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How can I find out if somebody is or has ever hacked my wireless?

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  • 18-04-2008 2:21pm
    #1
    culabula88
    Closed Accounts Posts: 401 ✭✭


    How can I find out if somebody is or has ever hacked my wireless? My wireless bb connection might have been hacked ie used by somebody else. is there any way in which I can install softwear to see how many users are on the network at any given time or are sharing the BB connection.

    I am aware of changes i could make to encryption etc. but seems that all wireless encryption could be broken.


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    #2
    Voodu Child
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,706 ✭✭✭Voodu Child


    The very simplest thing to do is to log on to your router homepage (using your internet browser). Check the manual for the address.

    Depending on the router, you should be able to navigate through the menus and find the IP addresses allocated and the MAC addresses of devices connected.


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    #3
    culabula88
    Closed Accounts Posts: 401 ✭✭culabula88


    Any way i could check to see what times the different PCs have logged on or a report of the computers that logged on a given day?
    Also how do i restrict the router to only certain PCs

    What exactly are MAC addresses?


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    #4
    Spear
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 25,106 CMod ✭✭✭✭Spear


    culabula88 wrote: »
    Any way i could check to see what times the different PCs have logged on or a report of the computers that logged on a given day?
    Also how do i restrict the router to only certain PCs

    What exactly are MAC addresses?

    A MAC address is an address assigned to a piece of hardware such as a network card, which should be unique and permanent in theory. A protocol called ARP is then used to find out the link between each MAC address and an IP address.


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    #5
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    culabula88 wrote: »
    Any way i could check to see what times the different PCs have logged on or a report of the computers that logged on a given day?
    Also how do i restrict the router to only certain PCs

    Yes, all the information should be logged in the dhcp leases logs, have a look around in the router menu's. Sometimes it even gives the name of the device/laptop.

    You can enable mac address filtering, ie allow only specific mac addresses to use the network & block all others.


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    #6
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,844 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    PogMoThoin wrote:
    Yes, all the information should be logged in the dhcp leases logs, have a look around in the router menu's. Sometimes it even gives the name of the device/laptop.

    You can enable mac address filtering, ie allow only specific mac addresses to use the network & block all others.
    If using windows type
    ipconfig /all to see your mac it's liek 01-56-AB-25-D4-01

    Sniffers can see MAC addresses,
    In linux it's a one liner to change MAC address on the fly


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    #7
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    Capt'n Midnight wrote: »
    Sniffers can see MAC addresses,
    In linux it's a one liner to change MAC address on the fly

    I'm assuming its his neighbour stealing his bandwidth and also assuming he doesn't have the knowlege to spoof a mac address. Of course its crackable, but the more layers of protection the better.

    culabula88, I hope you're using WPA2 encryption and not just leaving your network open for your neighbour, or could you have given him the passphrase? I suggest You change it


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    #8
    buckfast4me
    Closed Accounts Posts: 314 ✭✭buckfast4me


    Why exactly do you think it might have been hacked?


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    #9
    culabula88
    Closed Accounts Posts: 401 ✭✭culabula88


    PogMoThoin wrote: »
    I'm assuming its his neighbour stealing his bandwidth and also assuming he doesn't have the knowlege to spoof a mac address. Of course its crackable, but the more layers of protection the better.

    culabula88, I hope you're using WPA2 encryption and not just leaving your network open for your neighbour, or could you have given him the passphrase? I suggest You change it

    Im using WEP - standard netopia - changed the SSID there a few months back after the eircom security flaw. Didnt change to WPA as i was afraid Id make a mess of the settings but may do later when Im not as busy.Is WPA difficult to crack - i thought it could only be done using some sort of program.

    - i think it might have been hacked as one day my speed was slower than dial up for example.


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    #10
    Spear
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Help & Feedback Category Moderators Posts: 25,106 CMod ✭✭✭✭Spear


    culabula88 wrote: »
    Im using WEP - standard netopia - changed the SSID there a few months back after the eircom security flaw. Didnt change to WPA as i was afraid Id make a mess of the settings but may do later when Im not as busy.Is WPA difficult to crack - i thought it could only be done using some sort of program.

    - i think it might have been hacked as one day my speed was slower than dial up for example.

    WPA can be cracked but only by brute force and dictionary attacks. With a lengthy passphrase it still make for a serious obstacle to an intruder.


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    #11
    culabula88
    Closed Accounts Posts: 401 ✭✭culabula88


    PogMoThoin wrote: »
    Yes, all the information should be logged in the dhcp leases logs, have a look around in the router menu's. Sometimes it even gives the name of the device/laptop.

    You can enable mac address filtering, ie allow only specific mac addresses to use the network & block all others.

    I looked at this alright - but it will only give the information since i have last turned on the router...


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    #12
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 90,844 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    culabula88 wrote: »
    Im using WEP - standard netopia - changed the SSID there a few months back after the eircom security flaw. Didnt change to WPA as i was afraid Id make a mess of the settings but may do later when Im not as busy.Is WPA difficult to crack - i thought it could only be done using some sort of program.

    - i think it might have been hacked as one day my speed was slower than dial up for example.
    WEP can be cracked in several minutes.

    WPA can be fiddly ,try using a HEX password if you are having problems. HEX means just characters 0-9 and A-F .


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