How to tell if your wireless router has been hacked

With Wireless Routers quickly becoming the standard for home networking almost as many are being hacked and used by people who do not want to pay for internet.

A very easy way to tell if it has been hacked is to log into the router.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wireless routers user guide or setup CD.
• Download user guide from manufacturers web site.

1. Find your setup disk or download the instructions from the manufacturers site.

2. login to the router using the manufacturers instructions. If you never setup security the settings are in the instructions.
   
   If you cannot login, then you have probably been hacked as one of the first things hackers will do is change the admin password so you cannot easily see they have been there.

3. If you can login, find the TAB for status and or security.
   
   Look for the "DHCP Clients" list.

4. If you see in the list, some computer names you do not recognize then your router has been used by others.
   
   Many knowledgeable hackers will hardcode their IP address outside the standard DHCP Client range so they can use your network without being logged.

5. If you cannot get into the router using manufacture settings, or you changed the password and don't remember what it is. Most have a way of resetting back to factory specs.
   
   Most have a reset button that you press and hold for 5-10 seconds OR Press and hold while powering it down and then back up.

6. When router resets to factory specs, Please add security and or add mac address filtering and change factory password

Tips & Warnings

• Use your devices instructions to setup at least basic security.
• Consider utilizing mac address filtering to minimize security holes.
• if you change the factory settings it's a good idea to save a copy of the config, so in case the router has to be reset, you can reload your configuration easily.