Mysterious device connected to my router

Souness · 15 May 2009 at 00:54

There's someone called "Kate-PC" connected to my network, whom I stumbled across while perusing the device list in the tomato firmware of my linksys router.

I know nobody called Kate so I assumed it was one of the neighbours who happened to connect to my wireless by accident (I was previously using the cabled connections on my router and had only just activated the wireless mode, not having gotten around to setting the password for the encryption thingy yet). I go ahead and do whoever she is a favor by setting a password and restarting the router. I checked the device list again and she was gone.

Sorted, I thought, but today I checked it again out of idle curiosity and there she is again. It's giving her an IP on my network yet I have no idea how she is connected. I have changed the router password, the network password, and set it to only allow my specific mac address to connect via wireless. There is only one other device connected to the router and this is my upstairs computer. None of the other lights on my router are flashing so the only thing that's left is the wireless, but how can this be when I have set multiple passwords?

What is this person doing there and how can I get rid of them?

Locke · 15 May 2009 at 00:56

Hmm interesting, one quick question:

What's the IP of that particular device? (Kate-PC)

edGfaCTor · 15 May 2009 at 01:57

Did you put wpa on and set the code manual also set it that no stations are allowed accept ones on your current list.

malef!c · 15 May 2009 at 08:22

Does the 'devices' table show the MAC address (or type arp -a 192.168.x.x where its the IP of the Kate machine) and then, if your router allows MAC filtering, throw it in there and see if that bumps it off.

Not sure how they are getting on if you have encryption on - unless you are using WPA which can be cracked quite quickly.

Daegan · 15 May 2009 at 09:13

malef!c said:
unless you are using WPA which can be cracked quite quickly.

You mean WEP, WPA with a strong password should be enough.

Are you sure she's still connected and it's not maybe listing a DHCP lease yet to expire.

malef!c · 15 May 2009 at 11:22

Daegan said:
You mean WEP

I do indeed - teach me to post before coffee

J.B · 15 May 2009 at 12:21

I would have thought it's probably just hanging around while the DHCP lease expires.

Are you sure no PCs in your house are called Kate-PC? Have you had them all from new?

ShakenNstirred · 17 May 2009 at 14:21

just set the security and she will be gone

Mr-White · 17 May 2009 at 14:39

Turn on the WEP, WPA or WPA2 security (which ever you got that's the strongest) and also the access control and then only add the trusted computers you want accessing your router.

MW