Is this unknown object in Explorer's network area a security threat?

[stanhilliard]

What is object "PK5000Z AP" in the windows 8.1 file explorer network area? It is not there constantly, but comes and goes.

I have found with a search that there is a ZyXEL PK5000Z modem, and the properties of the object in explorer say the manufacturer is ZyXEL. But the modem that Comcast Cable provided me is a ubee D3.0, Model u10c035. I don't have a ZyTEL modem.

I have a Netgear R7000 router that is shown in file explorer as "R7000(Gateway)", category=network infrastructure.

My home network is a workgroup of 4 computers -- two wired desktops and two wireless laptops. I am having a lot of other problems but I am posting this separately because it seems separable and it seems scary to me.

 

[GokAy]

Does this PC have wireless adapter? I wonder if somehow you are connecting to that device (possibly a neighbor) if it has no pass-phrase configured.
Run in cmd: ipconfig -all
Paste here the results

 

[stanhilliard]

I can run ipconfig -all but I can't copy out of that window.

 

[stanhilliard]

Wireless adapter:
Intel(r) DualBand Wireless AC7265

 

[GokAy]

run this instead:
Ipconfig -all >>%userprofile%\desktop\ipconfig.txt
Paste the contents of txt file in a CODE tag (number sign above)

 

[stanhilliard]

I have to leave right now but I will paste later tonight when I get pack from an appointment.

 

[stanhilliard]

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : grandmabarb
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . : 
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Local Area Connection* 3:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 60-57-18-24-70-71
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 60-57-18-24-70-70
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::4d4c:3a2e:a4ed:b64b%6(Preferred) 
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.3(Preferred) 
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, September 14, 2015 3:50:53 PM
   Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, September 15, 2015 5:51:26 PM
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
   DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 106977048
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1C-5D-FD-6E-00-00-00-00-00-9D
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 60-57-18-24-70-74
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{C7D997EE-65DF-4A13-B9A1-56476CE2513A}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : 
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:9d38:6ab8:2c8c:393b:3f57:fefc(Preferred) 
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::2c8c:393b:3f57:fefc%9(Preferred) 
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 318767104
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1C-5D-FD-6E-00-00-00-00-00-9D
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

 

[stanhilliard]

Additional information:
I have also experienced telephone and camera objects in File Explorer. I have been discussing them in a forum on a netgear forum:
https://community.netgear.com/t5/Ni...nown-telephones-to-use-my-network/td-p/980705

 

[GokAy]

I thought you had both a wired and wireless connection same time, but it seems only wireless is working.

You can see your other PCs and router in Network of this PC?

Now I wonder if it is your wireless that is misconfigured, do you have a pass-phrase for your wireless? If not, that Access Point (AP) may be connecting to your network, hence becoming visible.

Check all wireless routers/access points that you may have in the house for pass-phrases. Configure one if it is lacking.

 

[stanhilliard]

I thought you had both a wired and wireless connection same time, but it seems only wireless is working.

You can see your other PCs and router in Network of this PC?

Now I wonder if it is your wireless that is misconfigured, do you have a pass-phrase for your wireless? If not, that Access Point (AP) may be connecting to your network, hence becoming visible.

Check all wireless routers/access points that you may have in the house for pass-phrases. Configure one if it is lacking.

I did not know about pass-phrases but I will now do that.

I think you are right about the network. The network has 4 computers. Each cannot see all the others. For example, this Win8.1 HP laptop can see out to a win7 Dell and a Win98. Both of those are wired desktops.

Another Dell win7 laptop can see the wired win7 desktop but nothing else. None of them can see into it.

The two desktops -- Dell Win7 and Win 98, booth wired -- cannot see each other.

 

[GokAy]

Seeing other PCs are also related to services so don't mind them at the moment. From one of the wired PCs go into your router's management interface (using Internet Explorer) and set a password (pass-phrase) for the wireless network, also check the SSID of the wireless network. Now, check all the wireless PCs to see if they are indeed connected to that one. Change the ones that are not.

If you change the pass-phrase you may need to forget the wireless connection and re-connect to it. This is normal.

 

[stanhilliard]

I have changed the wireless passwords and the login password of my R7000.

Wireless broadcast names: 17 characters each
Wireless password: 13 characters
Router login password: 14 characters

I had to re-enter the new wireless keys at the two wireless computers. Is this as good as a reinstall?

All four computers can login and use the internet. I tried speedtest on three of them (#1-3 below) and they are 1/4 the download speed as before changing codes. But that doesn't make sense -- I think Comcast must be slow this evening.

Here are the interactions between the computers within the network:

 

[GokAy]

What is your download speed supposed to be? What does it say in SpeedTest? Restart your modem and router in case. If the problem was with wireless only I would say other connection was better, but there is a wired PC among them.

