Hidden network in my home

Someone has installed a power line network in my home without my knowledge. He seems to have full control of my computer, other electronics and some appliances with plug 'n' play. He's ruined 7 computers since 1998 and countless peripherals, software programs and has made life a living hell. I'm sure he is reading this post as I type. Can anyone give a dummy some advice. I'm not the kind of person who belongs in a forum like this, as I am just somebody's mother. I'd appreciate feedback and hope I can figure out how to read it. Thank you all, Mahoney

 

Hi Mahoney, welcome aboard!

Unless your computers have used powerline networking since 1998 (was it even available then?), your scenario sounds unlikely.

I'm not trying to say you don't have problems or some remote control malware on the machine(s), it's just that the technology you think is to blame may not be the cause or route.

If you could give us a breakdown of the computers and how they connect to each other and to the Internet and some details of a few of the suspicious activities, we'll be better armed to point you in the direction of some solid troubleshooting and fixes.

 

Greetings, mahoney.

Agreed with satrow: unless you live in some sort of shared housing unit (apartment complex, duplex, hotel, etc.), then it's physically impossible for powerline networking to allow unauthorized access from the outside.

Powerline networking data signals cannot pass unchanged through electrical transformers. The point where your house connects to your regional power grid (a transformer on a pole or an underground frame) in effect acts as an unbreachable 'firewall'.

 

Hold on while I adjust my tin foil hat..
A power line network would need a device that that plugs into the outlet of the wall that you would have to plug a network cable into. Just plugging a device into the wall via a power cable doesn't put it on a data network. Have you seen these devices? If you have them unplug them.
http://www.buy.com/prod/netgear-xet...-1/q/sellerid/11408470/loc/101/210477416.html

Now it would appear you have installed a network, because you are on the Internet & participating in this forum. It is possible this mysterious person was you and by connecting your computerto the Internet have been the victim of some 'hell' inflicted by someone.

How can you tell for 'sure'? Do you have any Antivirus installed on the PC? Is it up to date? Do you run scans? Have you used Malware Antibytes or any other root kit revealer? Do you have a firewall? running? Windows XP firewall doesn't count. You may want to move over to the Malware fourm & dig into this.