Who is stealing your bandwidth?

[rpm]

http://mybroadband.co.za/news/ADSL/1573.html

 

[m0zy]

The first ISP's to offer port locking was Axxess & Webafrica about a year ago

 

[lordnokon]

IS also have this in place -

 

[XCentricdave]

In addition to mismanagement

I use imaginet and they have port locking - as I discovered when I moved house! Not sure about locking to a list of multiple ports, but then my router sits in one house and generally doesn't move about.

I don't think a technical solution is required for people who give other people their username and password - would they give someone else their online banking details 'Could you just transfer the money I owe you and log out?'.

IIRC however that it is/was possible to obtain username/password information from some Linksys wireless routers via SNMP, which generally would not be the fault of the owner.

On another point how would I go about changing my ADSL connect password? This would be good security practice, since the original password was emailed to me. Where does that password live - is it at my ISP or with SAIX, or somewhere in the middle? (i'll admit, like many I can be complacent about passwords and have not looked into it, and it may be really easy.)

 

[Vie]

I can confirm that Imaginet has had this in place for a little while as well. I currently have my account set up such that my mum just uses the same account as me since I rarely hit my cap and she hardly uses much bandwidth.

I remember the original Marconi modems that Telkom supplied with ADSL, and their nasty default security settings. Remote connections were allowed and the modem had a standard username and password... Was absolutely pathetic. Nevermind that fact, it was an awful awful device that hung continuously... but anyway, I digress.

Dave, you'll have to contact your ISP (not SAIX) who will reissue a new one for you - I don't think you'll have the luxury of picking one of your own, but thats fine, probably more secure that way (in case someone sniffs your "standard" password from some other service). I suspect that they will probably require some sort of identity confirmation, possibly even to the extreme of faxing them a copy of your ID book.

 

[Nod]

This is all good and well. Problem I had though, was that Telkom decided to change my circuit, causing my ADSL to stop working. A solution was just a phone call away however.

 

[guest2013-1]

The problem with port locking is that Telkom (without prior notification) may re-create your port. This is sometimes necessary to fix an actual problem (occurred 3 times for me in the past year or so)

So even though port locking might be a good way of knowing where the connection is coming from and disallowing it at will. The problem is the unstable nature of how Telkom provides you said port. (Ports can be re-created remotely by support personnel as far as I know)

 

[Paul_S]

Bandwidth theft is almost exclusively a South African phenomenon.
A Google search for "ADSL bandwidth theft" brings up the MyAdsl forums in first place.
A Google search for "bandwidth theft" brings up the MyAdsl forums in first place if you disregard "hot linking" which is not the same thing.

This definitely says something about the ridiculous caps we have in South Africa!

 

[ld13]

Cybersmart lock your ports for you, without even asking you. Sainet also has this. Don't have much use for it though, for now.

 

[rvanwyk]

some time ago i heard some oke stealing bandwidth in one of the (many) asian countries. cant remember which one though.

but yes, seems it's mainly a south african problem

 

[Abe]

The first ISP's to offer port locking was Axxess & Webafrica about a year ago

To be fair to WA, they offered it for about 6 months before Axxess.

 

[pyxi]

Imaginet can lock the account to 2 or more places. If you want to change your ADSL password you can give Imaginet accounts department a call, you can also specify your own password if want.

Regards,
Angus

 

[killadoob]

Bandwidth theft is almost exclusively a South African phenomenon.
A Google search for "ADSL bandwidth theft" brings up the MyAdsl forums in first place.
A Google search for "bandwidth theft" brings up the MyAdsl forums in first place if you disregard "hot linking" which is not the same thing.

This definitely says something about the ridiculous caps we have in South Africa!

ppl dont need to steal bandwidth in other countries

uncapped FTBW

SA FTBL

 

[pyxi]

there was a post on slashdot a few days ago that BT encouraged people to pick up a wifi router to broadcast your internet to other people.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071005-bt-to-uk-customers-share-your-wifi-please.html

 

[ambo]

begin using RADIUS servers

Where did they come up with that?? RADIUS has been a standard part of being an ISP since the days of dial-up. Not having a RADIUS server is like an ISP not having a website.

For crying in a bucket - stop throwing technical terms around with incorrect facts to try and impress people. I'm certainly not impressed

 

[Tns]

you wouldn't notice the theft if your account is uncapped and unshaped...

 

[ld13]

you wouldn't notice the theft if your account is uncapped and unshaped...

Uncapped accounts Usually only allow one concurrent connection. Thus it cannot be used, even if stolen.
T&C

 

[Tns]

Uncapped accounts Usually only allow one concurrent connection. Thus it cannot be used, even if stolen.
T&C

darn! so i should stop using my works account then.

 

[ld13]

darn! so i should stop using my works account then.

I would like to see you using an IP based Uncapped account at home...Afaik this is not possible?

But a normal uncapped account != Business uncapped account. 2 Totally different leagues. Normal uncapped accounts does limit you to 1 concurrent connection.

 

[XCentricdave]

Imaginet can lock the account to 2 or more places. If you want to change your ADSL password you can give Imaginet accounts department a call, you can also specify your own password if want.

Thanks for this. I was hoping that there would be some secure way of me changing the password to something only I know.

Maybe I should be more trusting, but if someone else knows my password, it can be more easily compromised. Not suggesting that anyone at Imaginet would do this, they have been very helpful, knowledgable helpdesk and good service (no links to them, just a happy customer).

Where does this password actually live, and what system holds it? I use the password to connect to ADSL, connect to the SAIX SMTP server, access my ADSL usage stats. Do the ISPs have direct access to the password change application, or do they email SAIX or someone else to change it? Password, email, hmmm.

Just thinking...

D