IP address stollen ?

[frank rabbets]

My computer has been very slow over the last 2 days. We only have one computer . Today it would not start and a small window came up saying something like " Another computer on this network has the same IP address" etc etc. Should I worry?

Thanks
Frank

 

[StarCruiser]

Are you connected by wifi Frank?

 

[Towpack]

I've had this before Frank with my old XP machine and in my case I think it was just Windows getting 'confused'. Try rebooting the router. Not sure how savvy you are with IT etc but If you log into the admin side of the router you'll be able to see exactly what devices are connected and their allocated IP addresses.

 

[frank rabbets]

I have a wireless router. I don't know if that is known as WIFI.

I know next to nothing about IT but I'm worried by this message as in fraud against me. Is that possible?

 

[StarCruiser]

That's Wifi Frank.

Try turning the router off, wait 1 minute then turn it back on. It will go through a boot process where all sorts of lights flash before becoming stable after a minute or two.

See how that goes.

There's probably nothing to worry about. I often get a message saying "Other people are logged on to this computer. Shutting down will cause them to lose data" . I've never yet had a problem and had a seriously robustly secure router when I had those messages.

Have you had any suspicious emails from people you don't know, or ones out of character from people you do know, such as containing a word or excel attachment or directing you to a webpage without the normal chit chat? That sort of thing.

 

[frank rabbets]

My computer is connected by cable although the router is WIFI. So sorry the connection is not WIFI.

 

[Julian T]

No but your router probably has a wifi connection available, my desktop computers are all connected via lan cables but I also have 2 laptops and a mobile phone connected via wifi, if your router has wifi and it is not disabled or secure it is possible for other people to connect and use your internet for free.

By rebooting your router you effectively disconnect other pc's from the router, you could also use the opportunity to reset the pass word for the router.
Many years ago I had a neighbor (I assume) who liked to use my wifi without asking, setting up the security of the router solved that, it should be possible to see what pc's are connected to your router.
Its an option in the menu when you log into the router.

It is also possible that your pc has a virus of some sort, have you tried running any security software?
what operating system are you using?

 

[Mblinko]

This won't be viruses or anything like that. This message is shown by the operating system when two computers are using the same IP number. Normally, IP numbers for computers using the router are allocated dynamically by that router (called DHCP). It always generates unique numbers within a range specified within (no need to worry about this). If a computer or other device does not use DHCP then to connect it needs a static IP number to connect to that router. This is manually assigned by someone at some point in history (is changeable though). If two devices connect and the static IP number happens to be the same as the dynamic one, then the operating system generates the message.

If you have been trying more than one device in quick succession then this may happen - as said previously, reboots normally cure it. If not, then someone else is trying to connect to your router and to do this they must either be connect by a wire or wifi. No doubt, you'd notice the former. If the latter, I'd check the security of your wifi, I.e. Make sure you need a password to access it, this will stop anyone without it being able to connect.

HTH.

 

[frank rabbets]

When friends come to our house they have to ask for the code off my router before they can access the internet don't they ? Our neighbours don't know our code so they can't use my router can they ? We have just bought a wifi telly. We had a power cut and both the telly and computer would have come on at the same time.

Nobody has really answered my question. Am I at risk? I have Norton security.

 

[Shayne]

Don't worry about it Frank i get it all the time , wifi tv , ipad , and my laptop all fighting for connection from the same router and then the kids come with there wifi stuff and occasionally it just gets confused and you get ip address conflict warnings . Turn everything off , restart your router giving it 5 mins to settle then turn on your devices one at a time letting each one connect before starting the next .

 

[Gaz555]

Instead of a paid for anti virus i use avg free .i also down loaded avg pc tuneup free from piratebay.I down load a lot of films etc never had any issues.

 

[Crispin]

As Shayne said, there's no risk. It's another device on your network (your wifi / wireless router) which has somehow been given the same IP address as your computer. Turning it all off, waiting a few minutes, then turning the router back on, wait a few minutes, then your other devices one by one should clear it up.

If it's still happening then shout. There is another thing you can try.

But rest assured, it's most unlikely that it's anything untoward unless your wireless password was hacked. You with Virgin / BT / Other?

 

[Crispin]

...i also down loaded avg pc tuneup free from piratebay....

A sure-fire way to get a virus on your machine or at the very least, slow your machine to a crawl.

AVG is mediocre at best. It's free, not from the goodness of their heart. They track everything you are doing on your machine like browsing habits and other "non-identifiable" information and upload it to their servers which they then sell.
All of this slowly grinds a machine and internet connection down.

Windows Security Essentials. Free, does not hook into everything, does not slow your machine down and is, well as good as the rest.

For the most part, Anti-Virus programmes are pointless. If you download a lot of stuff from PB or other dodgy locations, the types of things you'll get from there won't always be picked up by any AV until it's too late.

 

[Shayne]

AVG works best for me , windows and norton slow my laptop to a halt . At the first sign of a virus i have learned to hit the off button holding it down for 30 seconds so the com will restart in safemode . AVG allows you to run a full system scan which never fails to catch and kill a virus while the others won't work without internet connection , and you can't connect in safemode .

That said i can't recall any virus like problems since the kids left i always suspected the trouble came from them downloading stupid things like smileys and free programs that give you crap like a tinsel decorated browser .

 

[StarCruiser]

Eset paid antivirus is what I use. I used to use Microsoft Security Essentials until it stopped being supported.

I have a guy I work with sometimes who runs a business IT company and really rates Eset. He's found its caught Cryptolocker before now. It's also very light so doesn't slow the PC. Norton slows, McAfee I wouldnt use on principal after one of the earlier ones had no uninstall and had to be manually removed from the registry. A thousand or more lines like brain surgery!! [emoji35]

 

[Towpack]

I found Avast AV and Zonealarm were the best of the free security programs when I ran Windows XP. Thankfully I bit the bullitt and jumped ship to Apple last year. Sorted.

 

[StarCruiser]

I found Avast AV and Zonealarm were the best of the free security programs when I ran Windows XP. Thankfully I bit the bullitt and jumped ship to Apple last year. Sorted.

Something I should have done but bought a Windows 10 laptop/tablet in November. Beginning to think maybe I made the wrong move, though nothing much to make me think that TBH. Win 10 so far seems pretty good if a little in need of getting used to.

 

[Gaz555]

Avg free is used by millions .Norton didnt do a good job on mine and wasnt even spotting a lot of viruses.
Ive a 1tb hd full of files off Piratebay and never had a problem at all.
I do run a pierblocker on my pc when i download anything.
Was running xp ages a go .then moved onto windows 7
On windows 10 now

 

[Shayne]

Win7 here and praying China will start flooding the market with copy XP laptops before i need a new one .

 

[MarkW]

xp is a operating system Shayne, the Chinese are not going to start pirating windows