Who's that on my network?

February 10, 2008 10:59 AM

Who are these other people on my network?

So a few weeks ago I bought a .mac subscription. The Back To My Mac feature was the primary reason I bought it. So I turn it on and this is what my finder shows. Now I am the "Andrew Burd", but I have no idea who "Andrew" and "Macintosh" are. Also they are showing the PC icon. I get a bit weirded out that both my iMac and my Macbook are showing these same folks on my network. So I go in and change my password on all of my computers and my network password. This goes away and all I see is my other computer. Then yesterday I notice it again. The same names showing up in my Finder. This is all happening on an Airport router.

I can't connect to them. They show nothing except a "connecting" message that never goes away when I try to log in to the machines.

Should I be worried? And how are they getting on my network?

posted by aburd to computers & internet (6 comments total)

Is this your home network? Or school or office?

If if it your home and your Airport router you need to turn on some security on the router. Turn on WPA (preferably) or WEP. This should keep these people off your network.
posted by schwa at 11:14 AM on February 10, 2008

I've got WPA on. And I changed my password the first time I noticed it. My new password is much longer and contains more number/letter variations. Which is why this is so odd to me.

On top of that, the "macintosh" computer is being identified as a PC.
posted by aburd at 11:27 AM on February 10, 2008

And this is my Home network.
posted by aburd at 11:39 AM on February 10, 2008

Do you have SMB sharing turned on under File Sharing in the Sharing Preferences?
posted by sharkweek at 11:41 AM on February 10, 2008

go to System Preferences : Sharing and uncheck personal file sharing and windows file sharing.

then check again. they'll probably be gone.

i assume the short name on your account is 'Andrew"

it's just you. don't sweat it.
posted by KenManiac at 11:43 AM on February 10, 2008

Yeah, I'm an idiot. Thanks folks!
posted by aburd at 12:47 PM on February 10, 2008