Posted by Tricky Dicky on 04/16/06 20:05

"Colin Wilson" <void@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1eacaf24941a33b99896be@news.individual.net...
>> Having been using my router for a few months now just for its hardware
>> firewall and ethernet connection I was appalled to just find that three
>> other computer had decided to join my network!
>
> Lets hope for your sake they haven`t been downloading kiddy pron...

Don't scare me like that

>> I can understand that people want to use these items straight out of the
>> box
>> and for their connection to be automatically detected but surely it is
>> not
>> too much to expect a little bit of security rather than the "hey come and
>> connect to me" signal that is broadcast
>
> So basically you don`t know how to configure hardware you bought, and
> think its the manufacturers and / or Windows' fault.
>
> Have you now tightened up your network settings (disabling file and
> printer sharing) and set up WPA ?
>
> Have you also scanned your own system with a plethora of anti-spyware
> just to make sure they haven`t put anything on it ? (my site at
> http://www.coreutilities.co.uk might give you some pointers)
>
> As for the other computers, have you scanned them to see what they have
> open ? (something like AngryIP works great - http://www.angryziber.com)

Now I know what to look for I have totally switched off the wireless
functionality of the router. A facility does exist to allow only certain MAC
addresses and if I add any wireless devices then I will use this to keep out
unwanted elements

In regard to the comment about not knowing how to configure the hardware - I
know now of course but as a complete newbie to wi-fi I would have liked a
warning at least

Tricky

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