Why no password check to establish a connection?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Steve
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S

Steve

Hi All.

WXP SP1 Pro. Using, what used to be called, BTOpenworld/broadband/ADSL. I
don't use (as far as I know) any of the "dialer" or Yahoo specific software.

I have only just recently noticed that when I go to Start > Connect To > BT
I can click on OK without a password. Or with something that I know is NOT
the correct password. And yet it will always connect. Surely there should be
some password checking?

There appears to be password checking to get to email but that it is not
necessary to be able to connect to the Internet and browse???

Thanks for any help

Steve
 
Sorry. Wrong Board. Creeps away...
Click to expand...

I have seen claims that some providers authenticate via MAC address.
If you change the hardware at your end, chances are the "free lunch"
will stop working (unless you hack the MAC address, which is not the
same thing as an IP address - MAC is confined to the wire from you
to BT).

Paul
 
Steve said:
Hi All.

WXP SP1 Pro. Using, what used to be called, BTOpenworld/broadband/ADSL. I
don't use (as far as I know) any of the "dialer" or Yahoo specific software.

I have only just recently noticed that when I go to Start > Connect To > BT
I can click on OK without a password. Or with something that I know is NOT
the correct password. And yet it will always connect. Surely there should be
some password checking?

There appears to be password checking to get to email but that it is not
necessary to be able to connect to the Internet and browse???

Thanks for any help

Steve
Click to expand...

If there is just a single user, WinXP probably created a
"default" network logon that identifies the computer/user,
especially if static IP's are involved. The identification
could be the NIC's MAC and/or WinXP's SID.
 
Paul said:
I have seen claims that some providers authenticate via MAC address.
If you change the hardware at your end, chances are the "free lunch"
will stop working (unless you hack the MAC address, which is not the
same thing as an IP address - MAC is confined to the wire from you
to BT).

Paul
Click to expand...

There's no password because the form of authentication is the phone number
of the line used for ADSL, and I think anybody trying to "hack" your
connection would find it very difficult physically disconnecting your line
from your address, and re-routing it to them...unlike 56k etc, ADSL is bound
to the line you have it installed on.
 
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