In my case, my PC is connected via ethernet. The PC wireless adapter is disabled. If I enable wireless on my router, that's when the strangers start appearing. Are you saying that Win10 could be creating an ad hoc wifi network on my router?

This is obviously a bit of a sledgehammer approach, but I'm currently testing both a Fingbox and Domotz Pro.

The Fingbox is more suitable for a domestic situation and can send realtime email and phone app alerts whenever a new device connects to your network - either by wifi or ethernet. You can also block devices which suddenly appear using the phone app at the touch of a button - without having to configure anything on the router.

A rather interesting feature called DigitalFence� shows nearby wifi devices even if they aren't connecting to your wifi router and you can set up alerts when specific wifi devices come within range. The app gives you details about the device, the signal strength and the name of the wifi network it connects to.

I can now tell you that one of my neigbours in particular runs a Sonos Play:1, a Netgear ReadyNAS, a Sony television and an iPhone connected to their network. Another has an LG smart TV. These aren't devices functioning as access points but clients on other networks.

In reply to a post by longedge:

In my case, my PC is connected via ethernet. The PC wireless adapter is disabled. If I enable wireless on my router, that's when the strangers start appearing. Are you saying that Win10 could be creating an ad hoc wifi network on my router?

It's not creating anything on the router, it's just showing that there are other devices near to you that you can connect to

In reply to a post by robertcrowther:

In reply to a post by longedge:

In my case, my PC is connected via ethernet. The PC wireless adapter is disabled. If I enable wireless on my router, that's when the strangers start appearing. Are you saying that Win10 could be creating an ad hoc wifi network on my router?

It's not creating anything on the router, it's just showing that there are other devices near to you that you can connect to

So why do they show up on the attached devices menu?

I watched a review of the fingbox on YouTube, quite an interesting approach, not sure I�d want to plug one into my own network though.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4Hc3YGsaW8U

I have multiple subnets and VLANs on my network, and an enterprise grade firewall. It can't see anything particularly sensitive on my network. I did read through the privacy policy before I installed it and nothing particularly stood out as being a problem. It's also not done anything to upset my firewall so far.

I've disabled access to location and phone contacts and haven't set up any users. It still gives me all the functionality I need. The wifi bandwidth monitor looks like it's going to be particularly useful for doing wifi surveys.

In reply to a post by robertcrowther:

In reply to a post by longedge:

In my case, my PC is connected via ethernet. The PC wireless adapter is disabled. If I enable wireless on my router, that's when the strangers start appearing. Are you saying that Win10 could be creating an ad hoc wifi network on my router?

It's not creating anything on the router, it's just showing that there are other devices near to you that you can connect to

Can we take a step back. These devices unknown have a local IP, eg one earlier was 192.168.1.3 and open ports. A device not connected to the WiFi or Ethernet does not get an IP allocated over DHCP, nor can it have any open ports or services if it�s not connected.

Earlier we had:

Nmap reports open ports on the IP:
Discovered open port 554/tcp on 192.168.1.3
Discovered open port 445/tcp on 192.168.1.3
Discovered open port 135/tcp on 192.168.1.3
Discovered open port 2869/tcp on 192.168.1.3
Discovered open port 10243/tcp on 192.168.1.3
Discovered open port 5357/tcp on 192.168.1.3

In the event this device was not on the network you would see host is down and no open ports and services, irrespective of Windows 10.

Edited by ukhardy07 (Mon 01-Jan-18 22:12:34)

In reply to a post by robertcrowther:

In reply to a post by longedge:

In my case, my PC is connected via ethernet. The PC wireless adapter is disabled. If I enable wireless on my router, that's when the strangers start appearing. Are you saying that Win10 could be creating an ad hoc wifi network on my router?

It's not creating anything on the router, it's just showing that there are other devices near to you that you can connect to

You miss a key point, his router is allocating these devices local IPs over his routers DHCP.

You miss a key point, his router is allocating these devices local IPs over his routers DHCP.

As maybe but does this happen when the machine running Win 10 is switched off and using a device running Android, iOS or Linux to look at the router or perhaps an older version of Windows such as Win 7. I feel the OP needs to eliminate the possibility of this being a Win 10 induced phenomenon.

In reply to a post by MCM:

You miss a key point, his router is allocating these devices local IPs over his routers DHCP.

As maybe but does this happen when the machine running Win 10 is switched off and using a device running Android, iOS or Linux to look at the router or perhaps an older version of Windows such as Win 7. I feel the OP needs to eliminate the possibility of this being a Win 10 induced phenomenon.

I don�t understand how it could be? Are you suggesting Windows 10 is allowing a bunch of neighbour devices onto the network including additional windows devices, mobiles etc?

It simply doesn�t work like that... The router only allocates IP addresses to devices connected via Ethernet or WiFi, there�s no magic that causes windows 10 to provide neighbouring devices access to the network.

Provide me a link to a valid source that shows having windows 10 allows unknown devices onto a local network. Then provide me a source that explains how nmap is finding open ports on an IP address you�re saying is down to Windows 10?

Running Windows 10, or any device for that matter, does not provide other devices access to the local area network, with valid IP addresses and open ports. That�s a huge gaping security hole and simply is not the case.. if you can find me a source anywhere that says it does all of this I will be amazed.

Imagine a data centre running Windows OS, say it�s the server processing payment card information. Are we now to believe if it�s windows 10 it�s going to just let foreign devices hop onto the network? What about the latest point of sales used in stores on Windows 10, I�ve seen a couple using WiFi, the same WiFi used by in store iPads and tablets which process mobile payments.

Are these letting in every walking by customer into the wireless, so they can be on the same network environment as cardholder data?

I�m sure this is how Microsoft designed the OS. Come on...
End of story, Windows 10 does not allow unknown devices onto the LAN. It can share the WiFi password but that�s a different system, it does sometimes show a bunch of extra devices in the OS GUI, none have an IP locally.