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