A while ago I got called to a client with the complaint of “not able to connect to the internet.”

The setup turned out to be unusual. A PC in the lounge connect via ethernet to a D-LINK router which had a D-LINK wireless (WiFi) adapter added.

There was a second PC at the opposite end of the house connecting to the router via a USB Wireless Adapter and this was the one not working

I found a bunch of malware and evidence of a lot of porn so was not surprised it was faulty.

Returned with it to my workshop and connected to my network, then spent several hours scanning and cleaning with various anti-malware and antivirus programs.

I also was not happy the 3rd Party firewall so uninstalled it and installed a new one. I was able to see my wireless network so I returned to the house and reinstalled the box and found the wireless adapter was working again.

Great!!!!

I had a look at what networks were visible and found 4. Two had unique names and 2 were just D-LINK. All were strong but only one of the 4 was secured so I had the client watch while I powered off the router and restarted it.

As I suspected it was one of the unsecured D-LINK’s.

I went to the lounge computer and tried to get into the router but found it was password protected. It appears he was with a new “Partner” and the Lounge computer was hers. He rang her at work but she had no idea what the password was.

I extracted the email password and tried it but that was no good so we rang again and was told her next day off was the following Saturday.

I suggested that I call then, and we would phone her ISP’s help line and get them to issue a temporary password then I would reset the router and set it all up again. I arranged for her to phone me on the Friday and confirm that she would be home.

I was paid for what I had done and left.

Friday came and nothing…

I rang on Saturday but no reply so called on Monday and she apologised but she had forgotten, so the arrangement was to be repeated the next weekend.

There was no call so I gave up and can only presume it is still running unprotected.