topic Hidden WI-Fi in Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc

Hidden WI-Fi

Leapy — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 15:32:51 GMT

My Wi-FI signal has always been a bit up and down in certain rooms, which I've always put down to location from the router or local WI-FI outlet.

However, I just found a hidden powerful WI-FI signal (red) on my router channel, (deep blue) which is 4.

I can't seem to move my channel to say channel 7 (which is clear), and I have tried the "smart move" on the router screen, but it still keeps me on channel 4, so is it the router can't see the hidden WI-FI?

My PN wifi is deep blue and the hidden one is red!Refreshng the smart wireless keeps in on channel 4

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Mustrum — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 15:37:09 GMT

Go to the Advanced tab, you will be able to adjust things there.

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Leapy — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 17:35:41 GMT

@Mustrum Thanks 🙂 I went to advanced and moved to channel 7 ....... and the hidden Wi-Fi moved with me!

What is going on?

Moved to channel 7...and I'm being followed by hidden Wi-Fi!

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Mustrum — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 17:40:59 GMT

Do you have a wireless printer?

Or any other wireless devices?

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Leapy — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 18:39:32 GMT

@Mustrum Lots of bits of WI-FI kit, but most is switched off and not on stand-by!

How do I find out what and where it maybe and is the hidden signal good or bad?

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat): Full quote of preceding post removed as per Forum rules.

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

ejs — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 17:46:28 GMT

That hidden wifi network is probably being broadcast from one of your own devices by design, and it will not be causing any problems.

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Mustrum — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 17:50:32 GMT

A wireless printer would be my first thing to look at, but switch them off one at a time until everything is off and the signal gone.

And I mean off, not just standby.

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Leapy — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 17:51:34 GMT

@ejs the hidden signal seems to be -15 above the PlusNet one. Is that improving the PN signal or degrading it or what?

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Leapy — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 17:55:44 GMT

@Mustrum wrote:

A wireless printer would be my first thing to look at, but switch them off one at a time until everything is off and the signal gone.

And I mean off, not just standby.

@Mustrum is there a device I can use (like a geiger counter) to pin-point the location as it maybe next door and I can't switch their stuff off 🙂

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

VileReynard — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 18:18:21 GMT

@Leapy wrote:

@ejs the hidden signal seems to be -15 above the PlusNet one. Is that improving the PN signal or degrading it or what?

The 15 above the Plusnet means that the signal is 15dB stronger than the Plusnet one - this is a big difference.

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

ejs — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 19:18:48 GMT

@Leapy wrote:

@ejs the hidden signal seems to be -15 above the PlusNet one. Is that improving the PN signal or degrading it or what?

It's not doing anything to it. It will be taking up a tiny fraction of the airtime on the channel, which will be so small you won't be able to measure any difference in speed whether it's there or not.

Most wifi apps should tell you the manufacturer of the device from looking up the first half of the network's BSSID (MAC address). That might give you a clue as to what device it might be.

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 07:07:39 GMT

@Leapy wrote:

@Mustrum Thanks 🙂 I went to advanced and moved to channel 7 ....... and the hidden Wi-Fi moved with me!

What is going on?

@Leapy Do you have anything configured as a Wi-Fi hotspot, your phone or a tablet for example?

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Leapy — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 07:54:16 GMT

@Anonymous No.

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Leapy — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 08:22:16 GMT

Is there a device I can use (like a geiger counter) to pin-point the location of the hidden signal?

I ask as it maybe something that I don't control, for example if it comes from a device next door and I can't switch their stuff off

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

idonno — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 08:31:50 GMT

@Leapy Quite obviously if you moved your channel and the unknown network moved as well, it's tied into your network.I don't use the PN hub so how it works and what control you have is an unknown to me. I could go get it out of its box if pushed.

I'd be more inclined to change the router wifi password (depends on how many devices you have, as it can be a pain to re-enter passwords to get a connection again - but needs must). Reboot the router. That, in theory, will kill anything connected / trying to connect. Presumably you are using a mobile phone to check what WiFi is available in the immediate area? Assuming you have everything turned off, does this unknown network disappear then? If it doesn't, it must be how the PN router is designed to work. Usually you can work out what network /connections are by the name.

As it is, channel 4 looked good anyway........ I don't know how secure the PN router is regarding access - was reading a post from 2017 - hopefully improved, but I tend to use access control on my router as well as the password to control who accesses the network. Passwords can be given to anyone but unless their MAC number is in my white list, they don't connect - period.

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Leapy — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 09:12:00 GMT

@idonno I see your point that if the hidden zone moves with the channel, so, when I move channels, it moves with it, so it must be linked

So both must come from a local device/s in my domain area

My strategy :- I've just downloaded some Wi-Fi analytical software for a tablet PC and I have managed to isolate the "hidden" signal as the main signal.

Now I need to check if the "hidden" signal is weak or strong in every corner of my location

When it gets strong, I will slowly turn off anything, one item at a time, and when I kill the "hidden" signal, I've found the problem so watch this space 🙂

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Baldrick1 — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 09:24:50 GMT

@Leapy

I had a similar problem of a transmission that followed my router. In my case it transmitted the MAC address as the SSID. This turned out to be my PV inverter. So that a service engineer can access it without me being present it operates as an Access Point as far as an engineer can access it with the Inverter SSID and password and so doesn't need to know my router wireless password.

Do you have any such device?

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Leapy — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 09:43:16 GMT

@Baldrick1 I don't have a PV inverter, but if I ever get one, I will keep that in mind

I have just been all over the place, up down, north, east, south and west, and have found areas where the hidden signal is weak and strong, so it is clearly coming from a known area and I'm getting warm

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 12:57:21 GMT

Have you done the obvious and turned off the Wireless on your router to see if the signal goes away? If it does then I'd say it's one of two things, a WiFi Repeater or as I asked before a Hotspot.

Re: Hidden WI-Fi

Leapy — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 13:08:33 GMT

@Anonymous Yes I did turn off the signal and the PN Wi-Fi went and that was shortly followed by the hidden Wi-Fi signal! so, I presume they are linked, and some how, the hidden signal, follows the PN Wi-Fi signal. but why are where is the current challenge