New Printer

[StargazerParticipant 12505]

This is weird. I just got a new HP printer which I have connected by Ethernet cable to my wi-fi router through which I access it from my local network.

A few minutes ago, I got a print of a meme image that I’ve never seen before and definitely did not print.

Sooo… someone is accessing my wi-fi network?! The printer is not set up to offer its own wireless access so that must be the only option. I just changed my wi-fi password.

Have any of you guys seen people crack WEP2 passwords or is this someone I’ve let have access to my network before? Well that’s not happening any more!

[JackinovParticipant 5229]

It could be quite possible that it could have been stored in the printer internal memory. Having your network hacked isn’t as likely. It also depends on where the people who have your password live.

are you a chia pet in man drag

[Anonymous 0]

Hi Doc,
sounds very Stange. I just had this phenomenon because there once was a print job in the queue, but you said the printer is new so this isn’t possible.
It is definitive no printer Test page ?
I ask around.

It is possible to crack WEP2 but very difficult.

[RoyDalParticipant]

There is a printer somewhere in my area in range of my computer’s wifi. It happens to be unlocked. I’ve never abused it, but the owner really needs to run a tighter ship.

Everything I’ve been told about WEP2 says it’s secure. Even so, I’d change my passwords first thing.

Society asks MGTOWs: Why are you not making more tax-slaves?

[BudtaoParticipant 293]

Okay, first and formost, there is no wireless security that really works if you are just giving a single password. They are all crackable. Kali Linux actually comes with all the tools that you need to crack wireless. If you really wan’t to secure your wireless, then I would set it up to require registered MAC addresses. Then at least you have the dual authentication of the password as well as having to know what MAC address to use. Now even this isn’t a foolproof, because then all someone has to do is wait for a device to use your wireless, and then you just have to capture the MAC address of that device. Then just spoof that MAC address.

Anyways, I ramble, but if you are expecting good security from wireless security, you aren’t going to find it. Mostly cause breaking wireless is just a simple script now. Hell, someone might just have a little script running to break every wireless around, and scans ports to find printers, and then uses that printer to print something out. This is most likely just a script-kiddy just doing the digital equivalent of putting a bad of dog poop on your doorstep and ringing the doorbell.

Nirvanna is never having to worry about a woman ever again.

[StargazerParticipant 12505]

Budtao wrote:

would set it up to require registered MAC addresses. Then at least you have the dual authentication of the password as well as having to know what MAC address to use. Now even this isn’t a foolproof, because then all someone has to do is wait for a device to use your wireless, and then you just have to capture the MAC address of that device. Then just spoof that MAC address.

That’s something, at least. I’m not expecting ironclad security, just not expecting random printouts, either.

It definitely wasn’t a test page or stored in memory… it was an image macro of “success kid” and it said “I celebrate 4/20 on January 5th because I can reduce fractions.”

So unless Atmark is paying bounties to pre-load new printers with pot-friendly propaganda, I think this must be a real-time issue,

[sidecarParticipant 35837]

RoyDal wrote:

Everything I’ve been told about WEP2 says it’s secure.

Do you mean WPA2? It’s more secure than old WEP, but only in that it takes longer to crack. Which isn’t saying much since you can beat WEP in just seconds. But WPA2 is almost as fast and easy to defeat if you have anything like decent hardware and the target is still using the s~~~ty default password set by the factory.

Budtao wrote:

I would set it up to require registered MAC addresses.

Get into the firmware of each device on the network, Change the region setting for the WiFi to Japan. Set them all to use channel 14, which is out of range in the U.S. and Canada. Unless the script kiddy really knows what he is doing your network won’t even show up in his scan because he only goes up to eleven.

[BudtaoParticipant 293]

sidecar wrote:

Get into the firmware of each device on the network, Change the region setting for the WiFi to Japan. Set them all to use channel 14, which is out of range in the U.S. and Canada. Unless the script kiddy really knows what he is doing your network won’t even show up in his scan because he only goes up to eleven.

I hadn’t heard of this trick. Since its using a band that its wasn’t designed to use in the US, could it land you in hot water with the FCC?

Nirvanna is never having to worry about a woman ever again.

[sidecarParticipant 35837]

Budtao wrote:

Since its using a band that its wasn’t designed to use in the US, could it land you in hot water with the FCC?

Only if you tell them.

Most WiFi hardware is limited to about 20dBm output, so your range is very limited. I believe the spectrum north of the WiFi bands is allocated to satellite signals, and unless you have one hell of an antenna or are located right next to a satellite uplink station, nobody is going to hear you. You might interfere with someone’s radio controlled airplane if it flies right over your house, but no more than your average sloppy made in china microwave oven. They are more likely to interfere with you.

