Confused hmm I'm picking other people up on my powerline..wtf?

[TdC]

Since recently I have a new upstairs neighbor. I was investigating something odd with a VM I run, and I happened to notice that my router was saying it had a new connection on it's wired network.

Now the wired network is connected to a powerline that goes to my office. The router is helpfully saying that the fellow is not on the internet or anything, just happens to have a connection to my router somehow. It irks me that this is happening, and the only possible way is that he's also using a powerline and that somehow the things are cross-talking to each other or whatever the technical term is.

Anyone got any ideas how I can put an end to this? My powerline adapters are fairly ancient TP-LINK models. I could potentially get new ones if needed.

 

[Gwadien]

Well, if you mean pure powerline adapters, it sounds like you have the same electric circuit.

However, if your powerline adapters are like mine (Mine are failing just of late) then you should have to connect them together, so that's very bizarre.

 

[ECA]

Depends on the brand but some of them will plug n play or have no default password to the network ( they assume physical security ).
Most have monitoring software that lets you update firmware for them, AND lets you set passwords.

tldr, download the tplink ethernet over power software and set a password on your plugs.

In fact cuz they all are homeplug standard, you can frequently use any of the EOP monitoring software to change passwords regardless of brand.

 

[TdC]

I did just that actually. Though I admit I snooped the guy's network first hee hee. We were both on the same named network. The software let me change my adapters...I guess because they were paired. I couldn't see his adapters with the software. He's now gone from the router, no worries. Also, my problem VM is working again. The issue was that it was picking up his DHCP server before mine.

 

[Raven]

Not being an electrician or anything but surely if you can see his adapters that means your electrics are linked so either he is using your electricity or the other way around? Have you tried connecting it elsewhere in your apartment to see if you can pick them up?

Also, not sure if adapters can see past the fuse box/electric meter if so, that would be the simple answer, although a little alarming as someone could theoretically get wired access to your network from outside your house.

 

[dysfunction]

That is quite worrying! I guess it always pays to set proper passwords on everything!

 

[TdC]

Not being an electrician or anything but surely if you can see his adapters that means your electrics are linked so either he is using your electricity or the other way around? Have you tried connecting it elsewhere in your apartment to see if you can pick them up?

Also, not sure if adapters can see past the fuse box/electric meter if so, that would be the simple answer, although a little alarming as someone could theoretically get wired access to your network from outside your house.

yes you're right, I was reading about this on the web. thing is, I have no idea how the house is wired up. we're three apartments in a single chassis (if you follow me). I most def have my own power meter and fuse box, but the funny thing is that my power meter is downstairs at the street level (there are three in a row, one for each user) and my fuses are in my actual livingspace.

I could see his computer and smart TV, because they were getting served by my DHCP server, and I had a VM that was getting served by his. I could see around his network but the latency was absolutely massive. The latency in my personal powerline setup is higher than ethernet but not by much; think "a couple of ms" rather than several hundred when I was checking his network.

Tbh I think I was going through the fuses. They're uber modern ones. Not sure if you get my morning rambling but there it is

 

[Starman]

TdC - take some photos of the meter area and consumer units and I should be able to offer some guidance.

 

[Tom]

The entire building will be part of the same circuit so that's how you'd be connected.

 

[TdC]

TdC - take some photos of the meter area and consumer units and I should be able to offer some guidance.

cheers chum. I can still give it a go, but tbh I think Tom nailed it.