Is my colleague hacking me or is this just a coincidence?

[The Hypno-Toad]

I'm finding this a bit bizarre and I am wondering if there is something going on or if I am being stupidly paranoid. I can't tell because this level of computer security is way above my pay grade.

At work I reside in a small office with a customer waiting area and two colleagues. We have a selection of wi-fi networks which displays not only a customer access network but also several which are needed within the work place, one of those being directly for myself and my colleagues in the office.
One of my colleagues has his own Android tablet and phone which I would presume he uses as some kind protection against the bosses looking at what he views. (its not so much that he is looking at porn because he isn't its more the amount of time he appears to be using it.) . And this is where it starts getting odd.

Twice now he has complained that his two devices had started losing internet connection and within 20 minutes mine on my PC laptop failed too while everyone else in the building was absolutely fine. The first time it happened it occurred late in the day when our IT support was already closed and then it was back to normal when I switched my computer back on after the weekend. However it happened again earlier this week, first his devices and then my computer lost the internet while again everyone else had no problem at all. This time because it was during the week, I was able to call IT support and they suggested that I delete all the networks from my PC and then re-install them which cured the problem. But when I did that my colleagues internet connection on his Android devices was miraculously restored as well at pretty much exactly the same time.

So, is he piggy backing me? Hacking me? Or is it just a coincidence and I'm just a paranoid old Toad?

[gutbobs]

It reads like you might have had an IP address conflict, but deleting the networks and recreating them may have got rid of it

[bitchstewie]

Sounds like it's just st wi-fi.

Your colleague has the right idea about keeping work and personal separate depending on the type of workplace.

[bitchstewie]

CheesecakeRunner said:

However, do not make the mistake of assuming just because you’re on your own device, your employer can’t see exactly what you’re doing when you’re connected to their network (VPNs aside).

Very true.

[Lucas Ayde]

CheesecakeRunner said:

bhstewie said:

Your colleague has the right idea about keeping work and personal separate depending on the type of workplace.

However, do not make the mistake of assuming just because you’re on your own device, your employer can’t see exactly what you’re doing when you’re connected to their network (VPNs aside).

Certainly - and just about any halfway competent employer will block unauthorised VPN connections from their network systems or at the very least you will start firing security flags should you attempt to use one.

But ... You can get a USB 4G modem dongle and PAYG data account for a reasonable amount if you shop around.

Years ago at a place I used to work, I brought in my own netbook and stashed it under the desk then plugged it into the second video input of one of the desktop monitors and got a cheap USB switcher for my KB and mouse. I picked up a 3G dongle (yes, it was a while back) for PAYG from 02 and had my own completely private web surfing. Also useful for logging into my home server and playing around with it.

At a later job, technology had moved on so I installed VMWare player on my work laptop, set up a stripped down VM of Linux and tethered my own phone to it via bluetooth (you could pass the BT adapter through to the VM) for 4G LTE powered surfing as I had plenty of unused data allowance on my contract. Potentially could still have been hidden monitoring software on the work lappy taking screenshots I guess but private enough for me.

These days, a lot of the internet experience is oriented around mobile devices anyway and phone screens are so big that you can just use your phone and personal 4G data if you really want. WFH makes all that irrelevent ... I just have my home PC set up next to my work laptop and choose inputs on the screen, the keyboard and mouse support wireless sharing between multiple devices too.

[The Hypno-Toad]

Cheers for your help guys. It has been mentioned that our router is way out of date so that’s probably the issue.