Wireless Security, other entities showing up in Finder

[jerbarber]

I have been having a problem since I purchased my iMac about 9 months ago. Sometimes in Finder, other entities (computers, printers, time capsules) show up. I try clicking on them and it usually says "connecting" and then they disappear. At one point it said I had connected to one of them through VCN. They're all sorts of different names (i.e. David Barnett's Powerbook G4 12, kodak printer...., Robert Alvarez's Computer, etc.). We recently moved and some of the same named computers still showed up in finder on occasion. My instincts told me that even though we had a WEP connection with a password, that others had been able to crack it. So I read up and learned that a WPA2 may be more secure. So I set that up. I also set up MAC filtering and put only our computers on it and told the router not to broadcast the SSID. That was yesterday...this morning I found two new entities in Finder. What is going on? What can I do?

 

[ChrisA]

I also set up MAC filtering and put only our computers on it and told the router not to broadcast the SSID. That was yesterday...this morning I found two new entities in Finder. What is going on? What can I do?

No one was breaking into your network. It was not you who had the problem.

That stuff that you did is good (mac filtering and all) but what's happening is that other people are using un-secured networks and you are seeing their printers and computers.

I bet if you took your computer to a public library or Starbucks you'd see the library's or Starbucks router. Same thing is happening here. There is so much of his that not a few local kids are nlot bothering to buy Internet service, they just use any random un-secured wireless connection. So many people don't even bother with WEP or even making use accounts on their computer. You were in good shape before and better shape now.