
This IS weird. I have my own protected wifi network. My macs are connected to it. I have a DHCP server giving 10.0.1/24 to wifi hosts. I have a DSL line towards XS4ALL.
Today I installed an ethernet over power out of the box between a fixed IP macmini down and WiFi / DSL router upstairs. When I could not mount a disk from my WiFi network towards the fixed macmini, I started digging... And found out the above picture; I AM connected to MY wifi network, however, the DSL router somehow has default gateway towards a network of a neighbour that seems to be connected to Versatel!?!?
Yes, my fixed macs still use my own WiFiconnection. But my wifi macs while using my own network go via the mesh network of the powerlines via DHCP server of the neighbour towards to the internet via my neighbour.
If you thought that stealing bandwidth via WEP Wifi was cool in the late 90ies, this Ethernet of Power breaking will be even bigger.
But.. but.. Surley the protocol running Ethernet of Power is encrypted? Yes. But with a default key! Both my neighbour and I shopped the same box at the local shop with the same boxes with the default key installed. Making our power of ethenret devices / lines ONE network. Once I "resetted" the key manually on both my devices, I couldnt see my neighbour anymore and it were two networks again.
So
1) never trust anything
2) always change the defaults
3) You will hear about breakins like this in the near future. For example snffing all the traffic via the office next to a political party...
Will put "encryption" on the power network to prevent this... I hope