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Wi-Fi adapter is Access Point - I DON'T WANT AN AP!!!

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2016 4:39 pm
by ckbeme
For security reasons, I want to disable the AP on my wifi adapter. I've been back and forth with Intel and they say this adapter does NOT support being
an Access Point. But since installing your software, I've seen 2 connectrions to my laptop every time the wifi adapter is connected to web.
Intel gave me some things to try, but all that has been accomplished is going from 801.ac to 801.n and my Link speed has dropped about 500 Mbps. They were also telling me to make changes in my adapter advanced properties - and my Router, some things that don't exist in my either. I have a decent Netgear AC 1200 router.
I have the Intel AC-7265 and my ISP is sending me 75 Mbps. I have the current driver. I'm having a major problem with my desktop. we got hacked so files got cleaned as much as possible, then I did 2 backups of my data using two different software packages. That backup drive (6 month old WD Passport Ultra) has pretty much died. I'm spending all my spare time recoverying what data I can. So you can imagine I'm even more concerned about anyone getting into my laptop.
So, I don't need a prob with my laptop too. I put it on Ethernet so I wouldn't be exposed by the access point any more until I get this resolved.

I've Googled until my eyes are Bleeding!! :x and it's not a phrase that can be refined enough to get the help I need. And I'm fairly bright about tech and PCs in general - worked in IT for 20 years, 12 of those as department head. But sadly, we didn't have the need for a network so I have only the trial and error and user guides to lead the way. And your program is Wonderful, but WAY over my head.

I want to find a way to get that adapter OUT of Access Point mode, but there's nothing I know of that will change it. I tried uninstalling it, changed my SSID and password on Router. Changed the channels on both of by bands, just for traffic reasons. Ideally, I thought the best thing would be to change my external IP address. But using the IP Release performs, and the IP Renew gives me all the same numbers back. My ISP won't help me out. They wouldn't help out when I was hacked awhile back either.

So, you guys know a LOT about APs, maybe you know how an adapter mysteriously becomes an AP.

I have 3 different firewalls I can use to block people,but I have to know their IP address or a unique type of service or a Port they are using in order to
block them. And the IP address would be a temp fix cuz I'm sure I have many visitors.
When a user comes into an AP I assume he doesn't need any password or anything - right? Is there a specific service that the user is running when he comes into an AP? Do they always use certain ports to get in?
I'm just looking for someway to prevent intruders.I have file sharing turned off, I have both my PCs set to not allow other computers to access me ( or however it's worded)
Sorry this is so long. Just wanted you guys to know what all is going on and what we've tried to fix it.

Thanks for any help or ideas.

Wi-Fi adapter is Access Point - I DON'T WANT AN AP!!!

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2016 7:46 pm
by ACalcutt
Hi Ckbeme,

Does the access point you are seeing in vistumbler show as an ad-hoc network type or a infrastructure network type? Pretty much all routers will show up as infrastructure, but if you device was broadcasting it may be an ad-hoc network, which would always broadcast from your device no matter where you were.

What operating system are you running? You may want to see if you have an adhoc network set up in windows

Wi-Fi adapter is Access Point - I DON'T WANT AN AP!!!

Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 2:04 pm
by ckbeme
It shows as Infrastructure. My laptop is the AP. The wifi adapter advanced properties say Network type - Access Point.
Intel AC7265 is a dual band adapter, very nice one. Intel and I posted back and forth with screen shots and they said they couldn't figure it out. They
said their adapter doesn't have the ability to be an Access Point.
Where would I look in Windows to see if there is an AP set up? I have Win 10 pro 1607 version, and it's changed so much. Would I just look under Networks or Network and Sharing?
Thx

Wi-Fi adapter is Access Point - I DON'T WANT AN AP!!!

Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 2:04 pm
by ckbeme
Sorry, it's Infrastructure type network

Wi-Fi adapter is Access Point - I DON'T WANT AN AP!!!

Posted: Tue Oct 11, 2016 3:12 pm
by pferland
It seems like in win10 Microsoft removed the ad hoc create feature and moved it all to the netsh command-line.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/wind ... bf10ed2039

That shows how-to set it up, not sure how to disable at tbis time, still looking around.

Wi-Fi adapter is Access Point - I DON'T WANT AN AP!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:56 pm
by ACalcutt
If it is shows as infrastructure and not adhoc it could be a windows 10 hotspot is enabled. There are some netsh commands that may help you, like mentioned here http://www.windowscentral.com/how-manag ... windows-10

First I would start with "netsh WLAN show interfaces" and see if there a "hosted network status". I think this would show if you have a hotspot enabled in windows 10 since a hotspot in windows 10 would show as infrastructure.

Another command may be "netsh wlan show hostednetwork" which should show any hotspots you may have.

Another command that could help is "netsh WLAN show wirelesscapabilities". I think if your wireless adapter supports being an access point it would show "Soft AP" as supported

Wi-Fi adapter is Access Point - I DON'T WANT AN AP!!!

Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 2:26 pm
by ckbeme
Oh, great. Now you guys are getting above my head. You guys do understand this is the wifi adapter in my laptop, right? The laptop doesn't have win10 pro 1607 yet. So that might change your reply...

And how would a Windows hotspot get enabled? I don't even know how to do it? However, I was hacked awhile back... So I suppose the hackers could have done it. If the did that, they could get back in any time - right?

I'll look at the links you guys sent me and see if I can understand some of this.

Thanks, please let me know what you learn. And a question... how does a person get into an Access Point, like on my laptop? Don't they have to know the ISP IP address? And with any AP, isn't there usually some security - a password or something to allow you to get into that access point? And how do people find APs, unless of course they have Vistumbler??

Wi-Fi adapter is Access Point - I DON'T WANT AN AP!!!

Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 2:33 pm
by pferland
If you were hacked and have not done a re-install of windows from scratch, I would highly recommend that you do. Backup all your important files and format the drive and reinstall Windows. That is the only way you will be truly sure that it is clean.


To your other question, you can find APs with just the windows wireless selector UI and having your wireless card on.

Wi-Fi adapter is Access Point - I DON'T WANT AN AP!!!

Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 4:03 pm
by ckbeme
Oh, I did do a format, clean install, took me over a month to make sure my data was clean. That was on my desktop. But I haven't done it yet on my
laptop, cuz when I got ready to restore my data to my desktop - the drive I used for my backups froze up. Yes I did two backups, using 2 different
types of software, just to be sure. The drive that I used was a 6 month old WD Passport Ultra 2 TB external. I'm so mad at WD. That's the second drive
from them that has failed me in less than a year.
So I've been working non stop trying to recover my data. My desktop is my main PC, it had my wholed life on it!

Now, can you tell me what the windows wireless selector UI is? Sorry,, told you up front I'm not a wizard with networking

Wi-Fi adapter is Access Point - I DON'T WANT AN AP!!!

Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 4:07 pm
by ckbeme
Oh, yeah, BTW. Laptop is still at Win 10 Pro 1511. My desktop is at the new 1607.
So on the laptop, is it going to have a different method than the desktop? Or is it just Win 10 in general that changed how they handle hotspots/APs