How to know if anyone is stealing my internet?

I am not a computer genius but i know some stuff so here is the problem. I do not know if someone is stealing my internet, even if it is possible but i prefer to know the facts.
Here are the details: I use Verizon DSL high speed internet. This is NOT wireless internet so don't tell me about securing router and access points (yes!! i read alot). Here is the setup if its necessary. There is a box outside the house with a hard line entering the house. A telephone wire is connected from the hard line jack to a high speed modem which is connected to the computer.
Someone told me this but i am not sure of its validity, so if anyone knows please explain what ARP is about. I was told to run a command named "arp -a" several times and count the number of entries i see. Sometimes i get 7 entries and sometimes i get 8 entries. Does the extra entry indicate someone else is using the internet?

So here are the questions:
1. Is the DSL type (mentioned above) stealable?
2. How to know if someone is stealing it? (Any commands etc)
3. How to find the culprit if there is one?
4. What is ARP about? and is there any validity to the above or is it just nonsense. Please explain

Thank you people!!

 

Hello Georgey.

1. The DSL type that you mention is relatively flawless, unless there is a physical media in between the telephone outside, to your PC that someone put in place. There is no means, minus having someone put spyware onto your computer for you to get a slower connection. Unless people are sharing your connection at your router, or as you've already stated, if your using a wireless router. But your not.
2. Really, there is no way to really notice if someone is stealing it, but as mentioned above, your DSL is kinda flawless, unless you notice a physical device/spyware on your PC, there is probably no reason for the slower connection. Minus the fact that Verizon may just have had alot of people on the internet at the same time your connecting therefore, slowing your signal.
3. If you really wanted to, you could put packet sniffer programs onto your computer and see what information is coming and going from your computer. Which honestly, once again, you may not need, as it just may be alot of people accessing internet from a similar area all at once.
4. ARP is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Address_Resolution_Protocol , which means that the MAC Address points directly to the IP adress. Which means your Network Card, points to a IP address. If you have multiple addresses in there, it could mean that the device that normally would provide your internet access through Verizon, is being shared by other Verizon people at once, which in turn makes your connection go slow. But its actual real Verizon subscribers.

 

You said "your DSL is kinda flawless, unless you notice a physical device/spyware on your PC". I understand the physical device part.
This may be a stupid question but here goes. Are you saying spyware can steal your internet?

Thanks

 

Well, install a net usage meter on your machine and compare it to what your ISP says if they have that info readily available as a customer service or just phone them. I use NetMeter, not the best but it works for me. Someone would have had to physically splice into your line and probably have your info too. I don't know DSL as I'm on cable. At least it's a place to start. It's the way I got my cable company to listen to me but I have wireless router. Ya, my fault for not securing it.

 

all arp -a shows is what address your computer is currently connected to.

for example, doing so on my machine gives the following:

Microsoft Windows
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\frank>arp -a

Interface: 192.168.254.11 --- 0x8
Internet Address Physical Address Type
192.168.254.2 xxxx dynamic
192.168.254.254 xxxx dynamic
192.168.254.255 xxxx static
224.0.0.22 xxxx static
224.0.0.252 xxxx static
xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx xxxx static
255.255.255.255 xxxx static

The ones I "X"ed out i'm not gonna show on a public forum because that would invite a script-kiddie to get into my network (Things like the external-ip of my dsl modem and mac addresses).

going straight down the list:

1. The IP address of the PC i'm at right now from the Internal Network (got multiple PC's on the internal LAN

2. The IP Address of the Router

3. The IP Address of the Modem

4. Primary DNS Server (for those that already know, that's OpenDNS i'm using)

5. Secondary DNS Server (for those that already know, that's OpenDNS i'm using)

6. My Modem's IP address

7. The Subnet Mask of my interior LAN


if I saw something there i didn't recognize (like a program that was using my computer as part of a zombie bot-net) then yes, It is possible it would show up, but it is very unlikely due to the way you are connected to the internet that someone could physically steal your service without you knowing about it (like a line splice or them physically running a cable from your modem/router/switch to thier pc).

 

your connection will becomes slow