Someone copying my wifi? same ssid and same MAC!

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Kilack

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#90542 23-Sep-2011 20:22

Someone has setup a wifi network using the same SSID as me plus the same MAC but currently on a different channel, but what if it goes to the same channel?.

I know that is very easy to do, what I don't know is if my computer does try to connect to this fake AP will my password be given that he can use? its a bit disturbing..
He must have a pretty powerful AP because at times his signal is stronger than mine...

What do I do? if its the same MAC etc my pc could & probably will try and connect to it..

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#525192 23-Sep-2011 21:34

Occam's razor - not your router transmitting on two channels!?

Try changing the SSID - if it changes on both immediately you have your answer

Kilack

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#525217 24-Sep-2011 07:12

itxtme: Occam's razor - not your router transmitting on two channels!?

Try changing the SSID - if it changes on both immediately you have your answer

Definitely not mine, I can turn my AP off and this one still remains :) and often theirs is weaker but comes and goes in strength. A while ago someone was using SSID's to print messages about the world cup etc. I assume its the same people moving onto more fun.

Obviously extremely easy to do with 3rd party firmware like dd-wrt or tomato.

clowns..

chevrolux

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#525394 24-Sep-2011 18:35

how do they do the same mac address?

*showing my noob-ness*

tigercorp

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#525396 24-Sep-2011 18:52

Kilack: ...

A while ago someone was using SSID's to print messages about the world cup etc. I assume its the same people moving onto more fun.

...

clowns..

I remember that thread. So did you end up changing your SSID with a response? What was it? :D

kyhwana2

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#525426 24-Sep-2011 21:32

Odd. Try getting an app/program to show signal strength, turn off your wifi AP and walk around till you find where the other AP with your SSID/MAC is..

richms

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#525427 24-Sep-2011 21:37

Nothing you can do about this happening. Its just one of the many many inherent problems in the design of wifi that there is no certification at the scanning stage of AP's, so its trivial to disrupt peoples ability to use the internet by doing what you are seeing.

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heydonms

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#525608 25-Sep-2011 19:08

chevrolux: how do they do the same mac address?

Most network cards are able to have their MAC address changed temporarily (i.e. they revert to the hard coded one after a reboot). All you need is software to actually do it, most routers don't ship with such software but if you can load a custom firmware or if your PC can act as a wireless access point then it's not too hard.

On the original topic, could you just disable SSID broadcasting and then change the SSID to something else?

richms

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#525629 25-Sep-2011 21:02

I dont think that would help as just having a second one with the same mac as the AP is enough to break peoples wifi, the SSID just breaks it more.

Richard rich.ms

oxnsox

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#525640 25-Sep-2011 21:28

Do you have another AP???
Configure your second one differently and use that. If you know where your scamming neighbour is, leave your cloned unit turned on but put it on the side of the house closest to them. That way they'll still see it and think they're ruining your connection......

nakedmolerat

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#525641 25-Sep-2011 21:31

Kilack: Someone has setup a wifi network using the same SSID as me plus the same MAC but currently on a different channel, but what if it goes to the same channel?.

I know that is very easy to do, what I don't know is if my computer does try to connect to this fake AP will my password be given that he can use? its a bit disturbing..
He must have a pretty powerful AP because at times his signal is stronger than mine...

What do I do? if its the same MAC etc my pc could & probably will try and connect to it..

go to police station and make a formal complaint.

richms

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#525649 25-Sep-2011 21:57

nakedmolerat:

go to police station and make a formal complaint.

and say what exactly? I guess you could claim copyright on your SSID but thats a stretch I would think.

Richard rich.ms

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heydonms

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#525654 25-Sep-2011 22:06

richms: I dont think that would help as just having a second one with the same mac as the AP is enough to break peoples wifi, the SSID just breaks it more.

Are you sure? I can see how having two devices with the same MAC on the same network would cause trouble, or if you were using infrastructure mode where the MAC acts as the station identifier but I thought that with a simple residential device association was done using the SSID.

Of course, now that I think about it, the fact that they are spoofing the MAC address in the first place means they are reasonably tech savvy, and could probably sniff the new SSID anyway.

richms

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#525663 25-Sep-2011 22:35

Yeah, I had problems when I copied the openwrt configs between devices so ended up with 2 the same which I didnt notice while setting everything else up, It would look associated but just not work. If only one was in range it was fine, but both of them in range and it would just die. You could tell it was all whack because if I was right beside one router, it would show association with the other one but the signal was full, when it should have been 1 bar because the other one was so far away.

Richard rich.ms

Kilack

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#525685 26-Sep-2011 08:48

OK so I have had to shutdown my wireless basically.
They started running my ssid/channel/MAC but took all encryption off.
My machines were getting way confused and started connecting to their AP at times and on a unencrypted channel. Other times it looked like one of machines thought it was connected to a wpa2 network but in fact wasn't even on my AP...
I did try changing ssid and even removing it but yeah they matched it several hours later and I can't take the risk of having things going through someone elses network. We have quite a few wireless devices in this house.

That is such a massive flaw in the way wireless networks work...

Anyone can do it too, doesn't exactly take much skill.

They are copying several other SSID's from other ap's around here too.... and I bet most people wouldn't even notice unlike me....

richms

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#525728 26-Sep-2011 11:48

You might get somewhere with the not cause intentional interference part of the GURL, thats if you could get the MED spectrum management guys interested.

Richard rich.ms

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