Guests on WiFi

Joo0

Whats the best way to allow people visiting your house to access WiFi with compromising the security of the network?

topmanamillion

Give them the password, change it after they leave.

Joo0

topmanamillion wrote: »

Give them the password, change it after they leave.

Would it be easy for them to snoop while on the network? or would my IP address become linked with their accounts/anything they do?

robertowjr

I recently got a router that had an option to have guest networks, which is a great feature to keep my network secure.

I know that this might not help your case but it's a good option if you have the opportunity, the one I bought is the Asus AC87U.

topmanamillion

Joo0 wrote: »

Would it be easy for them to snoop while on the network? or would my IP address become linked with their accounts/anything they do?

What do you think they'll be doing?
They won't get access to your computer(s) unless you allow it in your Internet settings.
There IP is specific to their computer.

Joo0

robertowjr wrote: »

I recently got a router that had an option to have guest networks, which is a great feature to keep my network secure.

I know that this might not help your case but it's a good option if you have the opportunity, the one I bought is the Asus AC87U.

Would the two networks both have different IP addresses?

Joo0

topmanamillion wrote: »

What do you think they'll be doing?
They won't get access to your computer(s) unless you allow it in your Internet settings.
There IP is specific to their computer.

Download movies etc illegally.

Joo0

I am concerned about this due to the work I do. Checks could be done and downloading wouldn't look good.

topmanamillion

Right, we'll I would ask them not to download anything illegally on your network.
If they aren't willing to do this don't give them access.
I'm assuming your talking about checks on your computers/electronic devices and this is a home network?
What they are doing on your network won't show up on your computers activity.

I'll give you scenario just to explain a bit better.
Say your guests download illegal movies and are caught. Their IP would lead back to them and you may be asked were they using your network. A simple yes and I warned them not to do anything illegal would leave you clear.

People aren't liable for what other people do on their networks. If that was the case public WiFi wouldn't be possible.

pah

I'll give you another scenario. Pal connects to my WiFi and while he's on it uploads a couple of illegal pictures to a dodgy site.

A few weeks later the cops arrive with a warrant because it was traced to my IP. Now I might insist it wasn't me and I might even be able to assist them with who it could have been, but all my ICT equipment is going with them regardless. It can take years to get stuff analysed and returned.

topmanamillion

pah wrote: »

I'll give you another scenario. Pal connects to my WiFi and while he's on it uploads a couple of illegal pictures to a dodgy site.

A few weeks later the cops arrive with a warrant because it was traced to my IP. Now I might insist it wasn't me and I might even be able to assist them with who it could have been, but all my ICT equipment is going with them regardless. It can take years to get stuff analysed and returned.

That's a nightmare scenario and thankfully it doesn't happen much. It could just as easily happen with someone hacking into your network.

the_pen_turner

iv a funny little story that might be relivent.

a fellow I knew used to into peoples houses as friends then get the passwords , save them.

then go around in the night seeing if anybody had their printers online.
then sent dirty pictures to be printed. usually a hundred or so.
if they didn't spot it the printer would print away.

it was funny but really annoying.

nuckeythompson

pah wrote:

A few weeks later the cops arrive with a warrant because it was traced to my IP. Now I might insist it wasn't me and I might even be able to assist them with who it could have been, but all my ICT equipment is going with them regardless. It can take years to get stuff analysed and returned.

It has to relate to a Mac address. Same as downloading. You must be in possession of the download. Illegal downloading is based on the Mac address on the device. You could also block these sites in your network

syklops

nuckeythompson wrote: »

It has to relate to a Mac address. Same as downloading. You must be in possession of the download. Illegal downloading is based on the Mac address on the device. You could also block these sites in your network

Can you backup that statement somehow? If the MPIAA detect you have been torrenting one of their films, they arent going to be able to see the MAC address used, they will just have the IP address. Movie piracy is unlikely to be of much interest to the cops but something more serius like Child porn or some form of hacking might be, in both cases the authorities are unlikely to have the MAC address of the device that did it, they will just have the IP it originated from.

As for "You must be in posession of the download", no. All the cops need is susicion of wrong doing for them to seize your equipment and search through it. Anyone I know who had equipment seized during an investigation waited months and in some cases years before it was returned. Highly inconvenient, especially if you are completely innocent.

OP, my wifi router has a guest mode on it. In fact, I have a spare router which Im selling on adverts which also has guest mdoe if you are interested, however, as per above, its still going to be the same public IP Address so you have the same risks if your guests get up to nefarious activities.

Rgb.ie

Joo0 wrote: »

Would it be easy for them to snoop while on the network? or would my IP address become linked with their accounts/anything they do?

Yes, it is trivial to snoop on your network if they're connected to it.

pah

Is it possible to get a router that will log everything for you? DDWRT based maybe. That way at least you could assist any investigation, provide mac address for the alleged time etc

liamo

In addition to a router with "guest mode", you could consider using OpenDNS (or other service) to restrict the types of site that users can visit.

