Unauthorized Internet Usage question.

General Forums Off-topic Chat
#1

My internet provider, AT&T, says that my family has used 135GB of our 150GB limit. What I’m wondering is that, since we don’t watch HD videos, but just 480p or lower, do you think there is unauthorized internet usage in my home? It has wireless, but we turned that off a week ago, then I turned it back on a few days ago (about 2) for my phone.

I mainly wondering what could be going on. We’re thinking either a wifi stealer or a virus/malware on one of our PCs is the culprit. Are there any other possible culprits?

#2

I think most wireless routers have some sort of logging system. Go through the logs to see if there are any unauthorized connections

#3

yeah I think it is right , that might be some one else is also using your net, because here in my area there is lots of more shops who has WIFI connection but they don’t know how to secure those connections , so some people around here just stand near those shops and use lots of internet. :slight_smile:

I would have not answered this post if I don’t know this about my area, or yes it might be possible that your computer has some kind of virus or so.

#4

The most effective way to safeguard against unauthorized wireless usage is to set up MAC address filtering. Register all authorized devices and any that aren’t will simply not be able to log on.

#5

That limit is per month?

I have my two computers connected using Wifi to the Wifi device. This wifi device is connected with a USB cable to the router of the telephone company.
The router has IP 192.168.0.1 and the wifi device has IP 192.168.0.100
If in the browser I write as URL the IP you enter the device or are asked login (you configure that). I have these two devices configured with login.
Then you can see in each device the computers that are connected at that moment.
In my wifi device I see two computers connnected: “core2” and “quad” are the names. Correct.
In the router I see four computers connected: Correct too. Because one of them is “core2” and the other three are “quad” “Quad” and “quad”. The explanation is that in my “quad” computer I have three OS: ubuntu12.10, linuxmint14 and windows7 and everyone has “quad” as the name (probably the one with the uppercase “Quad” is windows).

So you can see in your devices who is connected. Also one of the devices, I don’t remember if it was the wifi, didn’t had login configured, so everyone could enter and change it and make my wifi their own.

If you see that really someone is connected, the best way is to configure the device to let only connect the computers that have the MAC addresses you specify (it shows this MAC address with the computer name. But beware of using such thing because you can make a difficult life for yourself easily if you really don’t know what you are doing. Go always the easy way and only use high security when attacked is my advice.

#6

What my dad found out is that the problem may actually be enforcement of an old policy than a limit that we have passed. He heard on Attack of the Show that AT&T has always had these limits, but they never enforced them before. Now they do because of things like Netflix and increased Youtube usage, especially HD videos.

So, well keep going for a while and see how it goes.

#7

If you have an Androd phone or tablet “Fing” is a great free tool that shows who/what is connected to your network. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.overlook.android.fing&feature=nav_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDNd