WiFi:Off ... but not ..

Hi all,

A while ago I noticed my D-Link DI-704 BB router was having difficulties handling DHCP with more and more (newer) network cards so I picked up a little new Q-Tec (Trust?) WiFi router (trade) via a mate.

As I had a Netgear AP in the right place I disabled the WiFi interface on the new router .. it said it was disabled in the gui and the WLAN LED went off.

A while later I noticed a (open) WiFi lan out there (with Netstumbler / unrecognised SSID) so just thought it was a neighbours ?

Today I was testing a Belkin USB WiFi thingy on my lappy for a mate and it connected to the 'unknown' network all by itself. I was able to browse the web ("dangerous, leaving a network open like that" I thought, tut tut) and thought I'd see just how insecure it was by browsing the local net ..

Up came *my* workgroup and *my* shared folder (nothing interesting in there but a surprise none the less)?

Weird (I thought), to access *my* WiFi net you need the WEP key and I would need to add the mac address in the 'allow' table on the AP (not

100% secure I know but better than just 'open') and I hadn't done either ..? (SSID broadcast is also turned off FWTW). I checked the setting on the AP and all was as it should be?

I watched the signal monitor on the lappy WiFi app and turned off the AP .. signal stayed the same! Hm, it MUST be someone elses WiFi I thought .. then I turned off my Q-Tec router .. no signal on the lappy ...... WTF !!!

So, with wireless disabled on the router you loose the WLAN LED, get a bogus SSID and have no wireless security at all.

Enable wireless you get the actual SSID and can at least enable WPA / filters to make access less easy .. ;-(

I am awaitng a reply from their C/S ... 5 days later .. nothing .. ;-(

Anyone else seen strange things re this area (WiFi Off but not ..?)

All the best ..

T i m

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T i m
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