However, you may be overestimating the risk to your network from visitors. Really, what is the likelihood that a visitor to your house will abuse your hospitality to the extent that his online activity might attract the attention of law enforcement?

If you really think that it's likely (or, at least, not unlikely) then perhaps you shouldn't permit your visitors to use your WiFi.

Joo0

Do regular home modems log content viewed?

anvilfour

Hi OP!

I have the same issue as my partner and I sub-let a room.

Firstly get yourself a router, preferably one with DD-wrt installed on it. If you don't feel like flashing firmware you can find one on eBay. This turns a very cheap router into one with lots of super features.

You can then set up a new guest network with various policies e.g you can limit the download speed as I do for my housemate to make sure it's fine for regular browsing, e-mail, Youtube etc. but excruciatingly slow for downloading large files. Also you can filter certain websites based on keywords if you wish e.g ".torrent".

If your visitors have an issue with this, they can always just get themselves a 3G modem and download whatever they want over their own connection!

anvilfour

Joo0 wrote: »

Do regular home modems log content viewed?

I assume you mean routers? Well no.. but your ISP might monitor you visiting certain websites and also your network traffic... also there are companies which track IP's downloading films and music, then contact your ISP to ask for your information... Of course if you know what you're doing evading this sort of thing is trivial but your guests may not be as comfortable with computers as you are.

anvilfour

pah wrote: »

Is it possible to get a router that will log everything for you? DDWRT based maybe. That way at least you could assist any investigation, provide mac address for the alleged time etc

Hi pah,

I'm glad you asked this as I got a dd-wrt router last month and I have been playing around with it. The short answer is yes, you could use your router in combination with a program like Wireshark to capture all network traffic but it's too easy to fake such records after the fact - much better to have a separate guest network and let your guests get on with it.

I have found the best way to stop my flatmates from downloading copyrighted content is just to throttle the speed of their guest network. If they want to watch a film/listen to music they can just use the TV which is plugged directly into the router.

worded

If I can ask a question without hijacking ...

Any way to stop someone streaming loads of foreign TV and hogging the bandwidth using dd-wrt ?

anvilfour

worded wrote: »

If I can ask a question without hijacking ...

Any way to stop someone streaming loads of foreign TV and hogging the bandwidth using dd-wrt ?

See here:

http://markmaunder.com/2011/01/26/how-to-reliably-limit-the-amount-of-bandwidth-your-room-mate-or-bad-office-colleague-uses/

timmywex

Good post by Troy Hunt on this topic here today.... http://www.troyhunt.com/2015/12/no-you-cant-join-my-wifi-network.html

anvilfour

timmywex wrote: »

Good post by Troy Hunt on this topic here today.... http://www.troyhunt.com/2015/12/no-you-cant-join-my-wifi-network.html

Timmy

This is an excellent article many thanks... particularly with regard to how a good natured guest could fall prey to a browser exploit... more IT savvy people know how to install browser extensions to prevent this and not click on the wrong thing.

Capt'n Midnight

If both of ye have Virgin at home then http://support.virginmedia.ie/app/answers/detail/a_id/794/~/what-is-horizon-wi-free%3F?q2=wi-free

if they don't have Virgin then you could give them your password and they'll then leach off your neighbour as you can't connect to your own AP

they can't browse the network, but you could still have problems if they do something naughty

Joo0

anvilfour wrote: »

Timmy

This is an excellent article many thanks... particularly with regard to how a good natured guest could fall prey to a browser exploit... more IT savvy people know how to install browser extensions to prevent this and not click on the wrong thing.

Amazing the damage that can be done with a click! A guest visiting a free streaming site clicks on an ad and ****e gets in. It won't be long before companies like rightscorp will be harassing Irish internet users. With cases that I have read on its the bill payer who is in trouble. Difficult to say it was someone else without the proof.

anvilfour

Joo0 wrote: »

Amazing the damage that can be done with a click! A guest visiting a free streaming site clicks on an ad and ****e gets in. It won't be long before companies like rightscorp will be harassing Irish internet users. With cases that I have read on its the bill payer who is in trouble. Difficult to say it was someone else without the proof.

Good point Joo0, you most likely wouldn't be believed.

Perhaps in the US where an IP address is not considered enough to identify someone as a criminal it would be different but as far as I know the point hasn't been tested here in Ireland?

I've found a combination of using the browser extensions uBlock Origin and Disconnect prevent 99% of pop ups/tracking cookies but you never know!

endacl

pah wrote: »

I'll give you another scenario. Pal connects to my WiFi and while he's on it uploads a couple of illegal pictures to a dodgy site.

A few weeks later the cops arrive with a warrant because it was traced to my IP. Now I might insist it wasn't me and I might even be able to assist them with who it could have been, but all my ICT equipment is going with them regardless. It can take years to get stuff analysed and returned.

You need better friends. Not better internet security!