Changed and re-connected on wireless devices - correct.

Check these services if they are started:
- Computer Browser
- DHCP Client
- DNS Client
- Network Connections
- Network Location Awareness
- Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
- Server
- TCP/IP Netbios helper
- Workstation
- IPSec

 

[stanhilliard]

What is your download speed supposed to be? What does it say in SpeedTest? Restart your modem and router in case. If the problem was with wireless only I would say other connection was better, but there is a wired PC among them.

Changed and re-connected on wireless devices - correct.

Can I assume that by "changed and re-connected" you mean to enter the changed wireless key when I connected the first time after the change in router setup? I did that.

My Comcast cable provider recently upgraded my category of service for 50 to 105 Mbps. I bought the R7000 router to make sure I was taking full advantage of that. I think that last night's slow downloads on all 3 computers that I tested was temporary problem with the cable service.

Today with Speed Test I am getting 118 Mbps on the wired Win 7 -- which exceeds specification.
For the wireless at 2.5 and 5.0 MHz: all targeting the same server.

Ref: wired=118
Wireless Computer 2: 86, 114
Wireless Computer 3: 74, 84

The was an anomaly where with computer 2 I got excessive variability during a series of repeat tests, one after the other, same server, ping=26-28 ms:

33,80,37,80,43 Mbps

I will next check the services on computer #3, as it is consistently not accessible from other computers.

 

[GokAy]

Hmm, you have both bands (2.4 and 5) active same time? They should be 2 different networks (2 SSIDs) as far as I know. Or at least that has been my experience so far.

On PC 3, after checking services, check Advanced Sharing Settings - make sure:
- Network type is Home
- Turn on network discovery
- Turn on file and printer sharing
- Use 128 bit
- Turn on password protected sharing
- Restart PC after the change, later also restart any PC you try to access from (this restarting is to reset any open connections that may interfere)
- If still no go, try disabling any firewall as a test.

 

[stanhilliard]

Check these services if they are started:
- Computer Browser
- DHCP Client
- DNS Client
- Network Connections
- Network Location Awareness
- Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
- Server
- TCP/IP Netbios helper
- Workstation
- IPSec

All of those services are correctly running on the computers #1-3. Computer #4 is Windows 98 and doesn't seem to have services as such.

 

[stanhilliard]

Hmm, you have both bands (2.4 and 5) active same time? They should be 2 different networks (2 SSIDs) as far as I know. Or at least that has been my experience so far.

There are two SSID radio signals that broadcast "samplingplans 2x5" and "samplingplans 5x0". I gave them both the same pass-phrase. I can connect the wireless laptops to either SSID signal but only to one at a time.

On PC 3, after checking services, check Advanced Sharing Settings - make sure:
- Network type is Home
- Turn on network discovery
- Turn on file and printer sharing
- Use 128 bit
- Turn on password protected sharing
- Restart PC after the change, later also restart any PC you try to access from (this restarting is to reset any open connections that may interfere)

I changed password protected sharing to on. The other items were as you listed.
The Network and Sharing Center showed the network as a home network. However, the Advanced sharing Settings [Computer Name] tab [Network ID] was/is set to "This computer is part of a business network; I use it to connect to other computers at work." I tried to change that value to "This is a home computer..." but when I restart the computer it has restored the original setting. The other computers act the same way.

- If still no go, try disabling any firewall as a test.

It made a difference when I turned off the firewall temporarily. The on/off control of the firewall is located within my Kaspersky Internet Security -- which is installed on computers 1-3. With the firewall off the other computers can see computer 3. So far I can't see how #3 is set up differently from the others. I will continue looking.

 

[GokAy]

If you can see Comp 3 but can't access it from others, and it starts working when you disabled the firewall, then most likely you have not added the network /subnet to trusted list. Work and Home shouldn't matter much, it may disrupt accessibility if it is set as public.

See How to use Firewall in Kaspersky Internet Security 2015 how to set network to Local and Trusted. Change to local first and then trusted if it doesn't work.

Also for W98 machine, read https://social.technet.microsoft.co...cannot-access-shares-or-printers-on-windows-7 - the 2nd post (marked as answer)

Can you then post an updated accessibility table?

 

[stanhilliard]

If you can see Comp 3 but can't access it from others, and it starts working when you disabled the firewall, then most likely you have not added the network /subnet to trusted list. Work and Home shouldn't matter much, it may disrupt accessibility if it is set as public.

See How to use Firewall in Kaspersky Internet Security 2015 how to set network to Local and Trusted. Change to local first and then trusted if it doesn't work.

On each of the two wireless computers I changed network type of my two SSID connections (2.5 and 5GHz) from public to local. That did it.

 

[GokAy]

Alright, good news So only W98 left? Any stray PCs?