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I have a wireless network configured for open access (mainly because I've not
worked out yet how to have not open access).

The little icon down the bottom right of the screen is constantly lit
although my computer should not be accessing the internet. The Wireless
Network Connection Status screen shows packets being sent and received.

Does this mean someone is on my wireless network?
If so, is it possible to see what machine is connected?

Hi
If some one is on your Wireless connection and using the Internet you would
not see any thing on your computer since the traffic goes through the Router
directly to the Internet.
If some one is accessing your Wireless and your Hard Drive allow sharing,
then you should see traffic in and out of your Hard Drive and your Network
connection.
If it is a "Leecher" there would be an extra IP usage that can be seen in
the Router's DHCP table.
If indeed some one is invading your system there is No easy way to find the
culprit.
Secure your system and be done with it.
From the weakest to the Strongest..
No Security
MAC
WEP
WPA-PSK
WPA-AES
WPA2
-------------------------------------------
Wireless Security - <http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html>
WEP, WPA, and the Future - <http://www.ezlan.net/wpa_wep.html>
The security must be set according to lowest capable Wireless component.
I.e. even most of you Wireless are capable to do WPA2, but one device is
only capable to do WEP, the whole system must be configured to WEP.
Jack (MVP-Networking).

"MikieSlats" <> wrote in message
news:EDC59983-4E0B-461E-94B0-...
>I have a wireless network configured for open access (mainly because I've
>not
> worked out yet how to have not open access).
>
> The little icon down the bottom right of the screen is constantly lit
> although my computer should not be accessing the internet. The Wireless
> Network Connection Status screen shows packets being sent and received.
>
> Does this mean someone is on my wireless network?
> If so, is it possible to see what machine is connected?
>

Thanks Jack. I'll have a go at that.

Regards Mikie

"Jack (MVP-Networking)." wrote:

> Hi
> If some one is on your Wireless connection and using the Internet you would
> not see any thing on your computer since the traffic goes through the Router
> directly to the Internet.
> If some one is accessing your Wireless and your Hard Drive allow sharing,
> then you should see traffic in and out of your Hard Drive and your Network
> connection.
> If it is a "Leecher" there would be an extra IP usage that can be seen in
> the Router's DHCP table.
> If indeed some one is invading your system there is No easy way to find the
> culprit.
> Secure your system and be done with it.
> From the weakest to the Strongest..
> No Security
> MAC
> WEP
> WPA-PSK
> WPA-AES
> WPA2
> -------------------------------------------
> Wireless Security - <http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html>
> WEP, WPA, and the Future - <http://www.ezlan.net/wpa_wep.html>
> The security must be set according to lowest capable Wireless component.
> I.e. even most of you Wireless are capable to do WPA2, but one device is
> only capable to do WEP, the whole system must be configured to WEP.
> Jack (MVP-Networking).
>
> "MikieSlats" <> wrote in message
> news:EDC59983-4E0B-461E-94B0-...
> >I have a wireless network configured for open access (mainly because I've
> >not
> > worked out yet how to have not open access).
> >
> > The little icon down the bottom right of the screen is constantly lit
> > although my computer should not be accessing the internet. The Wireless
> > Network Connection Status screen shows packets being sent and received.
> >
> > Does this mean someone is on my wireless network?
> > If so, is it possible to see what machine is connected?
> >
>
>
>

Please DO secure your wireless network as Jack outlined. The icon
lights could be:

1. windows autupdate checking and downloading updates
2. your anti virus program checking for updates and downloading
3. requests to your router to renew your DHCP address
4. lots of other valid requests like the above

However there are other programs that might be causing the activity,
so you also might run an anti spyware/malware scan just to be sure.

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 20:19:03 -0800, MikieSlats
<> wrote:

>I have a wireless network configured for open access (mainly because I've not
>worked out yet how to have not open access).
>
>The little icon down the bottom right of the screen is constantly lit
>although my computer should not be accessing the internet. The Wireless
>Network Connection Status screen shows packets being sent and received.
>
>Does this mean someone is on my wireless network?
>If so, is it possible to see what machine is connected?
--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone & Vista Community Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...ts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/

Thanks Barb I actually found through the router software that a couple of
freeloaders were camped on my wireless network. So I have solved that
situation.

But would their presence produce traffic through my desktop which is on the
wireless network? I can't see how.

But the lights activity stopped when I denied the pirates access so it's a
bot of a mystery to me.

Thanks again

Michael

"Barb Bowman" wrote:

> Please DO secure your wireless network as Jack outlined. The icon
> lights could be:
>
> 1. windows autupdate checking and downloading updates
> 2. your anti virus program checking for updates and downloading
> 3. requests to your router to renew your DHCP address
> 4. lots of other valid requests like the above
>
> However there are other programs that might be causing the activity,
> so you also might run an anti spyware/malware scan just to be sure.
>
> On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 20:19:03 -0800, MikieSlats
> <> wrote:
>
> >I have a wireless network configured for open access (mainly because I've not
> >worked out yet how to have not open access).
> >
> >The little icon down the bottom right of the screen is constantly lit
> >although my computer should not be accessing the internet. The Wireless
> >Network Connection Status screen shows packets being sent and received.
> >
> >Does this mean someone is on my wireless network?
> >If so, is it possible to see what machine is connected?
> --
>
> Barb Bowman
> MS Windows-MVP
> Expert Zone & Vista Community Columnist
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...ts/bowman.mspx
> http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/
>

what operating system? what sharing method? have you thoroughly
checked your hard drive for unknown files?

On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 21:58:08 -0800, MikieSlats
<> wrote:

>Thanks Barb I actually found through the router software that a couple of
>freeloaders were camped on my wireless network. So I have solved that
>situation.
>
>But would their presence produce traffic through my desktop which is on the
>wireless network? I can't see how.
>
>But the lights activity stopped when I denied the pirates access so it's a
>bot of a mystery to me.
>
>Thanks again
>
>Michael
>
>"Barb Bowman" wrote:
>
>> Please DO secure your wireless network as Jack outlined. The icon
>> lights could be:
>>
>> 1. windows autupdate checking and downloading updates
>> 2. your anti virus program checking for updates and downloading
>> 3. requests to your router to renew your DHCP address
>> 4. lots of other valid requests like the above
>>
>> However there are other programs that might be causing the activity,
>> so you also might run an anti spyware/malware scan just to be sure.
>>
>> On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 20:19:03 -0800, MikieSlats
>> <> wrote:
>>
>> >I have a wireless network configured for open access (mainly because I've not
>> >worked out yet how to have not open access).
>> >
>> >The little icon down the bottom right of the screen is constantly lit
>> >although my computer should not be accessing the internet. The Wireless
>> >Network Connection Status screen shows packets being sent and received.
>> >
>> >Does this mean someone is on my wireless network?
>> >If so, is it possible to see what machine is connected?
>> --
>>
>> Barb Bowman
>> MS Windows-MVP
>> Expert Zone & Vista Community Columnist
>> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...ts/bowman.mspx
>> http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/
>>
--

Barb Bowman
MS Windows-MVP
Expert Zone & Vista Community Columnist
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...ts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/