Networking & wireless forum: Can I track log-ons to my home wireless router?

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Servers/Server-Tools/Router-Syslog.shtml

Hopefully this will all make sense after you research it a bit more, but the answer is... yes.

Bob

Actually it might be a syslogd, but you get the idea. Many routers have syslog capability so we leverage that.

Bob

I'll start turning off the router when not there, but now my curiosity is piqued. Thanks for the information.

Michael

There are lots of uses for broadband and in the future, you may want to be careful about what you turn on/off. For example, someday you may want to turn on a VOIP service in your home. MAC blocking will block that as well and you won't be able to receive calls.

Security is one of those things that if you lock things down tightly, you can't really do anything either. It is a constant set of tradeoffs.

Back to your original question, different routers have various logging functions. Your PC/router is being scanned not only by your ISP but also by lots of nefarious systems looking for unprotected PCs and networks. Your installation of a router is a good first defense. You'll find that there is a whole lot more risk in just everyday Internet activity - nothing could be more dangerous than downloading from sources you don't know and trust.

..even if you see anything in a connection log, it probably won't tell you much that is useful, since you most likely don't know the computer names or IP's of your neighbors computers. However, it might be reassuring if you can confirm that there is actually no one connected, and it's just normal, maintenance-type network traffic.

In your router configuration, you should probably be able to find an option (under security settings or perhaps under a "Logs" tab) to log access attempts with the results. Usually you can tell it to log only failed attempts or all attempts. If you tell it to log all attempts, you could then search through the log file for successful attempts at the time you see the activity.

Probably a more important question is do you have encryption setup on your wireless router? If not, or if you have weak encryption, you should turn it on, or setup stronger encryption (WPA instead of WEP, for example). It's a pain in the butt to setup and remember the lengthy password (make it long and not a dictionary word), but do it once and you'll be much more secure. Also, write down your passcode and keep it handy in case you later need to connect another device, such as your work laptop or a wireless pda.

If you do have encryption setup, and someone is still getting in, you should of course change your passcode.

As mentioned earlier, putting in MAC table filtering (along with WPA encryption) should make you as secure as possible (unless maybe it's the NSA who is using your wireless router...hehe). To hack this setup, someone would have to a) crack your passcode and b) guess and then spoof one of the few MAC id's that you have allowed access. Chances are, your [possible] bandwidth mooch would move on to easier conquests.

Here are a couple links that might be useful, concerning encryption:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/expert/bowman_03july28.mspx

http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/wireless/networks/archives/007419.asp

hope this helps,
Marshall

If you think someone is accessing your wireless router, you can set an WEP Encryption on it so that only somebody that has that number can log onto the wireless router. I would do that any way, if they download something such as music illegally that would come back on you as it was your IP address that was used to download it. Your Wireless Router CD or guide should have information on how to set up the WEP encryption and should make it safe from others. Just remember to save the encryption number somewhere or use one that you'll remember. Mine has 128 bit encryption so the number is 26 digits long.

My activity light on the modem flashes on and off most of the time when the computer is off, the router keeps and active connection with the modem, so it is communicating with the modem even while the computer is off.

Dave