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Mesh repeaters

Discussion in 'Technology Advice' started by Jim, May 12, 2020.

  1. Jim
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    Jim Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    Security Question,
    How safe is it using these new mesh repeaters? PLDT sent me three units and I'm using them to get a signal around the house and to a guest house which is occupied by a tenant.

    It seems to work but will the tenant in the guest house be able to snoop on my computer? (hack).
    I'm a little worried about my bank details being stolen, is there any software I could use?
  2. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    If all you are doing is extending your Wifi, then basically yes.

    If you are on the same LAN or WLAN you are dependant on your computer's firewall as the only barrier between your device and someone else's device.

    The real issue is that you are exposed to the other person's behaviour, if they visit dodgy websites they are inviting viruses onto your network segment which will do their damnest to break into all the devices on your network.

    You should at least have your Windows Firewall turned on you should also be running either Windows Defender anti-virus or a third party anti-virus and I would also run Malwarebytes as well it plays nicely with other anti-virus software.

    Apart from this all you could do is create subnets isolated from each other but this is just adding a hardware firewall into the mix.

    Having a decent network strategy is quite complex, your router is the boundary between your private network space and the internet and already contains a firewall of its own you need to make sure that is properly locked (with password) and that the tenant has no chance of accessing that router over the LAN, routers contain a webserver that allows you to control them and change their settings.

    Complex topic Jim.

    edit: I am assuming these are just network extenders, they might be smarter than that but I doubt it.
    Last edited: May 12, 2020
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  3. bigmac
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    bigmac Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    doesnt this apply to all of us ? i use talk talk for my internet--and have one extender upstairs. its fibre..but i know thats only as far as the local exchange--its bt landline into the house. can any neighbour hack into my local network, even without the passkey ?
  4. Jim
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    Jim Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    That's all they are Jim, extenders, but claim they work better than normal ones.
  5. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    No on the same WLAN all the data is encrypted with the same key and the same encryption scheme, Jim's problem is that he has a third party on his local network sharing the same encryption.
    Last edited: May 12, 2020
  6. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    They probably just turned up the power :) which means the range is greater, or they might actually be using more advanced aerials and wireless radios.

    My own network is cabled I only use wireless for the phones and tablets, all my laptops are hard wired to the switch (network switch) and the switch is then using CAT5 cable to the router, but my own network between my machines is on CAT6 Gigabit Ethernet, the crappy sky router is only a tenth of that which is why I bought the switch so I could move data around quickly from one machine to another.

    You probably need to get someone local who is actually good at networks to help configure things for you Jim.
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