Neighbor keeps inserting his wireless router into my network infrastructure?

Anonymous
2011-08-10T13:09:02+00:00

neighbor keeps adding his router to my network infrastructure. Not sure how this is happening. Have deleted network profile and re installed with just my router, added/changed passwords, and within a few days here is this other router listed in addition to mine as part of the network infrastructure again. How do I prevent this? How much of a security risk is this vs. just really annoying? I have cable internet, and a Linkseys modem and wireless router.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Internet and connectivity

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Anonymous
2011-08-17T15:29:17+00:00

If someone hacked into your router, they could well have hacked into your computer also and you may have something running in your computer that is doing this.  Its very hard to diagnose over this forum.  But if you are losing bandwidth, it suggests hacking.  And that is illegal and it might be used for illegal purposes, so if you knew it was someone hacking, you can contact local law enforcement, as it is more than someone accessing your internet capability (such as might be the case if you had an unsecured network).  This is robbery by tampering with your system, so that is clearly not kosher.  They could also be using your bandwidth for illegal purposes and the cops would come after you, as its your account.

I would scan your systems for malware and viruses.  Then also go to Start | Run and type msconfig and see what programs are running at startup and its possible there is a program that is resetting the "Belkin thing" or is opening a back door to your system.  For diagnostic purposes you might also try turning off the wireless features completely and just running the router hard-wired and then see if you get the "Belkin thing" coming back in. 

Its likely someone very close to you as the wireless signal doesn't transmit over the entire neighborhood.  It could even be someone in their vehicle out on the street.  If you are friendly with the neighbors, you can ask them.  Otherwise I'd ask law enforcement for their advice.

steve

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-08-23T10:57:41+00:00

    Gordon B-P suggested using the netsh wlan show all command earlier in the thread. That will show what channels nearby networks are using.

    I use inSSIDer that implements this in a nice GUI.

    http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-08-23T07:59:17+00:00

     My guess here is maybe the networks are conflicting because they are using the same channel (hence the bandwidth drop),

     

    Now why didn't I think of that? We have two wireless routers in our house (we have two different broadband services on two separate phone lines) and when the second one was installed (my connection) I deliberately set it to a different channel to the default in order not to conflict before I used it

    The result is that although I see the other router in available connections, it does NOT appear in my Network centre......

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-08-22T23:05:49+00:00

    I've got a complicated test you can do to check if something is interposed, but try this as a simple test.  Log on to the router and change the channel that it is using for the wireless.  My guess here is maybe the networks are conflicting because they are using the same channel (hence the bandwidth drop), although they are not really connected.  Again, its a guess, but just about anything is at this point.

    steve

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-08-22T22:16:06+00:00

    Thanks to everyone for all of the suggestions.

    Actually when I check my network map it looks more like this LAPTOP ----- WIRELESS NETWORK NAME = SWITCH = HUB = NETGEAR ROUTER = INTERNET.  The switch and hub are part of the netgear router I presume since the Belkin Wireless Router is no where on the map.  Another point maybe that the software/hardware disguises itself as a switch/hub.  It would have to be really smart to my previous reply that it would need to mirror my laptop MAC address in order to pass through the router filter for wireless devices.

    I also went to the hijacked router websites you provided.  It seems to be an issue for Linksys routers but i still went through the 3 checks on http://tidystorm.com/423/the-redirect-virus-was-in-my-router/ and passed all so it doesn't look at least from this website that my Netgear router is hijacked.  

    I also did not get redirected to other websites or got any of the other errors folks kept getting from the thread on http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Web+Search/thread?tid=6df7e15519290612&hl=en&start=440.

    I am going to try looking at all the processes running at start-up and in the background to try to pin this down.  Belkin router has a unique identifier that is listed but presumably its fake as is the serial number and mac address.

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