[donutogre]

hey all,

first off, i am more or less a complete n00b when it comes to networks. i plug things in and hope it works...if it doesn't i'm more or less out of luck.

here's my setup: comcast cable internet > rca cable modem > d-link wireless router > windows xp box hardwired to the router/apple 12" PB w/airport extreme card operating on the wireless.

for 3 months or so everything worked fine. now, not so much. from what i can tell, someone in my building nearby also has a wireless network, i'm assuming that it is interfering with mine. when i open my wireless connections on the mac i see "default" which has always been there and i assume is mine, and NETGEAR which is the other persons. whatever, i just click on default and it's all good, sometimes i have to restart the router, but whatever.

today, i get on no problems, go make dinner, come back to my computer and i'm offline. so i click default and it ASKS FOR A PASSWORD. i NEVER set a password, so i can't get on my own network! anyone got any clues as to how i can set things up so i can...well, get back on my network?

[oscar]

there should be some kind of hard wired button to reset the router. hold it down for 5 seconds, then try to get online

[car1son]

Hehe. My guess is someone in your building saw your network, saw you had never bothered to limit access with WEP encryption and saw that you had left the admin password at the factory default, and decided to take over your network. If you are lucky, they were only being playful.

There should be a recessed RESET button on the back - you'll need to leave the DLink plugged in and press that RESET button (with the end of a paper clip or other thin object) and hold it in for at least 10 seconds. That puts it back to the factory settings. Then you will need to re-connect to http://192.168.0.1 like you did when you first got it and re-enter your account settings.

This time, go to the DLink's Admin's Tools/Admin page and set your own Administrator password, and go to the DLink's Admin's Home/Wireless page and Enable WEP. Enter the 128-bit password when your Mac prompts for it as a 128-bit hex value (screenshot).

Then get your shotgun and hunt down the geek who did this to you.