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