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Strange BearsI tend to be rather forthright, usually everyone knows where they stand with me. But I think tact is needed with this situation.
I received an email yesterday telling me my 8gb download was near it's limit, I never ever reach this no matter what I do. So after Garth got home we discussed it and then had a speaker phone call to our ISP. they guy told us in the last 2 weeks that huge down and uploads had happened. One the night before from midnight till 4am in the morning. We were in bed alseep!!!!!
We do however have a wireless network in the house which is turned on at all times. I walked around our cul-de-sac today and have established the signal takes in 3 houses in our street.
One house has a uni-student daughters and the house is often full of her friends, both male and female.
My supposition is that one of them has turned on their laptop picked up our wireless signal and managed to hack into our internet connection and taken full advantage of it.
We have taken extra security precautions now but as we all know, teenagers and their hacking capablilites are often not preventable.
I want to write a letter warning all 3 neighbours that we have had this problem and are aware of it and if it continues the police will be notified. Garth wants to ignore it and see if the situation continues. He feels that as we have taken additional precautions they will know we are aware of it and cease. I feel we have just thrown out a challenge if we don't let them know that we can take a good guess as to who it is the situation will continue.
What do you think?
Sunnie BearsSandra,
Are you using a router? Because if you are, there is a setting in it that you can turn off it's "broadcast" And you can specify which "mac addresses" can access the rouiter. A mac address is an identification on a specific computer. Once the computers at your house have accessed the router, thier mac addresses will show up in the router. After they show up, you can select only those addresses to access your network (your wireless) and then turn the broadcast OFF and no one else will be able to access it.
Sonya
Chaska, MinnesotaOh my....two thoughts come to mind 1) call the police and prosecute the internet thieves. 2) Ignore it, you took precautions and let it go. I say this because one never knows how wicked and mean neighbors can be and do you want to risk confrontation and possible damage to your property or physical person? In think I would go with the later.....
Delartful BearsPersonally I would go with michelle's option 1. But, I've never had much tact like Sandra. It'll continue - they think they are onto a winner....
Just my thoughts.. I'd be strong.. they are stealing from you!
Danni
Newcastle, OntarioI think I would try Sonya's suggestions, if it's applicable. I know last summer, when we were selling our house and my hubby was already gone, I somehow screwed something up on our computer and lost internet service. Something came up and said to re-establish click "here" and I did and it turned out I had hooked up with our next door neighbours internet service, without any idea. We found out much later, when another problem arose. Thank goodness we were friends and they just laughed because our neighbour knew he hadn't set certain addresses on it. It doesn't sound like your problem is an accident, but if you can block them out, then I'd be all for keeping the neighbourhood civil. If it continues, then I'd be all for calling the police and laying charges.
hugs,
Brenda
Strange Bearshhmm Yes Sonya the router is the problem as it established the wireless network within the house. Our actual connection to the internet is by cable. The wireless nestwork is to connect my daughters computer (yes at 6 she can have her own internet connection to play Sesame Street, I know she is spoilt!!) and so that I can also use my laptop outside. (I trade the stockmarket as well during the day)
I know the connection could be accidental but I really don't think so from the amount of stuff that has been used and neither does the guy at our ISP. He has managed to track some of the download as is fully aware it's not stuff we would use and his comment is that Uni has finished so it's not stuff for uni work so he feels that they are filling in time with fun "hacker" stuff.......just to prove they can do it.
This is why I walked around the cul-de-sac with my laptop just to establish how far the signal "drifted" outside the house.
I will get in touch with the router company and establish how to do what you suggest, I don't think Garth has set itup this way. At the moment just to be doubly sure as most of the stuff has happened at night, I am unplugging the router when the computer is turned off.
I just think that maybe the neighbours might like to know what sort of guests/boyfriends their daughter might be inviting into the house.
I suppose kids out there are always on the outlook for something free that they can grab, whether they allowed to take it or not. If you have proof, then send them a bill, if not then I would imagine with more than one party being involved it might be difficult to prove who the "stealer" is .
I hope you can get it all sorted out, and save peace in the neighbourhood as it is not so easy to pack up and move if things get ugly.
Lynette
DoodlebearsI discovered the same thing at Christmas. My son asked why I had typed the name Ashley into the users log, after a few minutes we found we were actually conected to our neighbours account. We soon sorted it out and didn't say anything to our neighbour as it had only been for about five minutes and during that time we had not downloaded anything. I've just thought that it could also be working the other dirrection and he could inadvertantly be using our internet connection. He's a nice guy so I will pop and see him when he gets home from work. I hope get it sorted and this all works out OK for you Sandra and you don't fall out with neighbours, that can be horrible!
Hugs Jane. 
BrisbaneSandra could you knock on your neighbours door and tell them that you think someone is logging on to your wireless service by mistake......so then they would know that you are aware of it but you"re not accusing them directly of stealing??
Strange BearsI don't want to acuse them outright as I;m pretty sure it's not them but one of the daughters friends as I know they have cable themselves and there is no reason for them to log onto my network. Basically I know they don't connect by wireless or have a wireless network so they can't log on by accident. If hat makes sense.......whoever is loggin on si doing so by choice. Where we are located wireless connection to the internet is not available...we are right on the edge. So the only wireless available is lke ours which is a home wireles network put out by a local router. I know there are only two in the street ours and the hours on the other side of the cul-de-sac and our signl is not strong enough to get to his place.
So anyone logging on is doing so knowing exactly what they are doing.......plus we had passwords and secuity........someone had to hack in. Sonya suggested we block other addresses...When Garth got home I asked if we had this feature enabled and we did. We even phoned DLink the router people and as they said .....someoone has hacked on past the security .......it is no accidental connection.
So it's a matter of letting the 3 houses know that we know that either someon who lioves there or visits thinks they are a smarty pants.
It's really just the wording of a letter which I will drop in their letter boxes......letting them know without really accusing...if you know what I mean.......subtle menace....as the more we check the angrier I get about this ...
I honestly feel quite .....I don't know like someone has broken into my home or something.....not violated or anything so dramatic but ........well sort of twitchy........
WienSandra, I guess you are very tactfull! Just to say that right away:)
Otherwise you would not have your thoughts right now and I understand your thoughts and doubts. It´s as if somebody had broken into your house, walked around and left without taking anything.
And your second thoughts about the wording- well, I´d share them. But maybe it would be better, if you don´t just leave them a note, but knock on their door and explain the whole situation, because, no matter what wording you use, it can always be misinterpreted.
No matter what you deside: good luck!
Gaby
Wienuh, one more thing: when you walk up to your neighbours, you could take your laptop along,so you can proofe to them, what you´re saying.
Gaby
We use wireless between my studio computer and my husbands computer, we have set up a secure network that needs a password to gain access...it is a very long password consisting (26 characters) of #'s and letters that would be impossible to hack!!!
if you were using an unsecured wireless network I don't think that there is anything that the police will do to anyone taking advantage of this...sorry :hug:
I know though that you must be very frustrated and can see your want to write a letter, but if I may play advocate here for a second, I really don't think that there is much that can be done, other than letting them know you know...
Hugs,
Krista
People here drive around the city with their laptops..... find the fun spots and play away...... could be anybody that is doing it. Once they find a fav spot... look out! Be careful of accusing anyone... also.... good luck with charging and getting any help from the courts... if yours are like ours....they are full to overflowing and wouldn't have much time for someting like this. It would be a huge waste of time and money. You just need to protect your computer the best you can and move on.
