Fun with Wi-Fi

[Dolomite_supafly]

So as my wife was driving me around the other day I noticed my iPhone was polling people's routers. It would tell me the router name and ask to connect. I never do even though most are not secured. That got me thinking that if I am getting their information what information are they getting from me.

So when I got home I checked my router and my name was on my router so I assume my it will be on other people's routers. Also, there were several questionable devices in the connection list but they did not connect but showed up in the list.

That got me to thinking that I had had better change my name on my phone so when it tries to connect to someone else's router it will not have my name. And while I was at it I changed my router name as well. But I decided to have some with it.

So my new name for my phone is "DEA Surveilance Van #8" so as I drive by routers it will show up in their device list. After changing it I checked my router and that is what it says.

Along with that I changed my router's name to "DEA Camera #5". I am going to turn the range up so it will show up on people's phones as they drive by. Should make things interesting for the druggies living a few houses away and making daily runs.

[raildog]

Thats funny. This guy iuse to know had his named S&M room his the people next door would always give him dirty looks they were stuck up a holes Edited March 20, 2015 by raildog

[btq96r]

I always put generic names on anything that is shown in a connection, usually the manufacturer or model if the generic setup isn't obscure enough.  My phone shows up as android-(lots of letters and numbers), the SSID of the access point for my wireless modem is WAPR300N.  Nothing special given away for anybody to see at a casual glance.

[Omega]

Your router should not be broadcasting it's ID, if you want someone to connect you will tell them your router ID and password.  That setting is available to most routers, but its best to access the routers settings through a hard line not via Wi-Fi.   As for your phone, only the phone name should show and I think it records the MAC address if you connect.

[felinesNfreedom]

Hide yo kids Hide you WiFi

[btq96r]

As for your phone, only the phone name should show and I think it records the MAC address if you connect.

 

Correct.

 

If people really want to get secure, they should go into the advanced settings on their wireless modem and set the MAC address filter to permit only the MAC address' you provide it.  But that would mean you need to get the MAC from every device in your house, and from your friends if you want them to be able to connect to your wi-fi when they visit.  Since every MAC is unique, it really locks down your network.

[Ted S.]

I've seen several open networks show up on my phone by the name NSA Surveillance"

[KahrMan]

I use FBI Surveillance Van for my home network.

[Dolomite_supafly]

My router does not broadcast or at least did not. I might broadcast and turn up the signal strength to see if the traffic slows on my dead end road. Not saying we have a bunch of traffic but a lot more than what we should have.

[Tempest455]

I did this years ago. Mine is NSA. Freaks people out when they come over the 1st time and look for a signal on their I phone.

[E4 No More]

Set your wireless router/WAP to not broadcast your SSID and enable WPA2 encryption and then they won't see you. If you have friends come over you can tell them the SSID and password for you WiFi if you want them to access it.

 

Unless you just want to screw with people using creative names. :)

[Sam1]

When I step out of the house, my phone wifi is disabled.  In the home everything is secured, but it also does not broadcast the SSID, so unless someone is running a scanning program, our home network doesn't show up for anyone.

[Sam1]

Set your wireless router/WAP to not broadcast your SSID and enable WPA2 encryption and then they won't see you. If you have friends come over you can tell them the SSID and password for you WiFi if you want them to access it.

 

Unless you just want to screw with people using creative names. :)

 

Ha, posted at the same time as I did

[eapking]

Btw, jumping on a neighbor's unsecured WiFi is called Warring by the geeks, and I think it's technically illegal.

[z0mbies fear me]

That's hilarious when I first got my new phone, drones were all over the news so mine was immediately named "DEA Surveilance Drone #1372"

[ProfEngr]

I've seen NSA Substation at a hotel before. And when I worked a few jobs in Auburn near the university, there was one called Ass Grabbers Faggots Fanclub. Go figure. Back then I left my highgain antenna scanning from Montgomery on the drive home. Out of 2000+ hotspots over 50% were open.

[vontar]

Similar to what I did,   Living in Oak Ridge some of my favorite naming included things like ORPD Mobile Unit 4,

[Dolomite_supafly]

Btw, jumping on a neighbor's unsecured WiFi is called Warring by the geeks, and I think it's technically illegal.

Who is jumping on a neighbor's wifi?

 

I normally do not broadcast but I will enable it for a bit to screw with people.

[eapking]

Just an FYI, that's all.

[monkeylizard]

I use FBI Surveillance Van for my home network.

 

You and 20 other homes in our 'hood. If I didn't know better, I'd think we live in Quantico.

Edited March 21, 2015 by monkeylizard

[KahrMan]

You and 20 other homes in our 'hood. If I didn't know better, I'd think we live in Quantico.

I've been using it for years. Everybody else is copying me. (At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it)

[Tncobra]

I change friends names all the time. Seems a lot of routers have the default password. :)

[vontar]

Btw, jumping on a neighbor's unsecured WiFi is called Warring by the geeks, and I think it's technically illegal.

 

 

yup.  Example.

 

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2007/05/michigan-man-arrested-for-using-cafes-free-wifi-from-his-car/

 

 

"A Michigan man is being prosecuted for using a cafe's free WiFi... from his car."

 

"Coincidentally, the cafe owner that Peterson was leeching WiFi off of didn't even realize that what Peterson was doing was a crime at the time. Neither did the police officer. "I had a feeling a law was being broken, but I didn't know exactly what," Sparta police chief Andrew Milanowski told the TV station."

[jtmaze]

I have mine set up to not broadcast. I have hughes net and very limited use per day. If you are in my house and want to search the name is 0U812

[Erik88]

Someone near me has one called "you wish".