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Strange device on Network

FoolishlyWise
Grafter
Posts: 256
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎16-02-2010

Strange device on Network

Evening all (havent been on here for about a year or two ah)
Have three computers running Windows 8 (one central storage hub, one print server computer thing and my gaming desktop) - all updated and everything. Desktop is a dual boot Windows 7 and 8.
-Issue? I'm having some odd device show up on my network - ONLY on Windows 8 PC's. Its called 'occam'. Naturally, thought there was some wireless intruder so went and changed the wifi password. But its still there.
Oddly, I googled it and found this (http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windowsrt8_1-networking/device-occam-shows-up-in-my-network/9ab4cbb7-c8e1-49f4-ab48-7f3c1371aede) - someone else has the same device on their network (99.99% sure its no one from my street posting on the MS forum).

Odd or? Anyone else have this?
(dont have a Nexus 4, but do have a Nexus 7 - the MAC address is different on the device from what is displayed) 
10 REPLIES 10
picbits
Rising Star
Posts: 3,432
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Registered: ‎18-01-2013

Re: Strange device on Network

Could it possibly be a bluetooth device ?
Do you have bluetooth on your machine and is it enabled ?
A pure guess but a while ago my laptop picked up some of the neighbours devices which freaked me out a bit.
*Edit - have you also checked on the list of devices on your router to see if anything by that MAC address has connected via wireless ?
FoolishlyWise
Grafter
Posts: 256
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎16-02-2010

Re: Strange device on Network

Nope, none of the affected computers have bluetooth. The MAC doesnt appear anywhere on the connected devices bit anywhere.
Baffling  Huh
pwatson
Rising Star
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Registered: ‎26-11-2012

Re: Strange device on Network

Try looking up the MAC in one of the online checker tools (Google 'mac address lookup') and see if they reveal the manufacturer of the rogue kit?
picbits
Rising Star
Posts: 3,432
Thanks: 23
Registered: ‎18-01-2013

Re: Strange device on Network

From what it appears reading through the Microsoft post, if someone nearby has a phone that attempts to connect to your network, even though it hasn't authenticated and does not have access it can still appear as a device in your network devices on certain machines.
Very strange though and a little disconcerting !
NedLudd
Grafter
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Registered: ‎20-10-2012

Re: Strange device on Network

Could it be a camera, one that can download via wifi?  Cheesy
Geoff,
York.
nanotm
Pro
Posts: 5,756
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Registered: ‎11-02-2013

Re: Strange device on Network

do you have bluestacks or some other android emulator on one of your pc's ?
I ask because most of the working emulators run as a vm instance complete with a mac code for the type of device your pretending to use (mine runs as a Samsung galaxy note 2) as a virtual network adaptor, the pc its loaded on doesn't list the device however every other pc in the network show it as an extra device in the network .....
given the number of people complaining about a spurious nexus device on their network map I would wonder how many of them have an android emulator and just didn't make the connection Tongue
just because your paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you
pwatson
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Registered: ‎26-11-2012

Re: Strange device on Network

Just how likely do you think this scenario is?  Roll_eyes
From what I've read, the 'problem' only affects Windows 8 and is completely benign (though never fully explained)
NedLudd
Grafter
Posts: 1,898
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Registered: ‎20-10-2012

Re: Strange device on Network

Here it is! Wink
Geoff,
York.
pwatson
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Posts: 2,470
Thanks: 8
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Registered: ‎26-11-2012

Re: Strange device on Network

I was going to suggest that it's clearly a joke on the part of an ex-Motorola employee but your link gives the game away  Smiley
FoolishlyWise
Grafter
Posts: 256
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎16-02-2010

Re: Strange device on Network

Ah, I did some digging. My digging got me nowhere (no change there if I'm honest!)
I don't have an Android emulator installed or running - so nothing there!
MAC address leads me to LGE (makers of the Nexus 4, codenamed 'occam' (apparently)
Indeed, seeing it only on Windows 8 (same PC dual-boots 7 - need to retain some sanity), nothing on 7.
Occam's razor  - good bit of philosophy there! (not my cup of tea, much rather prefer political or religious philosophy  Wink )

Still confused though, why on earth would such a device be there on a Windows 8 PC but not the same unit running Windows 7? I shall temporarily imagine an ex-Moto employee is living on my street and place silent blame on them  Grin