Having your internet stolen by someone else is not uncommon. It happens all the time. People use their wireless devices to find a way to use the internet. They will find any open Wi-Fi hotspot and suck all the speed out of it. They slow down bandwidth and can even steal information from your computer or implant nasty viruses. One way to figure out if someone is mooching off of your Wi-Fi is to determine whether or not your internet slows down at certain times in the day. For instance, if your internet slows down around six o’ clock every night, it’s a good indicator that someone other than you is using your Wi-Fi.
Another way to find out if someone is using your Wi-Fi would be to check your wireless network log. If you see more devices than your own that are connected to your Wi-Fi, it will be pretty apparent that someone is stealing from you. An additional method would be to check your DHCP client table. This table will also show you which devices are connected to your Wi-Fi. If you see anything suspicious, the next step would be to get rid of the Wi-Fi thieves.
When you set up your router you will be given the option to set up a WEP key which allows you to select a password that only you know in order to access your internet. If you set up your router already and didn’t put in a WEP key you can simply unplug the router and do it then. But, if the internet thieves are persistent enough, they will find a way to hack through that pass code and into your connection. I think the best suggestion to stop thieves would be to turn off your router’s SSID broadcasting. This way no one can even detect it on their wireless devices. If none of these ideas work, you can look out your window for a suspicious car parked outside and chase them down.
