[angel on line]

Hi,
I am a newcomer and I have a question. I am using Trend Micro PC-Cillin Internet Security program. I keep getting a pop up box telling me that it is detecting that there are unknown computers connected to my network. It is also asking me if they are trustworthy? I only have one computer. I have dsl. I have already called my dsl company and read these 11 computers IP addresses and they said that they cannot find these addresses and said that I should call my Internet Security company. I will call tomorrow.

My question is this...how can I look up this IP address myself to find out how and why they are connected to my network?
Is that possible?

Thank you for your help
Sinerely
Angel on line

[Grav!ty]

Hi angel on line and welcome to PROnetworks. If I'm not mistaken, any computer within reach of your WiFi connection will identify the connection and could even use it to connect to the net, using your bandwidth and connection. The fact that your firewall is detecting the computers does not necessarily mean that they are using your connection though, as far as I know.

You probably need to block those computers but make sure you know your computers IP address so that you do not block yourself. If you open the Command Prompt (DOS Window) and then type ipconfig and press Enter on the keyboard you will get your IP addresses.

I think you should wait for more responses from folk who are more familiar with using WiFi and who no doubt will have come across this issue.

[NT50]

If using a Linksys router you can actually block all connections EXCEPT certain Mac IDs. This woudl be better to utilize the Mac ID instead of IP due to IP cna be reassigned or duplicated easily. Plus "most" of the time Mac IDs are unique. Either way, like Gravity said or using the Mac ID coudl block any usage.

I setup Mac ID when I used a linksys to keep the kids off at certain hours.

[mnemonicj]

Sounds to me like you are not using WEP or hiding your SSID. The easiest way to prevent people from connecting to your wireless connection is to disable SSID broadcast and then change the name on your router and then your computer. Make it complex too so no one can guess it.

To be even more secure you should use WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy). It encrypts all of your data over your wireless connection and only the computers with the key know what the data is. Also if you don't have the key you can't connect.

You should get on this soon because people can access your personal information over your network and dramatically slow down your internet connection with their usage.

Go to your router manufacturer's website for the manual if you don't have yours any more, and if you have more questions ask them here.

[angel on line]

Ok, you all are awesome. I am reading your responses and am a little overwhelmed. I will read up and try to follow your advice. I do not know anything you have just tried to explain to me, and I am deeply embarrassed . There are just a lot of technical terms (or computer terms) that I need to learn. Thank you so much for your time.
I truly am grateful. Like I said I will spend the next few days trying to understand and break down what you have shared.

Sincerely,
Angel on line

[xXDIGITALXx]

Don't be embarrassed, I remember my first post here. LOL, pretty humbling, but we are all friendly NT50 only bites occationally (his recent med change has helped), but ya, stick around and you will be amazed the amount of things that you learn :D Welcome to Pro-Net!!!!!

[_Taz_]

tell us what brand and model your wireless router is and we can help you set up security on it. usually when you get one, right out of the box it will work, but there is no security enabled, so neighbors with wireless can hop on for a free ride, sometimes unintentionally because they have the same thing, no security, and their computer just hops on nearest connection.

[SmokeYou]

use a ip scanner fot all ip's ranging in the 192.168 feild then the ones that are not you go ahead and block them in your router http://www.angryziber.com/ipscan/

[0vermind]

I would suggest if you can go for WPA2 and Wireless-N. Wireless N has improved Wireless Protection and WPA2 is the most secure you can get using Wireless (as far as I know).

People shouldn't be able to hack in anyways because if your wireless your Gateway encrypts everything received and sent to your computer so unless someone was sitting in front of your house and knew your wireless key (pretty hard to hack even if your using WEP).


Even as such you should have a firewall anyways because no adays no one is safe without a Software Firewall or a Hardware Firewall (not just saying your router does, that doesn't count, it only counts if it says Firewall on it).

Also like someone else mentioned earlier it would be a good idea to disable broadcasting of your SSID if possible then just setup windows to connect and specify the SSID, you really don't need broadcasting.

Hope this helps


0vermind

[McBlzr]

I remember using a free trial program several years ago to check for the ownership of a website or IP address. But my photographic memory is running out of megabytes, so I don't recall the name of the free download. I guess I need the the help of you younger TetraByte Memory Members!