if you have a wi-fi access point and it was not encrypted the answer would be yes they could get on line :-) how to secure the router our other learned friends would help you on that one !!!

The "100 meter light", lol, I think that's actually telling you that your network is running at 100 megabits per second :)

Computers sometimes leave their network card on even when the rest of the computer is off, so it is possible for the light to be blinking though that should only be once a minute or so max.

OK I've just looked up your Callisto router and it is not wireless, so you haven't got to be worried about the neighbours. That's unless a hole has recently appeared in the party wall with a cable running into your room :-)

Thanks guys, I'd say it is four or five times a minute, though sometimes two or three minutes appearing inactive. They can get onlin, but could they make calls? My computer and laptop has spywareblaster to stop chatlines etc.

Only thing is I've just read your post above about using your laptop in the garden? Do you mean you are browsing the web or receiving emails in the garden?

I use to to surf the web.

So how is your laptop connecting to your modem when in the garden?

I assume through the router, which is then connected to modem? So I guess you are saying it is a wireless connection!

hawick: either that, or you are connecting to somebody else's open wireless router!

Does the router have a short aerial on it -- about 2 to 4 inches long?

Manual for hawick's router:

Callisto 821

Definitely not a wireless router, and I'm sure the best Slovenia has to offer :-0

Looking for all the computer experts out there for some advice.
I have a router/macafee /spyware detector all up to date and running .(dont have wireless connection )
All of a sudden the sound of a cash machine came through my speakers
Hope you guys dont think I am drunk but is this possible
The only site I was linked up to at the time was the R/Post --- could some bastard out there know when I login to r/post site .?????

Thanks b-p

Anyone help???
My desktop is connecting fine through AOL/Belkin 54g wireless router.
The laptops in the house can connect to the router, but are restricted to local access only, no internet.
AOL have a recorded message saying they have network problems but I am not sure this is connected to my problems as my machine connects through AOL fine and the laptops are on IE, and are not working!!
Any advice please.
My ISP is AOL.
Thanks,
Alan

Alan

My best advice would be to change your ISP.

I've never used AOL, but I believe that they used to require all Internet connections to go through their proxy server. if they still have this requirement then I suspect that you need to configure each computer to use their server. Depending on your router, you may be able to configure that to use the AOL proxy, in which case the computers should connect automattically.

Hi Optimist,
Never understood a word of that!!!
I know AOL has its problems but it is useful in other respects.
The laptops were connecting fine this morning, but packed in connecting at about 8.45, so I'm guessing it isn't a config problem, and even if it were, I am clueless and a dumb blonde (or was before I went grey and bald).
Hoping its an AOL issue, but confused as hell here.
Thanks for the advice,
Alan

Alan

If they were OK this AM then it is almost certainly not an issue with your kit although you could try powering down your router just in case.

The other thing you could do is open a command window on the laptop, type ipconfig /all followed by enter and paste the result here.

Hi Optimist,
Rebooted router and laptop, to no avail.
Did as you suggested but the results are a huge list, and I cannot cut & paste to here as it is not online.
What should I be looking for on the results of that test?

Alan

PS I did notice the IP address it has is different from the one this machine has, if that is significant, but the difference is minor.

Alan

The IP address should be different from your other machine but only in the last set of figures.

The thing to check out is the default gateway and DNS addresses which should be the same as on your working machine.

On the machine that is not working, can you see your main machine in network neighbourhood?

No Optimist,
They are not networked in any true sense, the laptops simply connect via the same router as the desktop.
I will check the default gateway and DNS address now.
Thanks,

Alan

Just checked with th command prompts and they are both showing the same addresses for default gateway and DNS.
I'm starting ot think it is an AOL fault after all.
Alan

I agree but I still think it could be a proxy server issue. Either way its down to AOL

You could try to ping both yor router and an external address from wach machine and see what happens. Also can you ping each machine from the other?