Okay, so this situation has happened a few times to family and friends so I’m going to take a moment here and explain something about that wireless router you have in your home (for those who are not familiar with the technology behind its magic). I will try to keep it simple because I’m prone to geek-speak.
Your wireless router has TWO security login IDs and passwords. There is the ID and password you use to gain wireless access and the Internet and then there is the ID and password you have to gain access into the administrative pages within the router itself. When setting up the wireless router, most require you change the default password (if any) to use the wireless magic for Internet access throughout the house and/or apartment. This is the special key that is required when ever you attempt to get Internet access from your new laptop, IPod, smartphone, etc.
Bad passwords:
[default]
password
yourbirthday
Good passwords:
RtH^48&@!#Ttgoodone
Stay0utOfMY$%^#@$&NeW0rK
Write it onto a piece of tape and adhere it to the bottom of the physical router.
Now that that’s secure, you now MUST change the administrator ID and password that allows you to gain access to the administrative pages of the wireless router itself because anyone with the default IP address, default ID and default password can log into your router and change everything, including the login for administrative access, grab your LAN devices physical MAC addresses, etc.
When I was working downtown in the field, I had a list of every single wireless router model, the default IP address, the default ID and default password and with hundreds of wireless routers to choose from, I always had free internet on almost every corner. It was a temporary use of someone’s bandwidth and usually goes unnoticed, unless you’re trying to download something and it takes longer than expected. I wonder how many people called customer service complaining about bandwidth problems, unaware that someone was borrowing their bandwidth…
Once the wireless signal leaves the antenna – you have lost all control. The signal doesn’t stop at your walls. Depending on high up you are in a highrise, it could go on for on for blocks.
You would see your Internet slow down, but there is no other issue. What you really need to worry about is that ankle-biter down the street who is bored and decides to change you wireless access key password (in a sense hijack your router), so suddenly “Hey – I can’t get online anymore! What’s wrong with this stupid laptop!” – or gain access to your home computers and steal information, change information, etc.
So, look at the bottom of your wireless router. There should be a way of logging into it as a administrator (with the ID and default password) or check the manual. Then change that administrator password to something more secure than “admin.” You may find that your Internet speed increases without having to pay anymore per month!
