Mac newbie...what the heck is this in my sidebar?!

[Piplodocus]

Hub??

Are you sure it's not your hub/router?

When I got my mac I saw this thing called "Thompson" as a PC on my network. I couldn't go into it or make any sense of it. It showed "connect as Guest", but didn't seem to do anything. I couldn't access it, do anything with it, or make it go away. In the end I worked out it's my BT Home Hub (BB modem/router/wifi-G doo-dad). It's made by SGS Thompson I believe, hence the name "Thompson"!

This was further proved by plugging a USB disk into the USB port on it and sure enough, it then showed a shared drive as part of it!

Check if this thing isn't your router/modem...

 

[Neil321]

Are you sure it's not your hub/router?

When I got my mac I saw this thing called "Thompson" as a PC on my network. I couldn't go into it or make any sense of it. It showed "connect as Guest", but didn't seem to do anything. I couldn't access it, do anything with it, or make it go away. In the end I worked out it's my BT Home Hub (BB modem/router/wifi-G doo-dad). It's made by SGS Thompson I believe, hence the name "Thompson"!

This was further proved by plugging a USB disk into the USB port on it and sure enough, it then showed a shared drive as part of it!

Check if this thing isn't your router/modem...

I have a BT Home Hub & yes your correct about about Thompson, although I'm not sure this is related to the OP's problem as i've changed my password & Thompson still shows up

 

[miamialley]

Love it!


That's good to hear. So at least you know someone has not jacked into your network.

As some have said, be sure to change the password on your Router.

WPA is better than WEP. MAC filtering also helps. Yes it can be bypassed, but still good to do.

Does your roommate's PC have remote sharing enabled?

Actually, that comment was in response to someone asking if there is a PC in my house, and there is. However, that shared volume was not my roommate's computer.

 

[miamialley]

no your picture shows "sharing" region is open/expanded. if you click the triangle, it will changed to a closed/collapsed state. (at least that's how i would word/see it.)

Sorry, I don't know what your asking me. In the picture the 'sharing' menu is expanded. I understand if I click it, it collapses, but what are you suggesting?

 

[vandozza]

Sorry, I don't know what your asking me. In the picture the 'sharing' menu is expanded. I understand if I click it, it collapses, but what are you suggesting?

that it was closed/collapsed, hence not noticing the connected volume/pc before.

 

[areusche]

It might actually be a UPnP device.

On my wireless router I see in the expandable side bar my Linksys WRT54g comes up. I can't connect to it though so it's really pointless.

 

[SFStateStudent]

+1 ^^^ I agree. I'll be on campus and I'll have 5-6 different computers showing up at the same time. Never been a problem...

 

[miamialley]

that it was closed/collapsed, hence not noticing the connected volume/pc before.

No, I'm positive it had never been connected before (or since).