[BudtaoParticipant 293]

sidecar wrote:

Only if you tell them.

Most WiFi hardware is limited to about 20dBm output, so your range is very limited. I believe the spectrum north of the WiFi bands is allocated to satellite signals, and unless you have one hell of an antenna or are located right next to a satellite uplink station, nobody is going to hear you. You might interfere with someone’s radio controlled airplane if it flies right over your house, but no more than your average sloppy made in china microwave oven. They are more likely to interfere with you.

Good to know, I will have to play around with that. Although I am in a neighborhood where no one is smart enough to change their routers from channel 7 or 11. There are like 15 in channel 7, 8 in channel 11, all the other channels are completely empty. Some absolutely terrible passwords on their wireless as well. One is actually, 12345abcde…

Nirvanna is never having to worry about a woman ever again.

[RennieParticipant]

Your printer may be in adhoc mode. Some of them come like that out of the box. In that case someone is connecting to it directly and printing garbage – perhaps not realizing that it’s not their printer.

Otherwise you’ve got someone in your network screwing around.

Budtao wrote:

I hadn’t heard of this trick. Since its using a band that its wasn’t designed to use in the US, could it land you in hot water with the FCC?

It’s a clever idea, but it’s very likely illegal.

[sidecarParticipant 35837]

Rennie wrote:

It’s a clever idea, but it’s very likely illegal.

That’s questionable. It’s illegal, or at least against FCC policy, for manufacturers to make devices that broadcast in that band, but since manufacturers don’t want to pay for custom per-country hardware they set the bands in firmware. It’s also illegal to modify hardware to broadcast in that band and then sell it, but making a selection in existing firmware isn’t modifying hardware, nor is it even changing the firmware. But WiFi channel 14 is still within the public spectrum, so simply using it, so long as you remain within established power limits, isn’t technically illegal. Your microwave oven is already blasting out 700000 milliwatts into this part of the spectrum every time you heat up a bag of popcorn, so your piddly little 100 milliwatt WiFi card doesn’t even rate. Yes, theoretically that energy is contained in the microwave’s faraday cage, but theory fails in the face of cheap Chinese manufacturing. Put your microwave next to your router some time and watch your link error rates spike every time you use it, assuming your link even stays up.

I’m sure if enough people started using WiFi channel 14 that it started causing interference (which kind of defeats the purpose of using these upper channels) the FCC might “make a ruling” or something, but Uncle Charlie isn’t going to come breaking in your door.

[RennieParticipant]

sidecar wrote:

Rennie wrote:

It’s a clever idea, but it’s very likely illegal.

That’s questionable. It’s illegal, or at least against FCC policy, for manufacturers to make devices that broadcast in that band, but since manufacturers don’t want to pay for custom per-country hardware they set the bands in firmware. It’s also illegal to modify hardware to broadcast in that band and then sell it, but making a selection in existing firmware isn’t modifying hardware, nor is it even changing the firmware. But WiFi channel 14 is still within the public spectrum, so simply using it, so long as you remain within established power limits, isn’t technically illegal. Your microwave oven is already blasting out 700000 milliwatts into this part of the spectrum every time you heat up a bag of popcorn, so your piddly little 100 milliwatt WiFi card doesn’t even rate. Yes, theoretically that energy is contained in the microwave’s faraday cage, but theory fails in the face of cheap Chinese manufacturing. Put your microwave next to your router some time and watch your link error rates spike every time you use it, assuming your link even stays up.

I’m sure if enough people started using WiFi channel 14 that it started causing interference (which kind of defeats the purpose of using these upper channels) the FCC might “make a ruling” or something, but Uncle Charlie isn’t going to come breaking in your door.

I don’t know, even a door bell may not escape their gaze if someone files a complaint about interference.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304434104579378994224188328

[sidecarParticipant 35837]

Rennie wrote:

I don’t know, even a door bell may not escape their gaze if someone files a complaint about interference.

That doorbell was sparking out on multiple frequency bands it shouldn’t have and interfering with a lot of traffic.

The only people you’ll be interfering with on WiFi channel 14 are other people within 100 yards or so who have also set their firmware to allow WiFi channel 14. I highly doubt they’ll call the FCC to investigate.

If you’re still worried about being too close to the edge on 14, then use 13 or 12 and accept that you’ll have to deal with some bleedover from the sidebands of everyone camped out on channel 11.

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