Mac OS X forum: Accessing Router

I'm not so computer savvy but I know I got the ip address from the Network option from the System Preferences. I think the manufacturer is Westell. I hope that answers that question. Does the router have to be connected to the computer I am trying to gain access from it?

then you probably have DSL service via your phone line.

Try using 192.168.1.1 as the address for the router.

The username is probably: admin
Password is: password

The username and password depend on the model of router that you have. That information should be on a label, usually underneath the device.

If the above username, password and IP address do not work, then take a look at this page:
http://www.routeripaddress.com/364/westell_routers/

Yes, the computer has to be connected to the router, either via ethernet cable or wireless.

Let us know how you get on

P

I was able to access the router by connecting the computer via ethernet cable. I used the username and password given above. Thank you. I wanted to check what devices are being used with that router. Do you know if it is possible for a device to be using that router and not show up?

There are great KID FRIENDLY tools that can spoof a MAC ADDRESS (not to be confused with Mac Apple products.) Any term I capitalize is for emphasis or to be researched on google.

By spoofing the MAC address I can connect up and the owner looks at the connected devices and since my connection looks like one of theirs, they never know I'm on their network. This was only done in a demo as I would never do this outside the demo area.

If folk can turn off the WiFi they should. Even with WPA2 security which is the best the makers offer today you can crack that overnight or faster then spoof the MAC and they won't know.

This is however an extremely rare occurrence since it requires someone that is next door and has the need and reason to do that. Most often it's someone that doesn't want to pay for access.
Bob

do have any reason to suspect that there is someone mooching off your internet connection?

P

I do. The person who lives upstairs from me needed access to the basment to set up his internet. He's an electrician and he said he spoke to Verizon and they told him what to do. The wiring to the telephone lines are all in the same place for both floors. I saw he was doing something with the wires and then I lost internet connection. I let him know and he eneded up fixing it, but because he has more knowledge of all the wiring I began suspecting maybe he knows how to give himself internet access through mine, if it is even possible. I'm not sure.

Your Modem is the interface between your computer and the computers at the other end.
Your telephone wires terminate in your apartment and are connected to your Modem/Router.
Your Modem/Router is then directly connected to your Internet Service Provider and, if you think back, you had to supply a username and password for the modem/router to begin to work.

Now you have a modem that is keyed to your account.

Tapping the wires in the basement would not provide internet access, on your account, for the upstairs person as any computer has to communicate through a modem and a regular DSL line does not allow two modems to be on at the same time.

Now, if your Modem/Router is a wireless one, and from your previous posts it seems that you may have one of those, he could be using your Wireless signal to to access the internet in the same was as any of your wireless devices do.

Make sure that your Security is at least WPA, see Bob's post, and change the password immediately.

P

Look up the HAK5 web site and even our office owns one of those reaver units. WPA is crackable in very little time. And the tools allowed us to see what MAC addresses were in use before we set up an stealthy connection as a test of someone's security.

My background included some work in a system that went to other countries and it was then I learned why off the shelf gear has such poor security. You can't sell nearly unbreakable encryption today in most countries without a trip to the big house.
Bob

I was able to change the username and password to access the router. When someone tries to access the wifi in my home it asks for the wep key. Im still not sure how to make it wpa unless my router is only made with the wep. Im not sure. The devices being used under my router are only mine, I did not see any that I didnt recognize. If he was stealing my wifi would his devices show up?

it really depends on its age.
Changing from WEP to WPA will be in the Wireless Security section.

WEP is currently slightly better than having nothing at all, but only just.

yes, if someone else was on that router, it would show up.


P

I shared where we showed it was possible to use an existing address and hide there.

It's called MAC SPOOFING if you want to research it.
Bob

Has some deviously smart folk. WiFi and networking never was designed with security in mind it seems. Many holes.
Bob