Modem Help .co.uk

DorsetBoy · Jul 15, 2010, 07:52:11

Found this site the other day MODEM HELP haven't seen it mentioned here.

QuoteWelcome to Modem-Help

This is the Home page of a site dedicated to providing assistance to modem users. "MODEM" is used in the generic sense - info & links are provided for Broadband (DSL & ADSL), Cable & ISDN digital-modems as well as V.92, V.90, V.34 & slower analog-modems. The site's genius is in allowing identification of a modem, sufficient at least to find compatible drivers & information, by the same methods that computers use. The site is modem-, protocol- & OS-agnostic, and tries to be as comprehensive as possible.

Specs, help,info and firmware downloads for modems/routers ..............

Tacitus · Jul 15, 2010, 08:44:27

Quote from: DorsetBoy on Jul 15, 2010, 07:52:11
Found this site the other day MODEM HELP haven't seen it mentioned here.
Specs, help,info and firmware downloads for modems/routers ..............

Over on the TB ISP section someone was asking for default modem details for virtually all of the ISPs. The mods deleted the original post, but I can't see any reason why anyone would want this other than for nefarious purposes. Worth reading this thread on the Zen forum. Look at the post by BatBoy, since it looks as if someone may have found a way of opening backdoors into various modems using the default password.

No idea whether it has anything to do with the above site or not.

DorsetBoy · Jul 15, 2010, 09:59:49

I see no connection or relevance with the garbage at TB. The site I linked has been around for a very long time and assists with modem/router issues.

The connection and log in settings for routers and ISP's are hardly a secret, people should keep their log in details secure and use a proper password.

taken from your TB thread....

QuoteHundreds of websites on google that provide default and override passwords for BIOS and many other commonly used equipment/services. If people are foolish enough to leave their passwords as default then they deserve the ramifications which occur.

It is hardly a secret that linksys username/password is almost always admin/admin, for example, and that conexant routers is often "epicrouter".

Gary · Jul 15, 2010, 10:23:32

Quote from: DorsetBoy on Jul 15, 2010, 09:59:49
I see no connection or relevance with the garbage at TB. The site I linked has been around for a very long time and assists with modem/router issues.

The connection and log in settings for routers and ISP's are hardly a secret, people should keep their log in details secure and use a proper password.

taken from your TB thread....

I see your point of view, but what about those that find even changing passwords on a router hard work from te standpoint of technophobia many find networking and pc's scary. Not everyone is lazy with security, some are overwhelmed and should they therefore be punished by having their modem hacked. Its a difficult line to tread as I see it, not publishing that info is a good thing in the grand scheme of things.

Ray · Jul 15, 2010, 10:33:23

Quote from: Gary on Jul 15, 2010, 10:23:32
I see your point of view, but what about those that find even changing passwords on a router hard work from te standpoint of technophobia many find networking and pc's scary. Not everyone is lazy with security, some are overwhelmed and should they therefore be punished by having their modem hacked. Its a difficult line to tread as I see it, not publishing that info is a good thing in the grand scheme of things.

Only snag is, Gary, the manufacturers post this information on there websites, so if you don't change your default user name/password your certain to get hacked eventually, it's just taken me about 2 minutes to find out the defaults for a Netgear DG834.

Simon · Jul 15, 2010, 10:42:42

The worrying thing being, if a user doesn't have the savvy to change their router password, they probably don't have their connection secured either.

Gary · Jul 15, 2010, 10:45:43

Quote from: Ray on Jul 15, 2010, 10:33:23
Only snag is, Gary, the manufacturers post this information on there websites, so if you don't change your default user name/password your certain to get hacked eventually, it's just taken me about 2 minutes to find out the defaults for a Netgear DG834.

Yes that's true Ray but you have to go and look them all up, to have all the info in one place is inviting more trouble maybe

Gary · Jul 15, 2010, 10:49:15

Quote from: Simon on Jul 15, 2010, 10:42:42
The worrying thing being, if a user doesn't have the savvy to change their router password, they probably don't have their connection secured either.

I know quite a few people who don't Simon

I have to admit to logging on to a router of a friend changing the DNS servers and then watching their faces as they could not get a connection

it got the message across.

