How do I know if someone is watching me on the same network?

Hey, I didnt get a notification email and I thought no one had replied! :)

severedsolo said:

Theoretically speaking, if I were to do this, I would go into the router settings (192.168.1.1 most likely) and set myself a static IP from the DCHP pool.

That isn't something I can really advise you on specifically, because every router is different. It should be somewhere in the LAN or Network settings though. When you find it, you should be able to select "Static" from a drop down list next to your computer's name. That would then "lock" your computer to that IP so it didn't change every time you reset the connection.

After that, I would use my software firewall to block all connections coming from a range of 192.168.1.* but make sure that I kept 192.168.1.1 clear. I don't think that WIndows Firewall can do that, but I know Comodo can. (In fact, Comodo would probably block an unsolicited attempt to connect straight away anyway, without my intervention)

Example; in your screenshot, your IP is 192.168.1.6. Assuming that your router is at 192.168.1.1 (they normally are) I would create a firewall rule to block all connection attempts from 192.168.2 - 192.168.1.5 and then another one to block all from 192.168.1.7 through to 192.168.1.253. We have to keep your IP and the router's IP unblocked, or you won't be able to get online.

Actually, you could probably get away with blocking your own IP too, but you know that nothing coming from your machine is going to harm it, or if it is that's already there.

I apologise if that went over your head, Im assuming at least a basic knowledge of networking here.

Thank you for the detailed explanation :)

I understood it and it makes sense. Ive got comondo, which seems like an great program and I am going to block the connections.

I do have a couple of questions. If I set my ip to static and block the connections, then reset the router. Everyone except me will have a different ip.

Do you think if I reset it now, make the new ip my static ip, reset again and block connections to that ip I will be totally safe? Basically if someone is watching they will not know the new ip I have, if they are watching now they obviously know it. I can do it when their computer is not in the house, its a laptop.

I just dont know what people can see if they are watching. From the sounds of things, the above choice would be my best option?


Another thing to mention, we are all now wired in, previously the person watching was wireless. I could force everyone to be wired if it makes a difference.

sordid said:

In order to watch you, somebody must have installed some spy software on your box.
Try to run "Spybot Search and Destroy" on your computer, that one finds almost any of these programs.

I dont know a lot about all of this but I thought thats to do with people outside the network? I think with wireshark you can watch the connections on the network which is what I think is happening.

Product FRED said:

Not necessarily. If there is no active firewall, open ports can be considered vulnerabilities. You may not have access to the person's keyboard and mouse, but you can sniff and inject packets among other nasty things.

I just got my computer and have no firewall, until now, I just got comodo which seems great!

sordid said:

Packet sniffing is always a possibility, especially if that person has physical access to the switch or router.
But to me it seemed like the OP was worried about literally being watched.

They do not have access to the physical router but I thought with wireshark you did not need it?

I have a feeling, a very good feeling, that someone is watching what everyone browses using a program. I assume its wireshark since its free and seems to be able to watch everyone on the same network.

WebMattR said:

VIP said:

I have a feeling someone is watching me on the network Im on. They have access and theyre allowed to. Is there a way I can check? Im wired into the router, not sure if it makes a difference

Okay. So. I've skimmed this, and after all these questions and commentary, I had a few comments and questions of my own.

Firstly, if you have your own router, does it broadcast wireless?
If yes, and you don't use it. Turn it off. If no, then ignore, and advance.

Secondly, I detect paranoia. If you're worried for legal reasons, I would suggest stopping whatever it is. If you're worried for security reasons (developing the next world-changing device, whatever), then I'd suggest not connecting that machine to the internet, and getting a seperate one for business activities.

Thirdly, is this a work machine? If so, it may be your IT department. Many of them are required to monitor you. Nothing personal on our part but a legal thing for who they work for.

Fourthly, what you're attempting with staticing and resetting and static-ing isn't going to work, as far as I can tell. It just sounds like a headache.

Lastly, When you say "we" who all are you referring to? Is it room mates, coworkers, relatives? I don't need specific names, but understanding the enviroment I'm trying to assist with is useful. :)

Sure, when I saw we I mean roommates. I dont own the house so I cant turn off the router and refuse use others to it, I would be able to make everyone be wired. The router is in my room.

Im not paranoid for legal reasons.I dont want to be watched by someone else, especially when theyre not a family member. I also work online and I dont like people to know what Im doing (nothing illegal), which also means I have to be connected to the internet. My family lives in the UK so I only contact them through the internet and again I want privacy when writing emails to my family.

As far as getting another line for myself. I dont know if its possible because its a house and I imagine they would need to make more connections or add stuff to the house.

The reasons I think someone is watching

-The person always brings up what I just viewed on the internet the same day.
-Has made remarks like 'oh is that you' when I told them something about an account I have, you would think its the other roommate. When I asked why he said it like that he changed his story to mean 'oh thats you that has one of those accounts'.
-I watched 3 youtube videos and a bit later he brought them all up, very unusual.
-He is now wired into the router, I noticed on the router his wire had light up recently. When I was outside his room and could see the wire over his desk I mentioned I thought his laptop was wireless and I didnt think he used the wire. I know for a fact he always used wireless until yesterday. I can see it on the router and been in his room loads to watch movies, ect.
-He now takes his laptop with him when he leaves the house.
-Since I started looking into it he is very nervous.

It goes on and on and I am convinced that he is watching.


About the static ip, Do you mean that blocking connections using comodo wont work?

The only reason I mentioned resetting the router is because I assume its dynamic an I can get a different ip, I assume the person watching already knows mine. Once it has changed then make my ip static and reset the router so everyone had a different ip from me and block the entire range using comondo.

Also I am the only person that knows the login info for the router settings.

another thing you can do since you control the router is mac address filtering, yes it may only work for wireless but you can at least have peace of mind that there will be lower chance of anyone else using wireless to watch you, and set it up to block all and only allow your mac address. also if you got comodo personial fire wall put it in paranoid mode and go through and block all connections and only allow things you recognize/need to talk to your family/email or what ever you have to do on the web, and of course unplug the ethernet cable just enough so it looses connection to the router but appears to still be plugged in


other ideas will be posted as i think of them...


oh yea could always set your router to only allow him access to the internet at specific times of the day, if you really wanted to start getting evil set up a home built firewall like PFsense or ClearOS (I use clearOS) and get really restrictive with his/her connection...

do you even lock your computer when you walk away?