Modem/router Security?

minterno

hi guys,can anyone give me some advice on how to secure my router as some dirtbag is downloading on my bandwidth,my modem/router is buzzing away mad for the last few days and although i have downloaded a total of 1.2 gigs myself and i have a linux sat reciever running about 5-7 hours a day which uses a Negligible amount of juice(ie about a gig and a half a month)i have ceased downloading aside of the 1.2 gig i mentioned and the last 3 times i checked my usage it climbing all the time,
1/4/2012 at noon,despite my computer being off,router is on,i have a usage of 2.086,so although me not downloading anything some one has ran it up to over 2 gig,and now its over 6 gig,if i were downloading a lot i would reach that myself but someone else is doing it off my back at the moment,there are 2 rented houses nearby and its probably one or both of those as im certain that my immedite neighbours would not do it,im lucky with the adjoining neighbours i have,there is no houses near enough to the back and there are no cars parked nearby with leeches inside so i think its one or both of the rented houses,Im with eircom and the router is one of those Netopia ones that they gave out a few years ago,there were warnings at the time that they werent secure and i should have sorted it then but forgot all about it till now,has any one got an easy to follow set of instructions that would help me secure the router or a good link to some usefull reading on the subject,fyi when i turn the pc off and my sat box off the modem is still recieving and sending data,regards

mark17j

same happened my eircom netopia years ago, like you, I noticed it was being used by the constant flashing lights... log into your router http://192.168.1.254 'wireless settings' and change your SSID and make a new wireless passphrase, and update ur security to WPA2 - it's very easy...
if you don't use the wireless function yourself, i'd advise you to disable it completely...

minterno

thanks mark,i will have a look at that tomorrow and try to sort it out,i should disable the wireless as its only once every few weeks that the wife uses the laptop in another room so its been wide open for a few years now,regards