Wireless router query !

pennyshahin_2

I've got a dynamode wireless router which works fine, it's got the red yellow and green lights but it still seems to work when the router is not switched on am i missing something ?

bonzer

When you say it works when the wireless router is not switched on, do you mean your internet connection on your laptop still works even if your router is unplugged?

If I've understood the question right, you are probably connected to someone else's router by mistake e.g. your next door neighbour's. This is possible if your neighbour has failed to secure their router properly.

Bonzer

pennyshahin_2

Is this a security risk ?

bonzer

Sort of. In theory the person who owns the router that you are connected to could see the web pages you visit and whatever you send via the internet (except for encrypted pages like bank transactions). Additionally, if you are connected to a router that isn't yours then the connection to the router is probably not secure so other people in the immediate area around you could pick up and view the wireless signal from your laptop and see the same information. In practice they'd have to be reasonably technical to do it and obviously have the inclination to do that sort of thing.

However you really should make sure you connect to your own router only. I mean, someone might get annoyed if they found out you were using their stuff for free?

Your router should broadcast what's called an "SSID". This is the identification name or number for your network that distinguishes it from everyone else. This is what pops up on the list of available wireless networks in Windows. If you got your router directly from an internet provider, they may have helpfully stuck a label on it somewhere that says what the SSID is. On your list of available wireless networks on your laptop, you should be able to see the SSID that belongs to your router and then should connect to that network only. Alternatively it may be the only one on the list called "Dynamode" or something obvious like that as everyone else may have a different brand.