Bandwidth theft - how do you know?

[Tyre Smoke]

Sorry if this is a real numpty queston, but how do you know if someone is using your bandwidth?

I use a Linksys Wireless G WAG54G gateway and my system seems to be as slow as dial up.

How do I protect my bandwidth?

Please try and keep it simple I'm a bit of a technophobe.

Thanks

[_dobbo_]

You need to ensure you have encryption enabled in your wireless configuration.

Somewhere in the setup of the router you should get the chance to choose an encryption level, and set a key. Simply set the key, keep a note, then configure your wireless card on your computer to use the same key.


IF you don't use wireless, turn it off!

[AJLintern]

Can't you just set the router to only communicate with devices of a specified MAC address - ie, just your PC?

[tuffer]

Are you sure you havent got a worm on your PC thats sapping it all?

[m-five]

Is it as slow as dial-up all the time, or just at peak times, as you will probably be contending the bandwidth with upto 49 others!

[trooperiziz]

AJLintern said:

Can't you just set the router to only communicate with devices of a specified MAC address - ie, just your PC?

yup, thats pretty easy to do.
The simplest thing is to switch off your pc and watch the lights on the router.

[rsvmilly]

My Netgear router will list all deviced attached to it. You could look for this on yours.

[.Flyer]

Open your browser and go to the setup page (192.168.1.1 unless you've changed it), click on "Status". Beneath that menu bar is a sub menu, click on "Wireless", then click on "Wireless Clients Connected".

That will, err ... show any wireless clients that are connected. If you have changed the SSID from the default, turned off SSID Broadcast and enabled WEP, you're pretty secure. Determined hackers of course will always find a way in.

[Tyre Smoke]

tuffer said:

Are you sure you havent got a worm on your PC thats sapping it all?

No, but I do have Norton and run Spybot often.

Have to have a look tonight re wireless connection.

[andygo]

try www.pcpitstop.com and do their bandwidth test.