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Odd IT guy behavior

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  • Security
  • WiFi
  • Business Computing
Last response: in Business Computing
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September 7, 2012 9:37:13 PM

I'd like to use the help of the vast body of knowledge you all have, plus a little abductive inference, to figure out what the following phenomenon means. It's a weird question but I hope you lot can help.

What does it mean when an IT guy walks around a call center, laptop open, checking the screen from moment to moment? I have a hunch it has to do with wi-fi testing but I don't have a way to know. At this company there's good reason to believe they may also want to monitor computer use without individual users knowing. I know there are smoother ways to do this then a walk-around guy, but I can't be sure because I'm not an IT expert. I know that recently a gigantic wi-fi port newly appeared on the ceiling of the building's lower floor.

Is my hunch right that he's testing wi-fi? Or is something else possible? I suspect something else because of the relative uselessness of having a wi-fi issue at a corp office where almost everybody has constant access to a computer with online capability.

If it helps, I caught a brief glance at the screen; it was covered with about eight vertical rows of some sort of listing in small print against a grey background - each entry couldn't have been more than 20-25 characters long judging by the space they took.

I would love to know what you lot think.

More about : odd guy behavior

a b 8 Security
September 7, 2012 9:40:54 PM

Relax, put a little more tin foil in your hat. He's only doing a wireless site survey.
September 7, 2012 9:41:16 PM

I would say you are correct, it sounds to me like he was checking signal strength. If they want to monitor what the employees are doing online it can be easily determined from "before" the wireless router (I.E. all your information and requests go into the router to the main switch/modem, and can be monitored from there without interference)
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a b 8 Security
September 7, 2012 9:44:59 PM

It does sound like he was conducting signal strength testing at various locations. It is cheaper and easier to use wireless than wired devices in many environments. Is there a hardware upgrade plan that you are aware of?
September 7, 2012 10:12:13 PM

Thank you guys very much for your answers! Sorry for the slow response. Tin foil wouldn't stay in my hat and required scotch tape. :p 

Well, there IS a big hardware and software update coming up soon, migrating xp-->win7 and putting in corei7 machx in the same fell swoop. Until you mentioned this it didn't even occur to me. Massive hole in logic as it was. But, I've had that question on my mind for a long time now, until today.

Thank you for the help. This forum is singular and indispensible.
September 7, 2012 10:12:52 PM

You're all wrong - he's just a creepy dude that's trying to find the sweet spot in the building to update his pron collection. j/k

Yeah - he's probably using a wireless heat mapper to determine the density of the signal through the area.

Though, he could just be a total toolbag. He had one of those in our department - thankfully his Visa expired. Muhahahaha!
September 7, 2012 10:15:49 PM

Dont listen to these other guys... they are all clearing "in on it"

I am sure you have stumbled onto asomething I have heard they do in MI5 and the CIA
its quite sophisticated - but you will find that they have a sort of sniffer program installed on all your machines.
Normally they just collect the data remotely...
but what this guy was doing was actually filming... so use the laptop camera to record with a very accurate time stamp.
Then... when they come and "get you" they have the evidence and you cant say it was someone else at your PC at the time.

Its in clear breach of your human rights so you should get the unions and a good lawyer involved immediately.

HTH
Cheers


September 7, 2012 11:06:33 PM

This thread needs more conspiracy theories. Seriously.
September 7, 2012 11:21:40 PM

why don't you ask next time you see him?

people-skills ftw.
September 9, 2012 5:59:48 AM

ummm i gotta say the jumping to conclusions is quite awsome here. I was working in a call center for 6 years and was high up enough to know that someone walking around with a laptop with what could be described as a "spreadsheet" is taking inventory. in our call center we actually had the money for barecode scanners but maybe they didnt have barecodes on there systems..

that to me is the most logical answer. in a call center . why the hell would you need to do a wireless signal survey ? answer that question would you? because in my call center we didn't care if our employee's couldn't get on wifi lmao
September 14, 2012 7:45:05 AM

I can guarantee he didn't give two sheets about what you were doing. I mean if he actually had an interest in your computer use he would have been reading your email and browsing your web history at his desk and not walking round with a laptop.

I'm guessing it was either a hardware inventory or a site survey. though why you would need wireless access in a call center is beyond me. I'd never let anyone plug their iphone into a business network for perosnal use.
September 14, 2012 9:58:02 AM

Wifi, hardware inventory (inc. checking asset tags are present and assigned to users) are jobs I've had to do in the past.

They may have wifi to save on cabling costs when only adding a couple of machines and only do big cabling work every few years.

@kodaz I've worked at some bigger companies where there are 2 wifi subnets, one for the domain and one totally separate one which only provides internet access. It was called a Guest network, but it was just for phones really.
September 14, 2012 10:58:04 AM

wifi testing.

congratulations you maybe one of a handful of companies who are switching to virtual desktops and allowing you to bring your own device to work!
September 14, 2012 11:02:11 AM

As the other guy just said "Just ask him what he is doing".

You might make a new friend while ur at it too!
September 14, 2012 11:09:20 AM

I can thumbs up Yoji.......... love the idea........ and would love to join you at work...... :) 
And on one hand..... "IT guy Behavior" as we all know is now a new genetic disorder in itself.....
September 22, 2012 2:23:11 AM

Realy what a nice post ..........
!