Routers

[jayemcee]

Forgive me if I ask rather a naive question, but if I leave my router plugged in at all times can other local users connect using my router?
I remember hearing TV scare stories about people driving around in cars and gathering personal data from outside your house! Or is that something totally different?

[dizmouk2009]

They can if there isn't a wireless password set up on the router, new routers (supplied by the ISP) nearly always come WIFI protected. If there isn't a password set it means that someone can connect to it whilst your using it too.

I hope that answers your question.

[dizmouk2009]

Talktalk, BT and Sky routers after 2007 all come with a WIFI password which are located on the router.

[S_C]

as long as your router is password enabled you should be fine ... however by going to the router display page . uausly something like 192.168.0.1 there you will see how your router is connecting and be able to check if anyone has connected by checking connections and router history .

to get to that web page open internet explorer and type that number . 192.168.0.1 sometimes its .0 .0 instead of .0 .1

but there will be paperwork with your router or you could view the device web page from the connect to / my connections via the start button .

hope thats simple enough explained for you to understand

[dizmouk2009]

To add to what S_C has said if you go to run and type "cmd" then when the command prompt opens type in "ipconfig" it will show some information the number S_C is refering to should be next to 'Default Gateway'

[S_C]

Quote "I remember hearing TV scare stories about people driving around in cars and gathering personal data from outside your house! Or is that something totally different? "

Personal data can be obtained in many ways , taking utility bills bank statements out of your rubbish bag or making an enquireing phone call pretending to be your bank and asking some usual security questions. so many ways to gather information and so many ways in which it can be used.

but yes connecting to an unsecured wireless router is one of them , Always try to ensure your router is password protected , and as further security tip make the passwords something with letters and numbers , upper and lower case , even simbols for greater security. just please do remember what your passwords are you may need them yourself one day.

[jayemcee]

Thank you s_c and dizmouk2009. Following your advice I now know what my display? number is. It happens to be the "default setting for certain broadband routers". I do not have to use a password to log on sooooo, I shall gather up all the documentation I can find and do some research. In the meantime I shall switch off when not in use. I am very security conscious in other respects and no address details or anything personal gets thrown into the re-cycling. Thank you for the info.
Just as an afterthought, the last time I used the Answerbank, I received an email when a reply was posted. Guess it has all changed?

[dizmouk2009]

You have to subscribe to the question now in order to get email notifications jayemcee :)

[S_C]

sorry dont know about emails from responces , maybe it has something to do with subscription .
not been a user that long so to be honest maybe im not the best person regarding that particular question to try to answer that one .

[jayemcee]

I turned off my router then couldn't get back on for 24 hours!! Anyway my instructions say that my hub is set with standard WEP 64-bit security and that it does not need a password. It os also post 2007. So thank you for putting me on the right road. I shall also read up the rules on the Answerbank itself.