Cant see wireless network

Lady_K

I'm a bit confused as to whats happening but I cant see my wireless network, the main pc is working and things look ok on the linksys router box but my regular named network is not in the list available in networks. I've rebooted the router, nothing has changed.

I am presently connected by what it is saying an unsecured network as automatic, that is named linksys so its confusing me that could it be mine but somethings gone wrong? I have a name for mine but it is a linksys router, how can I tell if its mine or not? mine is also a secured network this isnt but could something have gone wrong with mine to wipe out the settings and make it unsecured?.

I can see if I go to my computer a list of previously used wireless connections, in that list is the linksys unsecured one I'm on now, my daughters house and my own network but the only network coming up in available networks is the linksys unsecured one, it says

network autentication -open
data encryption - disabled

password is grayed out but dots there
says it uses file and printer sharing

could my router have broken or could some changes have been made somehow,

I dont feel easy using this unsecured open network

closed

turn your router off or login to the router and check the settings, usually 192.168.1.1

Lady_K

For some reason I cannot access my router through the router address there has always been some fault, it just gives me a linksys page ith nothing on it at all, everything grayed out. Tried to fix it many times, I have to go through the entire set up to get into it.

Is it ok that in my network connections it shows an internet gateway as connected while I'm using ths open unsecured network? I don't think this has been there before

closed

Still got zonealarm installed?

no, you should be using an unsecured network at all

Lady_K

Yes zone alarm is installed on this laptop but I could swap to windows firewall, does an open network mean people can get to anything on this computer?

closed

first off all, switch your router off, and see if the net works, this will tell you if it's yours or not.

ZA can cause lots of problems, and may possibly be related to why you can't get to the router screen - but it's upto you

possibly, especially if file and print sharing is enabled. everything you do on the network is free for anyone to see, but it's unlikely that they are looking.

Lady_K

I changed the main pc which has the router attached to it over from za to windows firewall a while ago when I had other problems and I have just signed into the router and things are different, I can access it now. The laptop still has za on it though at the moment.

What should I be looking for in the router settings to find out why the laptop cant see it any more? or should I be checking somewhere else on the pc?

I can't see the name we called the router anywhere, I didn't set it up so I don't want to do anything I shouldnt, I don't know if the settings have been wiped out or something. Does that mean using the main pc isnt safe either?

I can see in the bit where it says wireless - wireless security - 'disable'
I am sure this was set at wpa2 personal before so I think things have probably changed for some reason on thier own

closed

with a wired connection, change them back, and change your ssid to something other than linksys, so you know it's yours

Lady_K

I have swapped the linksys name to the one I had before and now the linksys network one has gone offline from available networks although it is still in network connections - properties - as online

My network is showing as unsecured though,
In my linksys set up there is a tab saying basic wireless settings where I changed the ssid from linksys to my own then there are other things

wireless network mode thats set as mixed
wireless channel is set as 11-2462ghz
wireless ssid broadcast is set at enable

then under that there is a green button with a lock on it saying status ses innactive and under it a reset security button should I do anytrhing with that?

Edit
I have changed security mode to wpa2 personal, AES, my own password and it says group key renewal 3600. The network is now showing as secured and the laptop has auto gone online.

What should I do about the green button though? (as above)
and wireless mac filter is on disable
3 are ticked in the security tab leaving one unticked wich is filter internet nat direction

This is a linksys wireless g WRT54G I forgot to mention that before

There are quite a few tabs though is there anything I should particularly make sure of in any of these?

There is nothing in host name or domain name and the router name is set as wrt54g (not the same as my chosen one ssid name)

I think it must have been the zone alarm before preventing me from logging into the router address, I can't believe I struggled all that time and it was that all along

Lady_K

I am concerned at how the routers settings changed on its own. If this was done by some kind of malware or virus could they have gathered information from my computer such as passwords etc?

I have changed back the obvious things such as wpa2 personal and AES but I'm not sure of all of them and what should say what, I'm just concerned if any malware could still affect the computer by info already gathered even if I run malware programs now.

I can't find how to change my router password from the default, I have a password for using the wireless and that shows in the routers settings too so if anyone did get into my router they could see that password anyway.

If I change the router password could I still be able to access the settings using 192.168.1.1 ?

Linbox

The address stays the same unless you change it. The password changes only if you change it.
If some mallware changed your settings and you stayed on line - ITS ALL TO LATE!!!