Re: My Network Places

First of all, WEP encryption is close to worthless. It's like locking your front door and leaving the key on top of the welcome mat.

Second, if by "non-broadcasting mode" you mean that you have set your wireless router to not broadcast its SSID, that too is a bad idea. It does not provide any security and it may cause problems, including dropped connections.

Third, as you've discovered, Windows XP does NOT require computers to be in the same workgroup in order to share files. The notion of "workgroup" is merely an administrative convenience.

If you can see someone else's files as you describe, it means that they are on the same LAN as you -- not the same ISP, the same *local* network -- and they can see your files. The problem with this is that even if you have a firewall, almost *all* home users have their firewall configured to permit traffic from any local computer. In other words, that other computer is *inside* your firewall. Until you have corrected this situtation, be sure that you are not sharing any files or printers.

If you are connecting to the Internet from your bridge (which is connected to another wireless router which in turn is actually connected to the Internet via cable, DSL, or other means), the most likely scenario is that the other computer also is connected to that router, either wirelessly or wired. Alternatively, someone may have cracked the WEP encryption on your own wireless router.

Which port on your router is connected to your bridge?

Log in to your own router's configuration utility and go to
Status > Local Network
and click the "DHCP Clients Table" button. What do you see?

Do you have access to the wireless router at the other end of your bridge? If so, log in to that router and check its DHCP Clients Table. What do you see?


mortini wrote:
Jack.....

Thanks for your reply, but I don't believe this to be the problem.

I'm WEP enabled on my wireless router for all my LAN wireless access( we have a wireless laptop).

and... I'm set to non-broadcasting mode as well. I don't have a wireless connection in the PC-box itself, so I don't believe the upgrade your referred me to would pertain to my setup.

BUT...
somehow I am seeing and having access to a neighbors computer via My Network Places.

They are not a part of my WORKGROUP (i've changed the default workgroup).
I'm hoping they can not view my shared folders, but am not sure.

In any case...

How is it that I can see them? And have access as well.
Could it be we are perpahs using the same Wireless ISP and this somehow allows me to see their computer files.

thanks again for your reply.
Rob

"Jack (MVP-Networking)." wrote:

Hi
If you can see another Wireless Connection it means that both yours and the other are not encrypted.
So make sure that your Wireless security in On and problem Gone.
From the weakest to the strongest, Wireless security capacity is.
No Security
MAC______(Band Aid if nothing else is available).
WEP64____(Easy, to "Brake" by knowledgeable people).
WEP128___(A little Harder, but "Hackable" too).
WPA-PSK__(Very Hard to Brake ).
WPA-AES__(Not functionally Breakable)
WPA2____ (Not functionally Breakable).
Note 1: WPA-AES the the current entry level rendition of WPA2.
Note 2: If you use WinXP and did not updated it you would have to download the WPA2 patch from Microsoft. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/893357
The documentation of your Wireless devices (Wireless Router, and Wireless Computer's Card) should state the type of security that is available with your Wireless hardware.
All devices MUST be set to the same security level using the same pass phrase.
Therefore the security must be set according what ever is the best possible of one of the Wireless devices.
I.e. even if most of your system might be capable to be configured to the max. with WPA2, but one device is only capable to be configured to max . of WEP, to whole system must be configured to WEP.
If you need more good security and one device (like a Wireless card that can do WEP only) is holding better security for the whole Network, replace the device with a better one.
Setting Wireless Security - http://www.ezlan.net/Wireless_Security.html
The Core differences between WEP, WPA, and WPA2 - http://www.ezlan.net/wpa_wep.html
Jack (MVP-Networking).


"mortini" <mortini@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:977E2DD2-7892-4118-BF83-2BC67937B08C@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hello...

I am using XP-Pro with latest patches/fixes.
I am hardwired to a Linksys Wireless Router which is hardwired to my Linksys
Bridge/Range-extender. I receive my internet connection wirelessly thru the
Bridge.

I just noticed that there are some folders displayed in My Network Places
that are from another computer that is not a part of my WORKGROUP. I can
access these folders and download from them. This is a huge security risk
for the owner of this computer.

I am wondering WHY i can see these folders, and if there is a possibility
that others might see my shared folders as well.

I'd like to understand what's going on and inform the owner (if I can locate
them) of this other computer of their security risk and help them solve it.

thanks in advance
rob




--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm
.