Router busy light flashing when not on line

[Hoof-Arted]

How can you tell if some one is using your internet wirelessly . The reason I am asking is my busy light was flashing like mad last night but no one in the house was on line .I am wondering if the clever teenager next door is using my internet connection even though its protected by a password.

[green granite]

I get that occasionally (only the upstairs m/c is on wireless) it turned out to be doing an auto update from MSoft.

[Hoof-Arted]

Yes thanks for that I must admit I didnt think of that.
Hoof!

[PyroTek]

I get that occasionally (only the upstairs m/c is on wireless) it turned out to be doing an auto update from MSoft.

Obviously Green Granite is the clever teenager next door :p

[Guest 112233]

It may be because you have a background Anti Virus update going on - You get this with Norton 2008 and the like. Also are you a BBC I player user -It uses Kontiki a peer to peer networking client to distribute content. Last but not least is your wireless network encrypted. Just in case look at the Windows task manager and look at the processes running. Does anything look out of place, you may need an informed opinion on this one. The wirless card may need to talk to your Router regularly to maintain the link.

CAT III

[green granite]

Obviously Green Granite is the clever teenager next door

I wish. :)

[vapilot2004]

Logon to your router and pull up the DHCP page and look at the clients list.

Router logon:
Click Start > Run and type cmd
Type ipconfig /all and hit enter
Note the IP address listed for the Gateway
Type noted IP address into your browsers address bar and load page
Logon using your credentials saved when you set the thing up

Didn't create a password? Default logon info available in the pdf manual from the manufacturer's website.

Don't remember password?
Reset instructions for router available from above-mentioned source.


Good Luck!


PS:If the offender has file & printing sharing enabled, you may be able to connect to their PC and possible place unsavory pictures and other such nastiness on their hard drive. If they have a shared printer, you are in business for one-way communication fun!

[Keef]

As vapilot says: check the DHCP clients list. Even if the offending "freeloader" isn't online at the time, it will probably show him/her in the list.

I have the MAC numbers of my computers listed on one of the pages handing on the study wall, so I can tell easily if there's a stranger. I've not had one yet.

What I do see quite often is software updating itself off the net. That's fine for some - not for others (see the Google Chrome thread!).

Skype will also use your PC as a "peer" sometimes, if you let it. I allow that on mine, on the basis other folks offer me the same service from time to time.

[Saab Dastard]

For a small number of computers - as on a home network - it is easy to use fixed IP addresses, which is yet another line of defence against unauthorised access, along with MAC address filtering and WEP / WAP - especially if an unusual network range and subnet mask is selected.

SD

[Keef]

Fixed IP addresses on your local network have a lot going for them.

If you allocate one for each machine that should connect to your router, you can turn off DHCP altogether. That certainly stops the freeloaders!

I'm not so sure about an unusual IP range for the router, because they usually broadcast it anyway. Well, mine do.

[Bushfiva]

Fixed IP addresses on your local network have a lot going for them.

Or only accept known MAC addresses? That way, if you have a notebook that needs to roam using DHCP, you don't have to faff around with it when you get home.

[Saab Dastard]

if you have a notebook that needs to roam using DHCP, you don't have to faff around with it when you get home.

Or just use the alternate configuration with your fixed IP details!

DHCP for roaming AND fixed IP for home. :ok:

Keef - thanks for pointing out that one can then disable DHCP, it was implicit in my post, but needed spelling out.

SD

[Blues&twos]

You could try going next door, kicking their door in, planting one on the teenage suspect, trashing the place a bit on the way out and threatening him with more of the same if he ever uses your wireless network again.

If it stops immediately you'll know it was him. If it doesn't you'll know it's your PC doing an update or something.

Either way you can put your mind at rest, and you won't need to faff around and be clever with IP addresses. You can't lose!

[frostbite]

My setup is not wireless but it sometimes does the same thing - the modem leds flash, the HD light gets active, but I don't knowingly have anything that updates without asking first and Windoze updates have been off since the first day I got the machine.