minutes. At bare minimum, WPA it or you are wide open spaces my friend.[/quote] Thanks for the tip. I'm using wireless for the first time in our new place, and I had no idea about the difference. I knew enough to at least turn on WEP, but had no idea it was virutally useless... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vol_Bengal Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 If you're broadcasting your SSID then I don't care whether you use WEP or WPA you can be had (if the hacker is willing to spend the time)... as long as they have your know SSID (read: if you're going to not broadcast change it to something else.) you can't tell who is attempting the hijack so they can just sit a server on your router and bang away until they eventually crack it... Even MAC address filter is spoof-able under appropriate conditions, but is an additional step. You do the following and you're in pretty good shape, do one and you make it more difficult but not too terrible, do it in layers and you make it a tedious task... build your security in layers Don't broadcast your SSID Obviously make your SSID something difficult figure (upper and lowercase, letters and numbers, etc.) Another obvious set a password for the router login (you'd be surprised at how many leave the admin account the default password and if your router will let you rename the admin account do that too) Turn on WPA (with the 26/28 character key) and, put limit the allowable attached devices by MAC address (and, whenever possible always have those allowed devices attached). You do these things and you're in pretty good shape - I don't foresee you having any trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundstreamer Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 I never new about hiding my SSID so I went into my router and enabled hiding my SSID. I have a problem when I do this though. My wireless connection is still connected buy I cannot get any activity. To reset it I have to show my SSID, disconnect from my wireless network, and then reconnect and enter my WPA code. Do you have any idea of what my problem is? I am using a Westell modem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Bengal Migration| Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 [quote name='soundstreamer' post='643702' date='Mar 16 2008, 07:19 AM']I never new about hiding my SSID so I went into my router and enabled hiding my SSID. I have a problem when I do this though. My wireless connection is still connected buy I cannot get any activity. To reset it I have to show my SSID, disconnect from my wireless network, and then reconnect and enter my WPA code. Do you have any idea of what my problem is? I am using a Westell modem.[/quote] Here's what I did to get around this, fwiw... Go into your wireless settings (I'm using WinXP) and setup a wireless network with your router. Then your PC will know to automatically find and connect to it upon startup each time. This was located under the "change advanced settings" link on the page showing all wireless networks. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundstreamer Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 I have already setup my system to automatically connect at startup. I am connecting to the router when I startup but for some reason when the SSID is hidden I cannot access the internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Bengal Migration| Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 [quote name='soundstreamer' post='643980' date='Mar 17 2008, 09:59 AM']I have already setup my system to automatically connect at startup. I am connecting to the router when I startup but for some reason when the SSID is hidden I cannot access the internet.[/quote] Mine was set to connect automatically, too, but it didn't seem to work, so I found myself having to manually disconnect/reconnect until I did as described... Sorry I can't be of more help. I've only been using wireless for a few weeks, myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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