Can Someone Steal My Internet Access Using A Router?

Absolutely, and with devastating consequences. A typical home Wi-Fi signal can transmit about 150 feet from an access point or router. Walls and windows will slow it down, but if it reaches the edge of your property, it won't stop there. A router shares your Internet connection with several computers via a network cable or wireless connection. The administration area of your wireless router can be found by typing the default gateway address into a web browser. To get the default gateway type ‘ipconfig’ into a command prompt (start, accessories, command prompt on most Windows machines); on Mac OS X, go to System Preferences/Network. You'll be asked for a user name (default is admin) and/or password - usually admin or blank. From this area, the system password can be changed and the level of encryption set, and the network name (SSID) can also be altered to improve security further. The password you set should be unique and secure, with no connection to any information which has been placed onto any of your social networking sites. It is vital to set a password, especially on a Windows PC where an intruder on your wireless LAN could get into any folder that is set with file sharing enabled (as it is by default in Windows XP Home Edition). File sharing should be disabled, or restricted to certain trusted people on every folder. Many home Wi-Fi routers are equipped with firewalls, which can provide protections such as deflecting attempts to scan your PC for vulnerabilities. Anyone who gets on your wireless LAN is behind the firewall, so if their systems are laden with viruses or other malicious code it can spread over the LAN. Internet commerce sites that secure customer transactions will encrypt passwords (with https:// sites rather than http:// ones) and other information all the way from the user's browser to the store's server. Though some consumers will still choose to leave their networks open as a public service, this may possibly violate the terms of your broadband contract.

In short yes some one can steal your interenet connection if you have a wireless router. As asuka_jr said do not use WEP as that is just asking for any teenager to hack it as it is that simple and can be done in 5 mins. If you do chose wpa please use a very obscure ssid (name) for your wireless connection exampe kwp29471m. This will help people from using pre compiled rainbow tables from cracking it faster. Also for the password do not use a dictionary word or anything close to that. WPA is still susceptible to dictionary attack and wordlist attacks.  Make it complicated and random you can always write it down and put it on your router so you do not forget it.

Once you put it in your laptop anyways it saves it and you do not need to remember it. So make it complicated.

This will lower the risk of someone cracking your password.

R--t*nix

If you already have a router connected to your internet connection, and someone manages to directly connect to your router with a cable, and can route it to their computer, or to another router, then theoretically, yes they could... But unless you don't bother to look at your router to see if there is a mysterious extra cable attached to it, it'd be pretty tough.

Just remember: If you are using a wireless router, make sure it's using WPA-2 security. NOT WEP. The security level afforded by WEP is now considered to be too easy for someone to bypass, where WPA-2 is a much more secure method.

Hope that helps, and you have a great day.

Asuka Jr.

If it is a unprotected wireless network, then yes. But if your network is protected, they can't because you have to have a password for it. No one can really 'steal your internet access'.