Solved Alien device in my network

[Gowanda444]

This Linksys router (showing as the E1200 next to my D-Link DIR 615) is always showing up in my network. I have no idea who or what this router is doing here. It has been showing up here for several years. I don't think it is hacking into my net. It's MAC address doesn't show up anywhere else. I have many other home nets around my location, only this one strange router shows up here.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Does your Dell have a Wireless Network adapter built in?

If so, it may be connecting to an unsecured wireless access point in your area.

 

[Gowanda444]

Affirmative

Yes my computer does have a wireless network adapter built in. It's 01:20 Hrs here, the alien Linksys device is not showing at this hour.
Here's my network adapters:

 

[UsernameIssues]

Open a command prompt window and check to see if the wireless network adapter has an IP address assigned to it.

ipconfig

 

[Gowanda444]

Affirmative

Yes, the Ethernet adapter and Wireless LAN adapter both have IP addresses.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Does the E1200 go away if you disable the wireless network adapter? (restart the computer)

 

[Gowanda444]

I see where you're going. The Linksys device is not showing at this hour, it's going on 03:00 here in the pacific northwest and I need to shut it down real soon. I will try disabling the wireless adapter later on today and see what happens. I have turned it off in the past, I don't really need it, I just like to scan the local airwaves to see who and what is out there sometimes.
If I turn off the adapter and the Linksys goes away does that mean the Linksys can't see me either?
I have a large wireless antenna attached to the card also, it is tacked to the wall behind the computer.

 

[UsernameIssues]

...If I turn off the adapter and the Linksys goes away does that mean the Linksys can't see me either?...

Yes and no.

Yes, if you are connecting to something...
...and getting an IP address from that something
...then that something can see/know several things about your computer. And if you have set that connection type to Home network, then others may see shared folders/files.

No*, if you don't complete the connection...
...you don't get an IP address
...you only look at the list of SSIDs in the area.

Your wireless network adapter should not automatically connect unless you asked it to do so at some point in the past or unless the software controlling the wireless network adapter is set to auto-connect to unsecured access points.

I did not ask if the IP address associated with the wireless network adapter starts with 169. If that is the case, then it probably was not an IP from a completed connection.


*In most cases. There are tools that let people watch every wireless network adapter that is in range as the wireless network adapters look for wireless access points.

 

[Gowanda444]

Problem solved. I opened Network and Sharing Center and clicked on "Show Full Map". Only my devices were showing on that map. Then I opened a third party software program called "Inssider" and looked for the device with the MAC address listed with the alien Linksys device. There it was. And it is the only unsecured router in that long list of nearby networks. My computers wireless card is showing it as an available network because it is unsecured. Now I wish there was some way to tell my wireless card to ignore that MAC address. Perhaps there is a way to do this.
BTW I did turn off the wireless card, by disabling it in Device Manager, and indeed the Linksys and everything else including my printers etc., disapeared from view, no reboot was necessary.

 

[UsernameIssues]

Network and Sharing Center > Manage Wireless Networks

Right click on each entry and select Remove network.

Your wireless network adapter should not get an IP address from that unsecured Wireless Access Point unless some app (or human) is telling it to do so. Without an IP address, I don't think that it will add the Wireless Access Point to the map.