Simon · Jul 15, 2010, 10:57:41

Naughty! :devil:

Gary · Jul 15, 2010, 11:01:23

Quote from: Simon on Jul 15, 2010, 10:57:41
Naughty! :devil:

DorsetBoy · Jul 15, 2010, 12:01:18

Quote from: Gary on Jul 15, 2010, 10:23:32
I see your point of view, but what about those that find even changing passwords on a router hard work from te standpoint of technophobia many find networking and pc's scary. Not everyone is lazy with security, some are overwhelmed and should they therefore be punished by having their modem hacked. Its a difficult line to tread as I see it, not publishing that info is a good thing in the grand scheme of things.

Gary..... without the default log in info being available in the user manuals how would anyone ever set up a router or modem in the first place?

Routers etc. come with a simple user interface and most have a set up wizard included, the user MUST have added at least the ISP sign in and password to even get on line, if they can do that and surf the web they must surely be able to change a password. Lets face it if you do not change the log in you may as well not have a router at all.

Simon · Jul 15, 2010, 12:08:45

What if the router is pre-configured by your ISP? The end user wouldn't even then have to enter the router interface, would they?

DorsetBoy · Jul 15, 2010, 12:13:18

Quote from: Simon on Jul 15, 2010, 12:08:45
What if the router is pre-configured by your ISP? The end user wouldn't even then have to enter the router interface, would they?

No and the router would not be left on the factory default login either.

Simon · Jul 15, 2010, 12:16:20

Fair enough.

Gary · Jul 15, 2010, 12:30:52

Quote from: DorsetBoy on Jul 15, 2010, 12:01:18
Gary..... without the default log in info being available in the user manuals how would anyone ever set up a router or modem in the first place?

Routers etc. come with a simple user interface and most have a set up wizard included, the user MUST have added at least the ISP sign in and password to even get on line, if they can do that and surf the web they must surely be able to change a password. Lets face it if you do not change the log in you may as well not have a router at all.

Dorset that makes sense to you and me but people I assure you get scared about changing passwords, they tend to think they are changing them for their provider not the router, some people just dont understand stuff, its that simple, and it makes you wonder should they be online

MisterW · Jul 15, 2010, 12:33:29

QuoteNo and the router would not be left on the factory default login either.

Not true I'm afraid, even if the router is preconfigured by the ISP then the router admin username/password is still left at the default so that the user can configure things like wireless settings.
If you take Sky for instance, their routers are preconfigured with the correct ADSL username and password for the connection they are supplied with. Other ISP's use TR-069 to do remote configuration, all the routers are preconfigured with a stanadrd username , you plug in the router , it connects to the ISP configuration servers and then downloads the correct ADSL username/password for the connection ( probably based on router serial no ). It then restarts and its all ready for the user.
None of these configuration methods, however, change the admin password from the standard published one as far as I am aware.

DorsetBoy · Jul 15, 2010, 12:46:32

Quote from: MisterW on Jul 15, 2010, 12:33:29
Not true I'm afraid, even if the router is preconfigured by the ISP then the router admin username/password is still left at the default so that the user can configure things like wireless settings.
If you take Sky for instance, their routers are preconfigured with the correct ADSL username and password for the connection they are supplied with. Other ISP's use TR-069 to do remote configuration, all the routers are preconfigured with a stanadrd username , you plug in the router , it connects to the ISP configuration servers and then downloads the correct ADSL username/password for the connection ( probably based on router serial no ). It then restarts and its all ready for the user.
None of these configuration methods, however, change the admin password from the standard published one as far as I am aware.

The only time I had a pre configured unit it was locked, the username/password were sent under separate cover.

Lance · Jul 15, 2010, 14:00:52

I believe that IDNet's pre configured routers have the username/password changed.

Steve · Jul 15, 2010, 14:19:50

Until you use a paperclip,if you can find one that is.

Tacitus · Jul 15, 2010, 18:30:52

Sorry been out all day :-)

Quote from: DorsetBoy on Jul 15, 2010, 09:59:49
I see no connection or relevance with the garbage at TB. The site I linked has been around for a very long time and assists with modem/router issues.

Didn't appreciate the site had been around for a long time.

Quote from: DorsetBoy on Jul 15, 2010, 09:59:49
The connection and log in settings for routers and ISP's are hardly a secret, people should keep their log in details secure and use a proper password.

The fact that other sites exist which give default passwords etc is precisely the reason I wondered why the TB poster should want this information.... Agree that people should keep their details secret.

Tacitus · Jul 17, 2010, 16:17:23

Earlier in this thread I referred to the possibility of router cracks. Looks like someone has done it and tested against a number of home routers.