DHCP Client List

[Hapeng]

Hey guys im new here and im not sure if this is the right place for this.

Im currently using a belkin router modem and noticed that an unknown pc is connected to my network as i see him on my DHCP Client List, can this be one of the seeders/peers?

[The UnUsual Suspect]

No, it's not. All bitcomet peers reach you via tcp or udp internet connections. If you have someone connecting directly to your LAN, then either you have an unsecured wireless connection (very unwise) or you've been hacked.

Assuming your using wireless, setup encryption in your router. If your using encryption, then change your password/keys asap.

An additional security option would be to restrict connections to only the MAC addresses of your computers.

[kluelos]

Because of the nature of wireless, it is entirely possible that this connection is entirely innocent.

Wireless Network Interface Cards are set by default, to latch onto the strongest wireless signal that they can detect. Since WiFi has a range of only about 300 feet or so at best, that signal is USUALLY and PRESUMPTIVELY, the one from your own wireless router. But suppose your router goes down for some reason, and you don't realize that?

Then, the strongest signal your wireless NIC can find is your neighbor's wireless router. He has not secured his router either, so your card hops aboard his connection. It's quite possible for this to happen for a long time without you ever necessarily noticing this. Your own router might be down for hours, or days, or weeks, or months before you happen to notice that it is down. Or, the power goes out, comes back on, this resets your router, and next time you boot up, you connect to your own router again.

You've been using your neighbor's network connection for months, but neither of you ever noticed. You never intended to, you didn't even know that you were. IF you look at it today, you're not. So if your neighbor tells you that you have been using his connection all this time, you might not even believe him. But the only evidence of that on your system would be very subtle, if there even is any.

I oppose laws that make this kind of thing illegal, because it can happen by accident and without any intent. If you have not secured your own network, then you haven't bothered to put up a "No Trespassing" sign, and don't have any business complaining about trespassers. You shouldn't be able to either sue them or prosecute them if you haven't taken the basic steps to secure your network. Not knowing any better isn't an excuse.

Chances are good that if you simply kick this unknown device off of your network, it won't come back.

MAC address authorization usually allows not just specifying of permitted MAC addresses, but also allows blocking by MAC address, so you can specifically block this one if it does tend to come back.

Even THAT doesn't mean it's intentional -- it might just mean that your neighbor still hasn't noticed that his router is down. Why should he? As far as he can tell, his internet connection has been working. Nothing necessarily tells him that it's your internet connection, not his, that he's been using.