Thread: Internet slow. Problem? Someone accessing our network.

So For the past 6 months the Internet has been getting slower and slower. I haven't been able to use the Wii Shop Channel for months now, and it isn't getting any better. I suspect that someone is using our internet connection (We have a wireless router). Until now, we have not used a password on our connection, and haven't needed to. Since it's become clear that someone is using our connection and sucking up our bandwidth, the question is, how doers one put a password on a router already in place? Or do I have to buy a new router?

I'd prefer getting the new router, but my grandma has been adamant in her refusal, saying that we shouldn't waste money on something that likely won't work anyway.

With mine, I went to my router website and all the instructions were there.
Just make sure to write down EVERYTHING.Don't be like me and forget; now I can't connect my DS to the internet D:

Someone accessing your network? Sounds like a hacker. Try doing some Google searches on how to get rid of network hackers. Buying a new router won't help. The hacker will most likely try to track down the new network and hack THAT network. That's the best info I can give, since this scenario has never happened to me before

If you don't have an encryption on your network, anyone with a wi-fi device can tap into your open network easily. I wouldn't label these people hackers, just leechers.

It's like walking into the Public Library, Starbucks, Borders or other places they have open wifi. They intentionally have open wifi points you can use for the public, and you're basically inviting passers by on to the network just like them.

To encrypt your router, open the router menu. You can do this from your web browser.

Where you normally put the url, type 192.168.0.1
Or 192.168.1.1

More specifically, if that doesn't work, your router may have a default IP labeled on it somewhere. Use that.

This should open your Router's Settings.

Somewhere on the left column (usually) there should be a Wireless Security option.

From there, it gives you the options to enable security.

I don't know what router you're using, but they all work similarly. I'd suggest enabling WPA if you're being leeched. If you have an old DS, you'd unfortunately have to use WEP. I've used it just fine, but most prefer higher security WPA if you don't mind going without wireless access to your old DS.

If you have a DSi or later you should be good with enabling WPA.

Like edenh suggested, make sure you write down the code given. The one you want is the Hexcode.

Just remember to update all your wireless devices with these options by specifying that your using either WEP or WPA connections and input the appropriate hexcode.

Any router has these options, you should be able to get that from yours. I hope that helps.

The router we use is an old Linksys. We've used it for at least 5 years. And it's only in this last summer that the Internet slowed down considerably.

I suspected that a power surge harmed our router. My aunt came over a couple weeks ago and determined that the fact that our bandwidth would drop suddenly and significantly suggests there are people using our router. Unfortunately, I have a very old DS that was used when I purchased it.

Well you can use a WEP to encrypt it. Unless you have determined hackers, no one will typically try to breech it.

I've used my WEP for 6 years without any drawbacks or slowdowns and I have about 4 houses in range that can potentially tap my network, but haven't, and I'm confident it'll stay that way since I know them.

If you know your neighbors well enough, I'd say you can use WEP. But if you know they're the type to continue to take advantage of your network, they may be determined enough to crack it and you may have to settle with WPA. It's your call really. You can try WEP for a week and see if that changes anything.

If not, upgrade to WPA. If it's still acting up, you may have trouble with the router at that point.

OH one more question, how dense is your neighborhood, and do you see OTHER wi-fi points nearby?

If you pick up a lot of them, multiple wi-fi points can interfere with your own connection and thus reduce the quality of your connection.

Originally Posted by Rayne

If you don't have an encryption on your network, anyone with a wi-fi device can tap into your open network easily. I wouldn't label these people hackers, just leechers.

It's like walking into the Public Library, Starbucks, Borders or other places they have open wifi. They intentionally have open wifi points you can use for the public, and you're basically inviting passers by on to the network just like them.

To encrypt your router, open the router menu. You can do this from your web browser.

Where you normally put the url, type 192.168.0.1
Or 192.168.1.1

More specifically, if that doesn't work, your router may have a default IP labeled on it somewhere. Use that.

This should open your Router's Settings.

Somewhere on the left column (usually) there should be a Wireless Security option.

From there, it gives you the options to enable security.

I don't know what router you're using, but they all work similarly. I'd suggest enabling WPA if you're being leeched. If you have an old DS, you'd unfortunately have to use WEP. I've used it just fine, but most prefer higher security WPA if you don't mind going without wireless access to your old DS.

If you have a DSi or later you should be good with enabling WPA.

Like edenh suggested, make sure you write down the code given. The one you want is the Hexcode.

Just remember to update all your wireless devices with these options by specifying that your using either WEP or WPA connections and input the appropriate hexcode.

Any router has these options, you should be able to get that from yours. I hope that helps.

However, with WPA, none of the actual games for a DSi will be able to connect to the internet.

Originally Posted by minimag

However, with WPA, none of the actual games for a DSi will be able to connect to the internet.

Ah, I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for that warning.

Originally Posted by Rayne

Well you can use a WEP to encrypt it. Unless you have determined hackers, no one will typically try to breech it.

I've used my WEP for 6 years without any drawbacks or slowdowns and I have about 4 houses in range that can potentially tap my network, but haven't, and I'm confident it'll stay that way since I know them.

If you know your neighbors well enough, I'd say you can use WEP. But if you know they're the type to continue to take advantage of your network, they may be determined enough to crack it and you may have to settle with WPA. It's your call really. You can try WEP for a week and see if that changes anything.

If not, upgrade to WPA. If it's still acting up, you may have trouble with the router at that point.

OH one more question, how dense is your neighborhood, and do you see OTHER wi-fi points nearby?

If you pick up a lot of them, multiple wi-fi points can interfere with your own connection and thus reduce the quality of your connection.

My neighborhood isn't very dense. However there are those potentially close enough to actually use our network. There are at least two other networks in range, one unsecured and another WPA secured. Occasionally I can see a connection to the distant Citywide hotspot, but it's rather fleeting.

For Christmas I just bought a rather powerful new N-router, a Netgear. Our current router is a Linksys G-router. It'll help to a degree with security but if not, then I am going to shout at our internet provider because a drastic slowdown of this magnitude shouldn't be happening.

Buying an N router would invite more hackers due to extended range. And yes, it is possible to crack WPA, but it takes forever to.

They didn't have any G-routers available, and this one is more powerful (Current router is 54 mbps...this one is 300 mbps). I haven't hooked it in yet, as it's intended to be a Christmas present. I've checked all the specs on it, and it is compatible with what we have. Even if my grandma's computer can't access it wirelessly, she can simply connect her computer to the router.

The people out here are really not likely to be hackers anyway. I live where there are horses and the like. The ones leeching our internet are likely the people who moved in up the road from me, seeing as that's when the trouble with our internet started. It has WEP security, so I can access Wifi if I can convince my grandmother to use WEP instead of WPA.