BTFON/BTOpenzone 'hijacking' connection

[spiderman]

I'm sure I'm not the only one with this problem. I have a laptop with vista home premium and I connect to the internet with my O2 router. However, my neighbour has the BT home hub and every time they switch it on (they refuse to leave it on permanently), my laptop will sometimes disconnect from my router and try to connect to BTFON or BTOpenzone emanating from their home hub. I then remove these connections from the 'manage wireless networks' option only to find they are reinstated within seconds. I cannot find an option to permanently remove them and they keep reappearing at the top of the list, subsequently my laptop will keep attempting to connect to them. I have searched for solutions, but it seems that vista doesn't support 'connection to preferred networks' only.


If anyone knows a solution to this I would be most grateful...

 

[DesignerNick]

Strange how it automatically picks theirs up and connects to it. Not very secure at their end.

If you look here. It says that in Vista you can select it to connect to a more preferred one. You could maybe choose that option on theirs?

You could just cancel your broadband and use theirs

 

[Posilan]

Instead of deleting it, try changing the preference of the connections so yours is above thiers.

To do this in Vista,

1) Open the Networking and Sharing Center
2) On the left you will see some links. Click Manage Wireless Networks.
3) Here you can add, remove, and change the order of the wireless networks by using the green arrows at the top.

 

[Posilan]

Strange how it automatically picks theirs up and connects to it. Not very secure at their end.

It's because BT decided to turn customer's wifi routers into BT Openzone hotspots (on a separate public IP) so on that side of the router, there is no encryption.

 

[british steve]

It's because BT decided to turn customer's wifi routers into BT Openzone hotspots (on a separate public IP) so on that side of the router, there is no encryption.

And that is how BT got 2 million WiFi hotspots! The vast majority have no idea they they are running a free BT wifi hotspot for bugger all.

 

[spiderman]

Instead of deleting it, try changing the preference of the connections so yours is above thiers.

To do this in Vista,

1) Open the Networking and Sharing Center
2) On the left you will see some links. Click Manage Wireless Networks.
3) Here you can add, remove, and change the order of the wireless networks by using the green arrows at the top.

Thanks for that, though have already done this, but it keeps reappearing at the top of the list each time my neighbour powers up their home hub again...

 

[british steve]

Thanks for that, though have already done this, but it keeps reappearing at the top of the list each time my neighbour powers up their home hub again...

PM me your email address and I will send you a guide on how to choose priority connection, may take me a day or two to find it tho!

 

[Posilan]

Thanks for that, though have already done this, but it keeps reappearing at the top of the list each time my neighbour powers up their home hub again...

Ok, try right clicking on your neighbour's connection, select Properties the click the "Connection" tab and untick "Connect when this network is in range".

Any better?

 

[spiderman]

I'm thinking that the only solution would be to disable their home hub's BTFON & Openzone facility, though I don't know how and if they're in agreement (though I'm sure they will be, as they are technophobes and the thought of someone else accessing their router will be enough to secure their agreement!)

 

[mit74]

pretty appalling BT are allowed to do this really. Most customers I've spoken to about what their BT routers are doing WITHOUT their persmission are shocked and usually phone BT in anger. Makes you wonder what information they're collecting when you connect to their network by mistake huh?

Don't delete the network but you should find an option by the wireless networks properties somewhere that lets you disable the 'Connect when this network is in range'.

 

[british steve]

I'm thinking that the only solution would be to disable their home hub's BTFON & Openzone facility, though I don't know how and if they're in agreement (though I'm sure they will be, as they are technophobes and the thought of someone else accessing their router will be enough to secure their agreement!)

I have a hammer you can borrow - I would let you keep it but I may need it for the misses one day!

 

[british steve]

pretty appalling BT are allowed to do this really. Most customers I've spoken to about what their BT routers are doing WITHOUT their persmission are shocked and usually phone BT in anger. Makes you wonder what information they're collecting when you connect to their network by mistake huh?

Don't delete the network but you should find an option by the wireless networks properties somewhere that lets you disable the 'Connect when this network is in range'.

BT should never have been allowed to send these out turned on! it should have been down to the customer to turn on if they wanted to run a free wifi hotspot! BT are a bunch of *************

 

[spiderman]

Yes I considered that option!!!

 

[british steve]

This can be done via the BT Business Hub's web interface. From a device connected to the Business Hub and local area network (either connected with Ethernet, USB or on the BTBusinessHub SSID), do the following:

1. Open a web browser and go to http://home.
2. Click on the Services tab at the top of the page.
3. Click on the Openzone menu option.
4. Click on the Enable/Disable button

The changes may not be instantaneous. It could take up to 30 minutes for the service to be fully enabled or disabled because of the need to communicate with the BT network. The status shows as pending until this process has completed.

In case you do get a chance to turn off next doors router!

 

[CSHTech]

I reckon once they know that the world and his dog are using their broadband connection, they may let you switch it off!