Page 1 of Wireless Networks - connected to wrong one

My GF connected to a wireless network, here at home, thinking it was ours - but it wasn`t. :o My concern is that she was sending emails, buying on the net, so giving bank details and cc`s details. I know v.little about wireless - so how would this show up on whoever`s network she was on ?
Could they see what she was doing - who she was (does the network just show the serial number or the id of the computer). As I say - a complete novice on wireless - but have protected ours with a password.

Spartacus

Depends on what your girlfriend has installed, but I doubt it.

Windows XP has security settings in place so the user has to specifically state what they would like to share with other users on the network - files, printers, etc

I doubt she has any remote access software installed either so they won`t have been spying....

She has probably left a MAC address (something which identifies the laptop) in the access points records but don`t worry about that. I`m sure nothing will come about unless she did anything illegal or used tons and tons of bandwidth

Connecting to an unsecured wireless network isn`t illegal.

Your girlfriend will have left access logs on the wireless router so if the person that owns the router does check they will be able to see what sites they have accessed. They won`t have access to things such as passwords, etc.

I am knackered and getting ready for my tea so I won`t go into it here but if you send me a PM I`ll give you some wireless advice, etc.

Cheers

Nick

UTB

Why don`t you post here so we can all see your answers? I for one would like to know how access logs can be left on a router! This sounds very interesting.

Connecting to somebody`s wireless network is illegal.

I agree Mike, I always thought it was bandwidth theft.

Mind you if we are wrong I would like to know ;)

I think bandwidth theft is still in a bit of a gray area. Although, as has been said, if there are any other theories, let us know.

As far as security information is concerned, most routers only keep an access activity log, which displays IP addresses. These are usually pretty oblique and difficult to get your head around. For example, this is a snippet from my security log:
Quote:

Apr.01.2006 08:34:48 security:1111453.119 Blocked Prot=17, 86.215.147.2:1128 > 212.159.75.14:8516 -Disallowed Destination IP
Apr.01.2006 08:35:57 security:Session -- Prot: 17, 212.159.75.14:50001 > 212.159.6.10:53 1111398.100 ~ 1111522.467 size 75/518 time-out
Apr.01.2006 08:37:37 security:Session -- Prot: 17, 212.159.75.14:50001 > 212.159.6.9:53 1111389.829 ~ 1111622.465 size 730/2724 time-out
Apr.01.2006 08:38:27 security:Session -- Prot: 6, 192.168.2.98:1652

All it tells you is packet sizes, a few IP addresses, ports and what it did with them. Not being `im the man` or anything, but I only just understand it, so someone dumb enough to leave a wireless router unsecured will have bob hope of tracking you down, if, indeed he have even noticed or if you are actually the only one doing it.

I was prepping a laptop in our server room the other day and the wireless card pinged into life and asked me if I wanted to connect to an unsecured wireless network. Our network has a 124bit wep key, so it wasnt ours. Turns out it was from next door, a government agency who deal with very dangerous s*** that terrorists would absolutely cream over. I went round and told them for my own sake as much as anything else. Bloody low bid contractors.

Anyway, in answer to your question, given their apparent level of expertise, if you dont do it again, there is a 99.99% chance they will never know.

Cheers for answering my question. I`m not sure if my router is capable of doing this so how did you gain access to the logs on your router?

Mine does it too. I have a Netgear and you access the logs by going into the admin webpage and clicking on the Logs link. It only logs the last few seconds usage though during heavy usage. As NTG says, if they dont have the knowledge or sense to secure thier connection they probably wouldnt know what to do with the logs.

This item was edited on Saturday, 1st April 2006, 19:00

I`d wished it stored all the logs which would have been very useful to me. Oh well, thanks anyway.

Mike

By access logs I just meant a list of the websites and IP addresses the router had recently accessed. Sorry I didn`t go into more detail but I was knackered.

I use a Netgear WGR614 v6. My router logs can be found by going to Content Filtering > Logs.

When I said to Spartacus to email me for more info I meant info on securing his router not on access logs. I knew there had been stuff posted before about wireless security but rather than send him looking for that post I thought I would offer to help.

Cheers

Nick