[[email protected]]

Hello,

I have used the Airport extreme base station since it came out at the begining of the year, but I have a few questions.

I pay for the internet at home, but, my sister, wants to get on, but she cant, someone else is using the net for crap, and wont get off, so... heres the Questions

Can I put something that will stop his user account from accessing the web at certain times so my sister can get on...she needs it more, for coursework...?

Is there away that I can stop him from using the net, just like that, but allow other users (pc's and my mac) to access it?

Is there another way I can stop him from using the net?

Ok, im also having problems with my mac, connecting to it via Airport extreme, It keeps cutting out, then I have to spend hours getting it to reconnect... so i have now got a cable that goes to my mac as a backup.

Is there something wrong with my mac or airport extreme base station?

[Freakout Jackson]

Well, first of all your network should be password protected.
Open the airport admin utility in applications>utilities.
Select your base station and click configure.
On the first window you come to (at the bottom) there will be a button that says "change wireless security..."
Click on that. (I use 128bit WEP FWIW) You can also check the box "create closed network" so no one will even see your network name.
If you do these things it will keep most people off your network.

[Sherman Homan]

If "some guy" in on your wireless and no one else can get connected you need to enable WPA immediately. In fact, you really need to yank the WAN line out until you figure out to do it! No one should have access to your wireless other than your trusted friends and family. In many places you could be liable for having an open connection that someone else uses for music downloads. I don't know of any cases of liability for kiddie porn, but you really don't want to make precedent there...

[[email protected]]

My network is very secure... its WPA2-PSK

The guy is using our computer, Which i dont mind...all he dose is play chess, but has like 40days to make a move... so you know, its not urgent, like my sisters coursework.

I need to find away I can stop a computer from using the network, at a point in time, so my sister can go on 10mins after him and internet works fine...

Like now, I got a new desk, and bed (dont really need to know that) but, it meant having wires everywhere in my room, but i have to unplug the wires for about 10mins to sort it all out, but I cant, as hes playing chess... so im going to have to keep them awake tonight to get it done... as it needs to be done before 2morrow...

[Simon]

How do you know your sister "can't get on" because of somebody else? Even if somebody else is using up your entire WAN bandwidth, your sister should still be able to connect to the wireless network.

Be that as it may, here's a fast and easy way to make your network secure and lock out others from accessing it. Turn on WPA2 Personal encryption (AP Utility > Airport > Wireless). Turn on MAC address filtering (AP Utility > Airport > Access Control). Hide the network (AP Utility > Airport > Wireless> Wireless Options...).

Once you have applied all these setting, the dropouts should stop. Also make sure you have the recent AP Updates installed.

[[email protected]]

I dont think you understand me, he is using the computer that my sister needs to use...


He wont get off, if you ask him... if anything he stays online playing chess games, all night, or about 1hour after my sister has gone to bed...

Just updated to the latest version, and my network is secure... has a password ect...

[Simon]

Then it's not an AirPort issue, but a social one. What advice are you expecting here?

[Freakout Jackson]

Originally Posted by Simon 

Then it's not an AirPort issue, but a social one.

The very definition of PEBKAC

[[email protected]]

Im looking to see if I want or need someone off, I can stop them from getting onto the internet...

Ok, im also having problems with my mac, connecting to it via Airport extreme, It keeps cutting out, then I have to spend hours getting it to reconnect... so i have now got a cable that goes to my mac as a backup.

Is there something wrong with my mac or airport extreme base station?

[ghporter]

It's your AirPort Extreme, right? Unplug it. He'll be knocked off the Internet and get frustrated. Your polite "please get off that machine" hasn't worked, so this little bit of force might. Give him a concrete time like "you need to be done by 9:45" and tell him flat out that he'll be disconnected at that time. It sounds like he just gets lost in what he's doing and forgets to pay attention to the time, so this will help.

When you plug the APE back in it should reconnect within a minute or so, so the interruption won't be that big a deal.

If that doesn't work, you have a much bigger problem than a network issue.

[Sherman Homan]

I dont think you understand me, he is using the computer that my sister needs to use...

What the hell? Reread your post, it has nothing to do with computers, encryption, routers or wireless.

Is there another way I can stop him from using the net?

Yes, and they range from politely asking him to beating the snot out of his little head.

[[email protected]]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

It's your AirPort Extreme, right? Unplug it. He'll be knocked off the Internet and get frustrated. Your polite "please get off that machine" hasn't worked, so this little bit of force might. Give him a concrete time like "you need to be done by 9:45" and tell him flat out that he'll be disconnected at that time. It sounds like he just gets lost in what he's doing and forgets to pay attention to the time, so this will help.

When you plug the APE back in it should reconnect within a minute or so, so the interruption won't be that big a deal.

If that doesn't work, you have a much bigger problem than a network issue.

Thats what i was asking... just forgot... lol

Is there away that the internet can be switched off at certain times? Controlled by me? without unpluging it?

Also, i am using an ethernet cable to my mac, it keeps cutting the APE off... but cable seems to be a backup...

[ghporter]

The simplest way is to get a little timer for the power outlet, and just have it turn off the modem (whether it's cable or DSL) at the appropriate time. You can find them for less than $10, and they're easy to program.

[Simon]

Use AP Utility to turn off DHCP on the APX's WAN port. That should disconnect everybody on your LAN from the internet immediately.

[[email protected]]

oh...cool...