WIRELESS SECURITY

[Reply2me]

I need to know if my roommate can access my files within my pc from his Linksys router installed on it. The router is connected through an ethernet and comcast cable modem to my pc. When I type in the IP used to see the securities, a box pops up for user and password and the user in not the one we set up, therefore no user or password to enter. We didn't use the standard admin, or key they provided. I created those for him.
Now with the Linksys installed, I only see we share the same local connection since nothing shows up in the network connections, but how do I make sure I am secure from him and his friends hacking into my pc? We installed the software using his flash drive to my desktop while his laptop was plugged into mine using 2 ethernets, yet no files are to be found of Linksys in my pc. Actually, we are using 2 ethernet connections, one from his router to my pc, the other from his router to the cable modem so we can both recieve internet. His brother in law is a tech genius (so I'm told) so I'm wondering if he's taught how to gain access.

He installed a Belkin router on my pc before this and I disabled it because I found files from his laptop in my pc, so I figured it worked both ways and he could access mine. I discovered he had set himself up in a workgroup network with me which shared files and printers.

 

[eibgrad]

If someone has PHYSICAL ACCESS to your equipment, they ALWAYS have the ability to get into your PC. Might not always be easy, might not be direct, might not even be immediately apparent if they’re clever enough, but given enough time and motivation, once someone has physical access, all bets are off.

Case and point. It doesn’t matter if you secured the router with a username/password if the roommate is willing/able to use the reset button on the back of the router to return it to factory defaults (which removes all prior security)!

The best thing to do is a) never leave your machine running when not present and b) use TrueCrypt whole drive encryption to prevent authorized access and secure your data. If you do, and you use a high-quality password, it will prove extremely difficult to ever compromise your PC. This is what I do w/ my laptop just in case it’s ever lost or stolen.