Computers showing in Network I do not know about, should I .....

[N4TUX]

Computers showing in Network I do not know about these computers that are showing up?
Hello,
I have Windows 7 Home Premium.
I am hooked up to the internet via network cat5 cable. I go to control panel, click on network, I see 3 or 4 computers for example "KatiePC5" and others I do not know. I don't know if I should worry about this or not. Would it be where I recently been to a Hotel and hooked up via wifi connection?
How do I remove or disallow these computers if they are to be worried about?
Please help thank you.
N4TUX Boyd

 

[UsernameIssues]

Welcome to the Seven Forums.

Do you have a wireless access point on your network?

Are you behind a Network Address Translator (NAT)?
Address test

Can you tell us the manufacturer and model number of the equipment (router, modem...) that is between you and the internet?

 

[N4TUX]

I have a fiber optic residential internet service. You asked if I have a wireless access point. I do not use a wireless router. I have a straight cat5 cable from the fiber modem to my laptop.

I have 1 WorldWidePackets Lightningedge.46 fiber optic modem.

Here you can click and take a peek at the weblink of my internet service http://www.sunsetcom.net

I have Windows 7 Home Premium.
I am hooked up to the internet via network cat5 cable. I go to control panel, click on network, I see 3 or 4 computers for example "KatiePC5" and others I do not know. I don't know if I should worry about this or not. Would it be where I recently been to a Hotel and hooked up via wifi connection?
How do I remove or disallow these computers if they are to be worried about?
Please help thank you.
N4TUX Boyd

 

[LuzTeTT]

Just to confirm your situation, open up a Command Prompt and type

ping [I]KatiePC5
[/I]

Where KatiePC5 can be substituted with any of those PC names.
If it resolves and you are receiving packets back, then these computers are physically on your network at this very moment which is your cause for concern.

Otherwise these computers aren't on your network and may very well be left over from when you had ever connected to a wireless hotspot, etc.

 

[UsernameIssues]

...I do not use a wireless router....

Yes, I know how you connect, but I asked if you had a wireless access point on you network. Maybe it is built into the router and KatiePC5 is connecting to your Wi-Fi. That is why I also asked for the brand/model of the equipment between you and the internet - so that I could search for a manual and see if the equipment had both LAN jacks and Wi-Fi. I could not locate a manual for the equipment that you mentioned.

Are you able to determine if you are behind a NAT?
http://www.stanford.edu/services/lnaguide/docs/nat.html
http://www.stanford.edu/~reuber/address.shtml
Those two links should help you determine that.

 

[kristianbk]

Hi

If you are connected directly to your fiber modem with no network equipment in between. That means your computer is connected directly to the internet. Your problem might be that the network settings is set to (Home network). If you are connected to the internet with no router in between the network setting should be set to (Public network).

To set it to (Public network)

Start>Control Panel>Network and Internet>Network and Sharing Center
Press the link under your network name and change it to (Public network)

If you don't have router get one

 

[N4TUX]

I took a print screen snapshot to show you all the computers that is not suppose to be showing.
Computers showing HAROLD-PC, JUDY-PC, KATIE-PC, OWNER-PC, KATIE, ROUTER, SLOCE-PC, USER-D540501DCC is not computers to be connected to me or my laptop that is.

I attached a Word document that I copied and pasted print screen snapshot of screen showing all the computers that is not suppose to be connected to my laptop. All listed above are not suppose to be.

I do thank you all that is trying to help me.

Reply please when you all can.

N4TUX Boyd
I took a print screen snapshot to show you all the computers that is not suppose to be showing.
Computers showing HAROLD-PC, JUDY-PC, KATIE-PC, OWNER-PC, KATIE, ROUTER, SLOCE-PC, USER-D540501DCC is not computers to be connected to me or my laptop that is.

I attached a Word document that I copied and pasted print screen snapshot of screen showing all the computers that is not suppose to be connected to my laptop. All listed above are not suppose to be.

I do thank you all that is trying to help me.

N4TUX Boyd

 

[N4TUX]

I just called our Sunset Digital Fiber Internet service company and talked to tech support, they said I do not have a modem, it is just a switch. That is what they called it, it is just a switch, not a modem. I explained my concern and from what they told me was, all the computers showing up in my network was neighbors computers who has service near me. They highly recomend all customers to use a wireless router with a encrypted password for security. I have a N1 wireless router and hooked it back up with a password KEY. I just wanted to know more about all this and if I wanted to use this net service without a wireless router should I be worried about all these other computers showing up in my network.

Please reply with your comments, I sure would appreciate your comments thank you.

N4TUX Boyd

 

[kristianbk]

Are you connected to the internet via your N1 wireless router(either wirelessly or with cable)?
Or is the N1 wireless router not plugged in at all?

 

[LuzTeTT]

I just called our Sunset Digital Fiber Internet service company and talked to tech support, they said I do not have a modem, it is just a switch. That is what they called it, it is just a switch, not a modem. I explained my concern and from what they told me was, all the computers showing up in my network was neighbors computers who has service near me. They highly recomend all customers to use a wireless router with a encrypted password for security. I have a N1 wireless router and hooked it back up with a password KEY. I just wanted to know more about all this and if I wanted to use this net service without a wireless router should I be worried about all these other computers showing up in my network.

Please reply with your comments, I sure would appreciate your comments thank you.

N4TUX Boyd

Yes you absolutely should worry. :warn:

I would take your computer off the network immediately. You don't know these people, and you don't know who is watching your traffic or tampering with your computer! You are on a public network that is at the local network level. This is incredibly insecure. Use an ethernet cable and plug in to the router if you don't want to be running over wireless. You will be protected by the NAT and firewall of your router.

 

[N4TUX]

I am using the Cisco Linksys Wireless N Router, WRT120N and yes using it with a KEY. While using it, I have no other computers showing up in my network. I just was curious why when I not use the wireless router and just plug the cat5 cable straight from the fiber switch I show a bunch of computers that I do not know.

I do thank each one of you for your help comments.

N4TUX Boyd

 

[UsernameIssues]

The reason why you see your neighbor's computers when connected one way and the reason why you don't see them when connected another way is because of the Network Address Translation (NAT) that happens when you are connecting thru a router that has this NAT feature turned on.

I've posted two links in post #2.
I posted them again in post #5.
You have not mentioned anything about those links.
Did you visit them?

How NATs protect you and how they work has been explained in many places on the internet, but I could not find a link to an article that explained NATs well - without getting too deep - so I posted the links mentioned above. Maybe others in this thread can explain it to you or have a better link to point you to.

 

[Layback Bear]

UsernameIssues You gave plenty of good information. It's only works if the OP reads them. I will make it simple.
If the OP can see other computers, other computers can see his computer. This is completely unsafe. Hope all these post helps you N4TUX.

 

[N4TUX]

I am using the Cisco Linksys Wireless N Router, WRT120N and yes using it with a KEY. I don't know what else to do. I keep NO banking or personal information on my hard drive partitions. I have all important files or passwords on usb flash drives only. I have 3 usb flash drives identical incase 1 goes bad. I keep them in a fire safe bolted to the floor.

So what else do you suggest?

I do thank each and all for your help.

N4TUX Boyd

 

[LuzTeTT]

As long as you are behind a router, you are fine.
If you want to be plugged in, the router has four network ports on it. Connect to this.
Otherwise your wireless will work in an identical manner, just without the cable plugged in.

Good luck!

 

[N4TUX]

Thank you for your comment. For the most, I too think I should be fine too. WE ALL know, they are NO 100% secure anything.

Again thank all here that have commented.

God bless...

N4TUX Boyd