Router/computer question

[Scott Douglas]

Here's the deal. Our router has been real flakey so I requested a new one be sent from our service provider.

They sent a new one, same as the old one, and I hooked it up.

Got my computer to connect no problem via my home wiring gizmo that allows me to connect via an ethernet cable and the house wires. It works fine.

Now, my wife's computer is supposed to be hooked up via a direct ethernet cable so we're a little more secure when she does the banking (humor me on this even if we aren't a little more secure, I like to think we are).

I've hooked hers up and yet it shows the old router name in the Win 10 connections box that slides out from the right side of the screen. It also shows the new router name and a WI-FI connection.

I shut off the wi-fi on the computer, and yet the old router name connection is still there and we still have internet access, I'm assuming via that connection.

What gives?

The old router is sitting in the box ready to go back to the provider.
How can it still be 'working' when it's not in the equation?

Any help would be appreciated.
I'd like to know if hers is hard wired or not. She does all our banking via her computer.

Or am I just kidding myself thinking it even matters?

[nota]

no the old router is NOT powered or hooked up so does nothing now

my router failed a few days ago replacement I was pleased came about 14 hours

[Scott Douglas]

I know the old router is not doing anything now that it's in the box.

I'm wondering why it still shows up on the computer as a working connection.

[nota]

my router failed a few days ago

new unit required new name/code and password for connection to each computer/tv/xbox ect

did you do that ?

[Scott Douglas]

Yes, everything is connected just fine, even both our tablets.

What worries me is that my wife's computer shows two connections to the internet.
One for wi-fi, the other for ethernet. I shut off the wi-fi one, which has the new router name attached to it. The ethernet connection shows as 'connected' and has the old router name attached to it.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

I know the old router is not doing anything now that it's in the box.

I'm wondering why it still shows up on the computer as a working connection.

Have you tried deleting that "working connection"?

[Scott Douglas]

Yes.



Every time I click on the upper 'box' it takes me to the dialog box/window for the settings but there's no 'Delete' there.

[KFC911]

I've been out of the game so long.....I should just shut up....but

If you unplug the ethernet cable...does it "drop"? Names are just for us humans...in theory, the new router could have the same MAC address as the old one, or Winblows may be doing something flakey (more likely)....

Just quit worrying about it ...

[dad911]

If you are using wifi, any computer connected, even wired, is still on network.

For example my printer and server are connected via cat5 wire, no wireless, but I can still access them from a wireless laptop.

There are certain things you can (and should) do. Off the top of my head:

1) Change default router passwords and names.
2) stop broadcasting your network name.
3) Turn off 'guest' wireless.
4) Some providers (I know comcast did) broadcast a 'provider' connection, so other customers can actually access internet through your router. It isn't easy, but turn that off.

[nota]

perhaps the wired connection is not coded or passworded just the wifi is
so thinks it is the same connection my unit att bgw210 worked without any changes for wired connections

what brand router or service do you use ?

[KFC911]

^^^ Yep...this is not wireless...it's his ethernet connection.

Windoze is messin' witcha

[Scott Douglas]

OK, here's what 'cured' the 'problem'.
I brought up that dialog box you see in the picture above.
I then went over to the router and disconnected the ethernet cable to my wife's computer.
The top portion of the dialog box 'disappeared'.
I plugged the ethernet cable back in and the new router name came up with the same symbol for the connection that the old router name box was showing (ethernet).
I think we're good to go now.
Thanks for the help guys.

Stay safe. Stay home. Wash your hands.

[Scott Douglas]

So you were posting while I was typing.

Are you saying that my wired connections aren't passworded but a wi-fi connection is?

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

So you were posting while I was typing.

Are you saying that my wired connections aren't passworded but a wi-fi connection is?

That is true

[Scott Douglas]

So the wired are considered secure in that they can't be intercepted like wi-fi can be. Hence no need for password.

[red-beard]

Exactly

[Scott Douglas]

Thanks!
Appreciate the help James.

[John Rogers]

If I read all this correctly you only have the router that your service provider sent you and the computers are all wired with CAT5 cable? I have our house wired like that except for WIFI use on my iPhone when up stairs and about 45 feet away. If that case I have two signal boosters that run off a separate Asus router that is inside our ATT box. Here is what I did when the ATT box failed last year.
- When new ATT box came I shut everything off before connecting.
- There is one cable to the HD box in the living room, one to the secondary signal sender and ONE to my inside ASUS router.
- The inside router had to be told what the new box was after I changed it's name and password.

The inside router handles 99% of the security by disabling all MAC addresses except my PC, laptop (normally off) and iPhone. I change the password at least twice a year. and the ASUS router has an alarm should someone try to guess the password and try to get into my network.

Mainly I do not trust ATT for security.